I write a lot about how to learn things better. In doing so, I get a lot of emails from readers attempting to learn anything from biology to basketball. I also see a lot of common mistakes people make which make it harder to learn. In this article I wanted to share some of the […]
How I’m Learning Spanish
I’m reaching the halfway point in Spain, the first of four countries, in my year without speaking English. I wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on what I’ve been doing to learn Spanish, what’s worked well and what hasn’t. I want to stress that this article is intended to be descriptive rather than prescriptive. […]
Thoughts on the First Week Without Speaking English
Today was the first week into my year without speaking English. I wanted to share my thoughts on what it’s been like avoiding speaking English entirely, as a method to learn a language. First, though, a clarification. When I wrote my initial post about my challenge to not speak English for a year, I generated […]
My Next Project – The Year Without English
Last year, in October, I finished the MIT Challenge. Now, I’m proud to announce my next yearlong learning project The Year Without English. As with the MIT Challenge, I’ve made a central page where I’ll post all the daily conversation logs and the videos for each leg of the trip. Click here to see the […]
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.