I have a habit of self-destruction. Every several months, I burn myself out. I let too many projects overlap for a week or two, and the result is usually lost sleep and high stress. The surprising thing is, I do this intentionally. I’m a believer that if you want to know where the line is […]
The Beginner’s Guide to the 30 Day Trial: Part 2
Last week, I wrote about the 30 Day Trial technique for changing habits. Since I’ve written about the technique indirectly through many articles on the website, I wanted to offer a beginners guide for people starting out with the tool. This article continues where last week left off, with a few more suggestions. Tip #6 […]
Set a Higher Baseline
For the last several months, I’ve written four articles a week for this website, plus Friday Links. That’s my baseline. Although occasionally I’ll do more, I take every step possible to ensure I don’t do less. Having this baseline means I occasionally miss the super-productive weeks where I could have written seven or eight articles. […]
You Can’t Always Separate Wins From Losses
When I go to the gym, the difference between a good day and a bad day can be huge. On a bad day you can’t push yourself, you won’t enjoy the exercise and you don’t make any improvements. But, I’ve found, you need those bad days in order to have the great days. If you […]
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.