Most people think being smart is about having more facts. Trivia-shows like Jeopardy! epitomize this view of knowledge. The smartest people are the people with the most names, dates and places stored away inside their mind. This is probably the least important and useful part of learning though. Instead of facts, I’d prefer to focus […]
How to Learn English
I’ve written a lot about my approach to learning languages. Currently I can speak Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, French, Portuguese, Korean and some Macedonian. And of course, I can speak English, which is my native tongue. Although I’ve often written from the perspective of an English-speaking person learning another language, today I’d like to flip it. […]
How to Study for a Standardized Test
There are plenty of different standardized tests: SAT, LSAT, GMAT, MCAT as well as hundreds more for specific classes, fields and specialties. In many cases, the thought of preparing for big tests like this can fill you with anxiety, as you imagine going up against hundreds or thousands of other students in a high-pressure environment. […]
How Procrastination Can Help You Succeed
Most people think of procrastination as always a bad thing. You procrastinate on doing your work. You wait until the night before the exam to study. You put off paying bills, doing chores or going to the dentist. But procrastination can also be a very useful behavior, if you procrastinate on the right things. In […]
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.