A lot of goal-setting advice focuses on deciding what matters to you. People exclaim, “follow your passions!” or “set priorities.” This is fine, but it misses the opposite, but equally important question: what doesn’t matter to you. Importance is relative, so in deciding to make something a priority or importance in your life, you need […]
15 Things I Wish I Knew
The great thing about writing articles is that I get to pick the topic. I try to only pick topics that I either have some familiarity with, have done research on or have at least spent a lot of time thinking about. The problem with writing articles is that people assume I know everything. The […]
How to Chip Away at Your List of Necessities
I’ve just completed my first full week without electricity. And the experience has made me think about all the things in life we supposedly need. We each have a list of necessities, things in life no decent human should be without. Some of these are imposed by society, others we impose on ourselves. However, the […]
The Pleasure of Living Within Constraints
A lot of classic goal-setting advice is about changing the constraints of your life. Don’t like your job? Quit and find something else. Don’t have enough money? Earn more. Unsatisfied with your love life? Go meet new people. I don’t think any of this advice is necessarily bad. But, just as working to change 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.