When I announced my current yearlong trip across three continents, I got many comments from readers who would like to do something similar. After all, who wouldn’t like to go to exotic locations, learning new languages and cultures? Unfortunately, the biggest excuse people give me for avoiding those trips they desire is that they simply […]
My Next Project – The Year Without English
Last year, in October, I finished the MIT Challenge. Now, I’m proud to announce my next yearlong learning project The Year Without English. As with the MIT Challenge, I’ve made a central page where I’ll post all the daily conversation logs and the videos for each leg of the trip. Click here to see the […]
Break Your Map
In the process of getting better at something there are two mistakes that hold you back. The first kind is the mistake of not knowing. Not knowing how the market works, which major to choose, what to do. If I wanted to start a business selling industrial solvents, I suffer under the first error. I […]
Blank Slate Moments
Science prides itself on being able to validate hypothesis with controlled experiments. Take two subjects, vary only a single variable between them, whatever difference you generate must owe to that distinction. If only life were that easy. Instead, life is full of confounding variables. We build theories for our lives the best way we can, […]
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.