Simple answer: because success almost always takes longer than you think. Sure, there are exceptions (and they tend to be overhyped by greedy marketers). However, I’ve noticed human beings tend to make two types of errors: They are overly optimistic with their timing They are overly pessimistic with their ambitions The first error results in […]
Success Requires Hard Work (But Not All in One Day)
Becoming good at anything takes hard work. A lot of it. The people who are willing to sweat out their craft for years will win. The people who want quick money and fame after six months will not. However, while success may require a lot of hard work, that doesn’t necessarily mean that work is […]
Decide What’s Unimportant to You
A lot of goal-setting advice focuses on deciding what matters to you. People exclaim, “follow your passions!” or “set priorities.” This is fine, but it misses the opposite, but equally important question: what doesn’t matter to you. Importance is relative, so in deciding to make something a priority or importance in your life, you need […]
How to Chip Away at Your List of Necessities
I’ve just completed my first full week without electricity. And the experience has made me think about all the things in life we supposedly need. We each have a list of necessities, things in life no decent human should be without. Some of these are imposed by society, others we impose on ourselves. However, 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.