I remember the first and only time I got a D in a class. I was studying abroad in France, taking a French class to help me and the other foreign students adapt. The classes were divided into twelve levels. Level one was for extreme beginners, who had no knowledge of French. Level twelve consisted […]
How to Execute a Successful Side Project
I’m a big believer in the power of side projects. This blog was once a side project. Same for the business behind it. Nearly every professional milestone I’ve made was from something that happened in my spare time, and I don’t think that’s an accident. Side projects harness the unexpected. While your regular job and […]
What’s Your Growth Ratio?
If you’re running a business, you’ll often find your time split between two types of tasks. The first are maintenance tasks—these are the activities that sustain, but don’t substantially improve, the underlying business. The second are business development tasks that fortify the assets that generate your income. Your growth ratio is simply the hours you […]
Blank Slate Moments
Science prides itself on being able to validate hypothesis with controlled experiments. Take two subjects, vary only a single variable between them, whatever difference you generate must owe to that distinction. If only life were that easy. Instead, life is full of confounding variables. We build theories for our lives the best way we can, […]
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.