There’s a concept from statistics about the two types of mistakes you can make. These are, unhelpfully, referred to as type I and type II errors. To examine the difference between the two types, imagine you have a blood test for a rare and deadly disease. There are four possible outcomes of the test. The […]
The Power of Being Weak
Stretch a bow to the very full,And you will wish you had stopped in time;Temper a sword-edge to its very sharpest,And you will find it soon grows dull.When bronze and jade fill your hall.It can no longer be guarded.Wealth and place breed insolence.That brings ruin in its train.When your work is done, then withdraw!Such is […]
No Problem Sets, No Problem! (How to Study Without Practice Problems)
If you’ve followed my advice on studying, you know the importance of practice problems. Practice problems should be considered the primary method for learning subjects such as: Math Physics Computer Science Chemistry Engineering and many more… Essentially, any class or subject which asks you to solve something (rather than simply repeating a memorized answer) should […]
Five Steps to Become a Better Writer
Writing matters. It matters for your career. Even if you’re not a journalist or J.K. Rowling, being able to communicate clearly will determine how people see you. Writing matters for your life. Futuristic visions from the early days of computing imagined a world without text, where everyone had video calls. Instead, we got text messaging […]
I'm a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, podcast host, computer programmer and an avid reader. Since 2006, I've published weekly essays on this website to help people like you learn and think better. My work has been featured in The New York Times, BBC, TEDx, Pocket, Business Insider and more. I don't promise I have all the answers, just a place to start.