One of the most startling findings of modern psychology is how bad we are at guessing what will make us happy. Not only are we lousy at predicting what will satisfy us, we often misremember our happiness in the past. In perhaps one of the best online talks I’ve ever watched, Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman […]
Will Reaching the Ideal Life Make You any Happier?
Much of what I write here is centered around the pursuit of the ideal life. There are plenty of problems with that pursuit: perfection is impossible, we have limitations, and how do you define “ideal.” But, for the most part, I believe thinking about what the ideal way to live, and making small steps forward, […]
Why Most Feedback Sucks
Getting better at anything requires feedback, that’s obvious. But what is often more important is selectively ignoring most of the feedback you receive. If you’re basing your decisions entirely on a comment by one person, you’re probably going to make a mistake. Although it may seem like arrogance, I think following your own intuition and […]
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.