I’ve met a number of self-taught programmers. These are people who make their living programming every day, but never went to school to learn how to do it. A few of these people have expressed a mild regret for not learning more computer science. They know how to program well, but they don’t have a […]
Genes and Free Will
How important are your genes? If your genes determined most of your life outcomes, would that mean you have more or less control over your life? The answer to the first question, at least with respect to a lot of traits, seems to be fairly important. Researchers using various techniques (such as identical twins separated […]
Should You Learn Fast or Slow?
I often write about learning faster and learning more efficiently as if they were the same. And in many cases, they are. If it would normally take you 100 hours to learn a subject, and by cutting waste you can get that down to 50 hours, you’ve learned faster and more efficiently at the same […]
What I’ve Been Reading
Deng Xiaoping: A Revolutionary Life – I’ve been thinking a lot about what is the best way to learn about history. Reading this book has persuaded me that reading a few biographies, which limit the discussion to a single figure and point of reference, may be easier than more comprehensive sources. This book covers 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.