I was recently having dinner with a friend who was telling me his plan to get in shape. He had always been on the skinny side and wanted to bulk up a bit. His plan was to gain ten pounds over the following two months. Being the good friend I am, I told him he’d […]
Step One is Showing Up
My roommate was trying to get in shape. He talked about the goal often, so I offered to help him stay motivated. However, on the day that we were going to exercise, he was procrastinating. Finally, as it got later and later, I told him out of frustration that he said he wanted my advice, […]
Living Longer by Stretching Psychological Time
I’d like to live longer. Most people would. Collectively we invest a lot to squeeze more years from our lives: exercising, not smoking, eating healthy and taking whatever supplement cocktail is currently in fashion. But what about making the years seem longer themselves? Psychological time is how long time feels. Although we normally equate psychological […]
If You’re So Smart, Why is Your Life Still a Mess?
Normally, more intelligence is a good thing. Yes, we all know examples of the anxious overthinker or the scholastic introvert who can’t get a date. But, for the most part, being smarter helps in life. However, I’ve noticed one problem that mostly strikes really smart people. The smarter you are, the more likely you are […]
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.