There are plenty of great stories of persistence. J.K. Rowling living on welfare, while writing Harry Potter. Thomas Edison and his team, attempting thousands of different materials, before eventually settling on tungsten filaments for the lightbulbs that created an industrial empire. Albert Einstein, failing to find work in physics, dreaming up his revolutionary ideas for […]
How to Improve Critical Thinking
Being able to think critically is an essential skill. You need to wade through what everyone is saying and pick out the truth from the nonsense. Critical thinking isn’t just for detecting fake news, however. You also need it to make accurate decisions. Should you buy a house or rent? Eat paleo or vegetarian? Go […]
Life’s Wicked Problems (and How to Get Past Them)
Wicked problems are problems that are, “difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognize.” The classic example of a wicked problem is running a country. The problem is wicked because, nobody can even agree as to what counts as a solution! One person’s solution is […]
Is Ambition a Good Thing? Thoughts on Striving Without Selfishness
Ambition is a concept that gets mixed reactions. Some people see it as the essence of progress, virtue and character. Those with ambition take action, set goals and build meaningful things. Without ambition, nothing would get done. In this sense, ambition is synonymous with vision, the opposite of laziness. Other people view it as the […]
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.