In statistics, one of the first things you learn is the importance of n. The variable n, represents the size of the sample you’re studying. And the size of n has a huge impact on whether your results are significant or just a fluke. Unfortunately it’s easy to forget this lesson outside the classroom and […]
Stop Checking Your Web Stats Every Day!
How often do you check your e-mail, Facebook or web stats? Whether you’re a blogger or just discovering the internet, the answer is: probably too much. Information addiction is a disease in the blogging community, and unfortunately I know a lot of good people who are users. I can imagine the mental rationale goes a […]
Are There Prerequisite Courses for Living?
Prerequisite courses are the subjects you need to learn before you can learn more advanced topics. Before you learn calculus, you need to understand algebra. Before you can learn algebra you must have been taught arithmetic. Are there prerequisite courses for living on this planet? Are there any subjects that are so fundamental to understanding […]
Keeping To-Learn Lists
I’m sure most people are familiar with a to-do list. If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, hopefully you have at least one of these on the go, tracking your tasks on paper. But do you have a to-learn list? I recently decided my self-education system needed a bit of cleaning, […]
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.