Being good at things is the key to success. Painfully obvious, right? That means being good, having mastered skills, ranks far higher than other commonly touted “keys” to success, such as: Overcoming fears Just getting started Rejecting societal norms Having the best attitude Sure, being a terrified, procrastinating, peer-pressured, pessimist probably won’t help you master […]
My Mistakes and Triumphs in Learning a Foreign Language
It’s been awhile since I posted about my goal to become fluent in French. For the new people here, I’ve been spending the last 8-9 months practicing the language, with the last 4.5 living in France. First off, I’m definitely not a language learning expert. This is my first attempt at learning a foreign language, […]
How to Draw (and Other Life Lessons)
“I can’t draw, I’m not an artist.” I’ve heard this many times. Some people must think that being able to draw faces or pictures is something you’re born with. It’s not. It’s just a skill, like any other, that people have worked to become good at. I just spent an afternoon doing illustrations for my […]
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.