How often do you find that you were completely wrong about an idea you’ve had? If you’re like most people the answer is probably not very often at all. Psychologists even have a name for it, the confirmation bias, or the tendency of humans to seek out information that confirms their beliefs. People search for […]
Society’s Attention Deficit – Praise for Deep Thinking in the Era of Shallowness
Could the internet be making us stupider? Cal Newport suggests it might. He shares recent research that shows electronic multitasking results in poorer performance on cognitive tasks. No surprise there: being on Facebook or Twitter won’t help you concentrate. The interesting finding however, was that chronic multitaskers perform significantly worse on tasks even when they […]
The 10 Best Self-Help Books (That Aren’t Self-Help)
I read to improve myself. Despite this, I actually read very few self-help books. Most of books I read are completely outside the self-help or business book genres. The world rewards unique thinking. If your entire library looks like the self-help section of a bookstore, you probably don’t have enough varied perspectives to handle the […]
How to Read Books You Disagree With
Several months ago, I wrote an entry entitled, “Is It Better to Read Books You Disagree With?”. It’s human nature to fill your life with people, books and media that agrees with you. Liberal viewers are more likely to watch The Daily Show than The O’Reilly Factor. Fundamentalist Christian readers would probably prefer reading, Of […]
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.