A lot of ideas sound right when you hear them, but don’t feel right when you do them. This is often because they have unseen side effects that aren’t immediately obvious when you first learn them. One such idea is that focus matters more than time management. That is to say, it’s better to have […]
Don’t Be Afraid to Go at Your Own Pace
It’s okay to learn slowly. That might sound funny from a guy who is known (perhaps even notorious) for trying to learn things faster, but it’s true. My motivation for doing the MIT Challenge was (a) to see if I could do it and (b) if I could, hopefully help other people imagine self-education goals […]
Should You Accept Your Constraints or Try to Improve Them?
One book that had a huge impact on me was The Power of Full Engagement by Tony Schwartz and Jim Loehr. The book’s thesis was simple: time-management doesn’t work because your energy is more limited than time. Before the book, I used to get frustrated with my inability to follow my own schedules. I’d carefully […]
How to Build the Habit of Finishing What You Start
What do you do when you start a personal project, but you start to lose interest? Should you quit or keep going, even though it’s no longer fun? What if the project is to improve your health or career? What if your goals change and the project no longer feels relevant? Should you quit or […]
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.