Do your friends need to share your values, interests and philosophy of life? I believe the answer is no. As a self-described vegetarian, entrepreneur, speed-reading dance machine, do most of my friends match my eclectic interests and approach to life? Certainly not. My current roommate is delightfully unambitious, guitar-playing skateboarder. To my constant surprise he […]
The Crowd is Stupid (You Don’t Need Genius to Beat Them)
“They say that for every open audition for a role, there are 500 applicants. But that isn’t too important, so long as you remember 490 of those applicants are idiots.” This was an example given to me by Cal Newport (although the origin is lost). The numbers aren’t real, but I think the message is […]
Do People Want Riches to Buy Stuff or Status?
We’re richer, but we aren’t happier. At least, that’s what the research tells us. In The Progress Paradox, Gregg Easterbrook argues that, in some respects, happiness has actually fallen slightly in the last few decades. This is despite the fact that material conditions have improved significantly during the same time. To many people, this finding […]
My Five Favorite Inspirational Films
Stories shape us. The stories we hold close, change our view of the world and our philosophy of life. And, deep down, we react more strongly to stories than to data. Here is a short list of five of my favorite inspirational movies. This isn’t a list of my picks for the best pieces of […]
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.