My recent posts on atheism and a highly speculative theory of how the universe might work sparked a lot of debate. Although I am pleased to find I have some incredibly intelligent readers here, I am alarmed by some of the comments that were made. I’m generalizing here, but the basic structure of the complaint […]
How to Make Deadlines Work Using Hofstadter’s Law
Hofstadter’s Law: “It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter’s law.” This little recursive nugget of wisdom can be stated simply as, “It always takes longer than you think.” That’s an unfortunate truth both in planning projects and setting goals for your life. When you don’t have all the […]
How to Overcome Plateaus
Most people don’t quit at the start. Quitting at the start would be a sign of weakness, so you push hard and improve. Instead, most people quit at the plateau. That seemingly impossible barrier, where progress doesn’t happen. During these times conducting a “weak link” analysis and focusing on actions over results to help push […]
Ten Skills Everyone Should Have
There are a lot of skills you don’t need. You can be happy and successful without knowing how to make a program in C++, play racquetball or conduct major surgery. But there are other skills you can’t avoid. You can’t go far in today’s world without being able to read or write. Today the ability […]
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.