A good job pays well. A great job fills you with a sense of purpose. A meaningful career is something most of us want, even if it can be hard to create. What makes a career meaningful? I’ve been thinking about that, and I’ve come to two very different possible answers. Although they might seem […]
Easily Distracted? Use Orienting Tasks While Learning.
I like the polar bear game. The game is simple: don’t think about polar bears. First person to do so loses. It’s mostly a gag because it’s impossible to play. Trying not to think about polar bears causes you to think about polar bears and you lose. The lesson of the polar bear game is […]
The Fear of Going Soft
One of my biggest fears about being a full-time writer is that I’ll become disconnected from the things I write about. When I was in university, writing about learning and productivity was grounded in context. Being a full-time advice-giver is scary because you no longer have the day-to-day experience of the things you write about. […]
Bias is Inescapable
Confirmation bias is the human tendency to seek out and remember examples which support our existing beliefs. It’s easiest to see this with controversial issues. Your friend who doesn’t believe evolution will point to the gap in the fossil record, but not apply the same rigor to the authenticity of religious texts. Another who believes […]
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.