Doing Less to Achieve More
In January 2010, Novak Djokovic was playing in the Australian Open quarterfinals when he nearly collapsed on the court. A rising star in the tennis
Category: Essays
The Power of Visual Thinking
In 1966, a Texas pilot drew a triangle on the back of a napkin and changed aviation forever.
The Creativity of Constraints
In 1985, after a string of critical and commercial flops, Disney Animation Studios was all but done for. New CEO Michael Eisner and head of
Harnessing the Zeigarnik Effect for Memory Retention and Motivation
John McEnroe was practicing before his 1984 Wimbledon final and abruptly quit. He said he felt great and didn’t want to leave his best form
The Case for Being Human
With the rise of AI and the imminent Singularity, it’s a good time to ask whether human beings matter anymore.
Two Ways to Harness the Power of Analogical Thinking
There’s nothing like a good analogy to drive home a point. Think of some of the most profound analogies in our culture. Who doesn’t instantly
Defining the Problem—the Essential First Step
When we don’t properly assess the situation and understand what we’re trying to achieve, things can and often do go awry.
How to Ask a Question
In a time of sound bites and hostile Facebook debates, asking good questions has become a lost art.
How to ‘Show, Don’t Tell’ with Meaningful Action
No matter what you have to say, it is always more evocative and interesting if you show it instead of telling it.
The Problem with the Linda Problem
Like most Behavioral Economics work, the experiment is founded on a basic fallacy that, if anything, proves that the researchers are the ones that are irrational.
The Absolute Best Albums for Each Week of the Year According to Science
Music fans know that songs have a season. This is obviously true for Christmas music, Halloween music, and even Fourth of July music, but also for songs and albums that don’t have such clear seasonal affiliation.
How to Rate a Book
Any writer knows the story: You pour your life into what you hope ends up a good piece, you publish it, and then you hold
Trump-Hating toward Totalitarianism
In the climax of the classic Pirates of Silicon Valley, Steve Jobs is shown presenting his iconic 1984 Big Brother commercial before his adoring audience.
Everything Is a Blue/Black White/Gold Dress and It’s Tearing Us Apart
Do you trust the election system? Chances are, if you’re a Democrat, you do, and, if you’re a Republican, you don’t. A new poll found
The Myth of Divisiveness
As the final poll numbers came in over the weekend and news outlets began declaring Joe Biden victor of the 2020 presidential election, the response
How to Avoid Civil War
If there’s one thing everyone agrees upon in the lead up to the election, it’s that we all disagree. We disagree on pretty much every
Logic in the Time of Corona
The first casualty in the Coronavirus Pandemic was reason. Even before the WHO Issued its first warnings, experts were jumping to conclusions and average people
The Perfectionist’s Guide to #ProgressOverPerfection
There are two kinds of people in this world: perfectionists and those who get things done. As a bona fide perfectionist, this is hard for
In Defense of Thanksgiving
Unpopular opinion of the day: Thanksgiving is the best holiday. Chesterton said “Thanks are the highest form of thought.” What could possibly be a better
Baby, It’s Culturally Vapid Outside
I realize the controversy is old. In Internet years, it’s already a relic. But the public discourse has missed some key points that merit review.