Hofstadter’s Law: “It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter’s law.” This little recursive nugget of wisdom can be stated simply as, “It always takes longer than you think.” That’s an unfortunate truth both in planning projects and setting goals for your life. When you don’t have all the […]
Find Your Personal Marathon
Why do people run marathons? Completing a marathon has few outside benefits. Do marathon runners finish all twenty-six grueling miles just to boast about it later? Is it trying to achieve an Olympian status of physical excellence? Or is it a mark of status, giving you pride over your discipline and ability to conquer pain […]
How to Read 70+ Books in a Year
Over the past two years I’ve read over 120 books. If you add up partial books I read for specific segments, that number would be well over 140. But only four years ago I would have read 10-12 books per year. Although reading at least seventy books a year sounds difficult, it doesn’t require a […]
How to Overcome Plateaus
Most people don’t quit at the start. Quitting at the start would be a sign of weakness, so you push hard and improve. Instead, most people quit at the plateau. That seemingly impossible barrier, where progress doesn’t happen. During these times conducting a “weak link” analysis and focusing on actions over results to help push […]
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.