Imagine if you could take a pill that would double your intelligence. What would that feel like? You’d be able to keep more thoughts in your head. You could draw new connections between ideas. You could solve problems you’ve been stuck on for years. Such a pill may not exist, but there already is a […]
What is Productivity Guilt? (And How Can You Prevent It?)
You should really exercise four times per week. Not just jogging though, high-intensity interval training. And do intermittent fasting. And drink two gallons of water a day. Don’t forget to meditate. If you’re not waking up at 4am, you’re missing the most productive hours of the day. Did you watch some television? You could have […]
How Long Will it Take?
Recently, I reached a milestone that I had been working on for a long time: bench pressing more than 200 pounds. There’s nothing particularly remarkable about that. Many people can lift a lot more than I can. What I thought was more interesting was how long it took. I started lifting weights when I was […]
How to Teach Yourself Math
Few subjects bring up as much remembered pain and anxiety as math classes. The confusing symbols, the difficult procedures and the dreaded graphs and charts. A few people are now even suggesting that learning math can be a traumatic experience, something survived, rather than learned. The painful history many people have with math is a […]
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.