History is a powerful subject. Knowing the past allows you to understand the present. Understanding history overcomes the myopia of our limited lifetimes. History shows us alternative points of view and can show that our own perspectives are often parochial and arbitrary. But history is often a hard subject to learn. Few subjects have as […]
The Problem of Happiness
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 […]
Flow Doesn’t Lead to Mastery
The concept of flow, first introduced by psychologist Mihály Csikszentmihályi, is the enjoyable feeling that happens when you are totally immersed in an activity. You stop feeling self conscious, with your attention being completely absorbed by the task at hand. Chances are you’ve felt flow many times before. Maybe during a game, sports or even […]
How the Brain Changes with Expertise
Is learning mostly about finding the right mental strategies? It might be. Discover the study that let me rethink the application of effective learning strategies.
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.