In chemistry, there’s the idea of an activation cost. This is the threshold of energy you need to surpass to start a chemical reaction. Dynamite, for example, contains a lot of energy. But unless a spark or lit fuse pays the activation cost it won’t explode. Life also has activation costs. There are many pursuits […]
Should You Wander the World or Build a Home?
I’m taking a break from my normal, opinionated rants to pose a question: should your twenties be devoted to wandering the world, living in many places, but never deeply? Or should they be spent picking a place to live and investing your time to build a home from that place? I’ll share my thoughts on […]
Should Your Twenties Be for Work or Play?
I recently turned 21. In a discussion with a friend, we decided there are two major perspectives people take when approaching their twenties: work or play. In the first, people view their twenties as the time to make ambitious career moves. Working 60 or 80 hour workweeks in university or at a job is easier […]
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.