Imagine for second that you want to go purchase a car. You’ve decided the brand and model you want, and how much you’re prepared to spend. Then you walk into the dealership and leave… with a bicycle. That story feels absurd because people don’t go out seeking cars and accidentally getting bicycles. However, that is […]
Choose: Growth or Consistency
People like to profess the virtue of ideas that are incompatible with each other. “Look before you leap,” yet, “he who hesitates is lost.” Sometimes these contradictions contain a more nuanced explanation. I believe that learning things spaced over time results in greater retention, yet I do short-term learning projects. But I follow those fast […]
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 […]
WordSmith – Building a Program that Plays Scrabble
Last fall, I finished the MIT Challenge. While the challenge was exciting and educational, the tight deadline didn’t give me any time for extracurricular projects. When I finished, I wanted to work on a small and fun project that would test some of the things I learned. The result was WordSmith, a program that lets […]
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.