Betterment

Pt.3 How to Augment Your Memory with Your Second Brain

Also — Cal Newport’s plan.txt, and the Plus, Minus Next method

How I used AI in my book about AI

One of the most famous paintings in The Louvre (besides the Mona Lisa) is the physically massive masterpiece from 1819, “The Raft Of The Medusa,” by

Studying for school can be hard, but the process is pretty straightforward: Outside of school, though, this strategy breaks down. It’s impossible even to be aware of all the books that might be useful for any given subject, never mind actually reading them all.  In an infinite library, choosing what material to learn dwarfs even […]

Effectively organizing research findings is critical to making new technical discoveries. Notetaking practices of experimentalists can teach important lessons.

AI chatbots highight a challenge that is worth understanding. It applies to customer service, bureaucracies and teachers as well… If you ask an AI a question and it’s not confident in t…

Here’s a bit of trivia: Who is the most recorded band of all time? You’d probably guess someone like the Beatles or the Rolling Stones. People who made a

The software industry is vast and turbulent. Here are my personal strategies for quickly adapting to new career opportunities.

When you’re reading a good historical novel, you might be there and then. When you’re checking your email, you are in a conversation between and among, over there, not here. When you&#8…

The independent bookstore down the street is carefully curated. Each book takes up the spot that a different book could inhabit, so the owner makes sure that there’s a great reason a title is…

(And think about what makes YOU happy.)

That’s a cliche from the movies. Dangling from a railroad bridge, only determination and firm grip can save the hero. In our modern world, we often end up holding on to ideas, to grievances o…

In a recent Daily Stoic podcast, Ryan Holiday briefly refers to an old, well-known Stoic concept, “The Cup Is Already Broken.” The idea being, instead of

Improve your health and well-being with the 20-5-3 rule of nature. Discover how spending time outdoors can reduce stress and enhance your recovery.

The star's business dealings have been in the news lately, so we decided to break down what moved Ri-Ri into billionaire status.

Long after people forget the details, they’ll remember your kindness. There are many forms of hospitality, but resilience, goodwill and gratitude are often the ones that matter. PS here&#8217…

The most effective persuasion happens when we persuade ourselves. The purpose of the memo or the table or the graph or the presentation is to create the conditions for someone to make up their own …

The mass of men exist in a state of waiting. They have a vision, vague in contours but salient in feeling, about what their life should look like, what it will look like, eventually. This vision perhaps includes a loving spouse and happy children. Certainly a fulfilling, interesting career. A good group of friends. An exciting hobby. […]

Taste varies. That’s why we don’t call it utility. Taste is individual preference, not absolute truth. In team settings, then, it’s much more helpful to say, “I prefer this …

Over the past two decades, I’ve worked as a software developer, tech lead, and CTO at various startups, including my own. I’ve accumulated a number of principles I use to make major technical decisions. Most of the principles outlined here were learned the hard way. You might not fully agree with all of the principles, but I hope at least some of them could help those who struggle with tough technical decisions…

“The mean” is the average. Another word for “mediocre.” When an organization gets big enough, by definition, it’s the average. When you have enough customers, they rep…

The fitness industry tends to oscillate between trends.  Some workout program or modality will be all the rage. Then, a new method (or the rediscovery of an old one) comes on the scene. The old modality is denigrated as dumb, outdated, and ineffective, and the new modality is lionized as the One True Way to […]

In the 1914 short story, “Araby”, James Joyce wrote about a wee boy in 1890s Dublin, who has a huge crush on a young girl his age. One day, the girl (who

Engineers often use the rubber duck approach when they are stuck, but why not draw for our little yellow friend instead?

If you’re in need of a gathering place, a dry, functional, centrally located facility for your folks to meet, a cathedral is probably way more than you need. It’s far more expensive to …

When it’s tough going and it feels fraught, it’s easy to imagine that the headwinds will never end. And yet, when all is going well and the wind is at our back, it’s tempting to i…

A manual I recently read listed the “cons” of having a meeting virtually: Limits options for engagement Engagement can be less meaningful At home distractions More difficult to read bod…