We tend to assume that if people today and people five hundred years ago do things differently, it’s because we’ve figured out a better way to do it. After all, we have microscopes, democracy and penicillin. People in the middle ages lit cats on fire for fun. Yet despite overwhelming progress, it’s ironically in the […]
Why Copying Successful People Can Backfire
James Clear recently tweeted about the importance of carefully cultivating your tribe: He’s not wrong. Being surrounded by the wrong culture can definitely impede your progress. However, there’s more nuance to the idea than that you’re simply the average of the five people you spend the most time with. In one of my favorite books […]
What’s the Best Way to Make a Habit? Comparing Seven Different Approaches
The basic process for building all habits is basically the same: you repeatedly condition the behavior you want, over time, until it becomes automatic. There’s two main ways you can condition a habit. One is through classical conditioning. This is simply a paired association with a trigger and a behavior. Going to the gym after […]
The Best Articles on Habits
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle The way your life plays out is guided by thousands of habits that make most of your decisions for you. Understanding how those habits work and how to change them is essential. Here are some of my best […]
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.