My good friend and roommate just started the challenging career path of becoming a successful architect. As we spoke about the difficulties of making a name for yourself in an established industry, I realized I was unequipped to offer advice. It had been almost five years since I had a real job. Instead, I asked […]
The Sex Scandal Technique: How to Achieve Any Goal, Instantly (and Party with Tim Ferriss)
It’s no secret I almost never do guest posts. But when my friend, Maneesh Sethi offered to write one, I didn’t hesitate to make an exception. Maneesh is a 24-year old with a resume that most people won’t accomplish in their entire lives. He was an international best-selling author still in his sophomore year of […]
Do What Others Won’t or Can’t Do
Most career-advice today deals with matching—trying to pair people’s aptitudes and passions with specific jobs. So, the advice goes, if you’re friendly, maybe you should go in sales. Good at math? Consider engineering or science. The matching paradigm here strikes me as too optimistically egalitarian. It somehow assumes that all jobs are equally desirable, but […]
How Much Do Genes Matter?
A reader emailed me after I wrote about learning calculus in five days: “I question that you’re just a person of average intelligence who knows how to learn faster. I can’t imagine ever finishing an MIT class in 5 days.” My response to him was that, of course, I was probably smarter than average. If […]
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.