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I thought 2021 would be easier than 2020: the pandemic would wind down because of vaccines and better treatments, we'd find a new groove with work, and family life would get easier as the kids got older. In reality I foun

An excellent work of philosophy exploring our underlying anxiety caused by the ultimate freedom afforded to us by modern living, and our desire to escape that freedom for a more comfortable life.

We are in the dark corner of the pub together. We have been here for some time. Out of my coat I produce a pile of old photographs. Something to show you. They are a gift from the past, together we will look, I will tell what comes to mind.

Last week, the American figure skater Nathan Chen, a favorite to win gold in the 2022 Olympics, lived up to expectations. In a four-minute free skate performance that included five quadruple jumps, and a joyous dance break, he earned the medal that had eluded him four years earlier in Pyeongchang. Many of you sent me

How to solve problems quickly and cheaply? Add more mental models to your thinking toolbox. Check the best mental models For problem-solving.

This started off life as a link post to an interesting video on Matt Birchlers writing set up. However, it quickly spiralled out of control into me writing regular expressions, editing javascript and spending two days making this set up my own. If you're into doing anything like this, then

I don’t use Roam anymore. Why?

Peter Thiel asks this one question when he interviews someone to determine their future.

66 votes and 0 comments so far on Reddit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czz53RpImRM Create more productively Whether you're simply filling out a web form, drafting a topic for a forum entry, replying to an intricate email, or creating something quite substantial like an article or even a book … you'll be more productive if you Hook yo

How did they launder the money? Is Razzlekhan the richest rapper ever? What was their getaway plan? Did she actually DM me? (Yes)

Scott Adams, the Dilbert creator, says he doesn’t have any extraordinary skills. He’s a pretty good artist. He’s kind of funny, an OK writer, and decent at business. But multiply those mediocre skills together and you get one of the most successful cartoonists of all time. A lot of things work like that. A couple ordinary things you don’t notice on their own create something spectacular when they mix together at the right time. One of the big leaps forward for humanity is when we mixed copper, which is soft, with tin, which is like paper, and created bronze, which is hard and made great tools and weapons. It was like two plus one equals ten. Same with the weather. A little cool air from the north is no big deal. A little warm breeze from the south is pleasant. But when they mix together over Missouri you get a tornado. Same with people. It’s tempting to want to find the one big skill that will set you apart. But most incredible things come from compounding, and compounding isn’t intuitive because the incremental inputs are never exciting on their own. A few little things that are easy to ignore yet work wonders when combined together: Curiosity across disciplines, most of which are outside your profession. A well-calibrated sense of your future regret. The ability to endure risk vs. assuming you can avoid it. Respecting luck as much as you respect risk. The willingness to adapt views you wish were permanent. Low susceptibility to FOMO. A sensitive bullshit detector. Valuing your independence over someone else’s priorities. Respecting history more than forecasts. Respecting the difference between rosy optimism and periods of chaos that trend upward. Quitting while you’re ahead before you’ve exhausted or outgrown what made you successful. Outperforming by merely “doing the average thing when everyone else around you is losing their mind.” Thinking in probabilities vs. certainties, including the idea that a good decision can result in a bad outcome and vice versa. Acknowledging that some things are unknowable and not fooling yourself into thinking you can figure them out. Identifying what game you’re playing and not being persuaded by people playing different games. Expecting the ridiculous and absurd vs. assuming the world is always governed by rational decisions. Accepting some inefficiency and hassle without losing your cool. Knowing the long-term consequences of your actions. Deserving the good reputation you have. Getting along with people you disagree with. None of these are too exciting, but maybe that’s the point: Most things that look like superpowers are just a bunch of ordinary skills mixed together at the right time.

It's the great everything and the great nothing.

The best game to play is the one that requires no scoreboard in the first place.

1) Tell your story TO someone. Pick one person you love or admire or want to connect with, and write the whole thing directly to them —like you’re writing a letter. This will bring forth your…

Unlock your own creative taste, and splatter your experiences into a sea of blank canvases

I recently discovered a simple step-by-step process that significantly increased my personal productivity and made me happier along the way.

"It's a different sort of place," the billionaire says.

Listen now (12 min) | This week’s podcast (12 minutes) is on a crucial difference, between planning to start, and planning to finish. We talk a lot about the difference between more and less planning, on the spectrum between full waterfall and full agile, and like most of you, I share a bias towards less planning.

I create the equivalent of at least 1 book worth of writing per week. Most of my work ends up in newsletters, websites, and marketing campaigns for companies you know very well. You won’t see my name, but you’re probably reading my stuff all the time. On good days, I get to write for you directly.

Dieter Rams’ profound influences on modern design blossomed throughout his 30+ years working for Braun and in his text, “10 Principles for Good Design.”