I’d say contentment is the difference between what you need and what you have. I’d also say that drive is the difference between what you have and what you want. Since both drive and contentment are important, I think it’s important to have as big a gap as possible between your needs and wants. Most […]
How to Stay Focused
Focus is important for making improvements. If your focus is spread too widely, you won’t make much progress. If you can’t stay focused on one project for long, you won’t be able to reach a foothold before you slide back to where you started. One trick I like to use to stay focused is to […]
Work, Retire… Then You Die.
“The years go by faster as you get older.” This is a piece of experience I’ve often heard from people who have more years than myself. The idea being that, as you get older, your lifestyle becomes more fixed. Going from 17 to 21 is a much bigger change than 40 to 44. Does it […]
How Much Stuff Do You Need?
You need stuff to live. You need food to eat, water to drink and (at least in most climates) a roof over your head. At a basic level, stuff is necessary for survival. The question is, how much stuff do you really need? And, how can you own things without having them control your life? […]
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.