Somewhere I think we’ve bought into a lie. And this lie is that, in order to get things done, you have to discipline yourself to avoid having fun. Because, the lie continues, partying, fun and socializing are wasting valuable time that should be spent on work. The lie tricks you because it seems to match […]
How to Set Goals Without Craving Anything
Note to new readers, this article is a continuation of last week’s “How to Not Want Things and Still Be Happy” and “How to Be an Effortless Achiever.” In those articles I showed how craving things causes pain and the alternative is to focus on the entire process, not just the goal. Goal-setting seems alien […]
How to Not Want Things and Still Be Happy
The Buddha once claimed that desire creates suffering. On the surface this seems to make sense. You feel pain when you don’t get what you want. The solution, in Buddhism, is to cease desiring things and therefore your suffering will end. Somehow, that doesn’t feel right. Sure, desire may create pain, but doesn’t it also […]
The Key to Escaping Toxic Motivation
Motivation can be split up between two different categories. The first is passionate motivation, this comes from craving to do something. The second is wealth motivation. Wealth motivation is craving to have something. The differences between the two may be subtle, but the impact is tremendous. One builds enthusiasm, while the other can be completely […]
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.