Everyone likes talking about secrets. The “secrets” of productivity. The “hacks” to accomplish more. What about the really obvious things? In my opinion “hacks” and “secrets” account for only a small proportion of your ability to accomplish more. It’s the really obvious things that account for most of it. Unfortunately, obvious solutions are ignored by […]
What if You Have More Than One Passion?
If you have many different passions, pursue all of them. Recently, I’ve had a couple emails from readers explaining that their problem is simply having too many passions. Far from being members of the apathetic masses, these people seem to have difficulty focusing because there are simply so many things to be interested about. I […]
Why Most People Give Up and Fail
Simple answer: because success almost always takes longer than you think. Sure, there are exceptions (and they tend to be overhyped by greedy marketers). However, I’ve noticed human beings tend to make two types of errors: They are overly optimistic with their timing They are overly pessimistic with their ambitions The first error results in […]
Think Outside the Cubicle – Released!
Greetings everyone, from my sunny little corner in the south of France. I’m excited to announce that my latest (and biggest) guide is finally available. Think Outside the Cubicle is my answer to a question that has nagged me since I started writing about productivity: why does so much advice assume I work in an […]
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.