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Photo by Paul S Barlow Spiritual traditions are big on fables. One of my favorites comes from the Sallatha Sutta in the Buddhist tradition. When touched with a feeling of pain, the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person sorrows, grieves, & laments, beats his breast, becomes distraught. So he feels two pains, physical & mental. Just as if they… Read More »Second Arrow Syndrome: How We Multiply our Own Suffering, and How We Might Avoid It

credit: Samuel Zeller A Framework for More Original and Productive Thought It is impossible to overstate the importance that thinking has on our work and life. Being able to think well is the single most important factor in being more productive, less stressed, and achieving worthwhile goals. The great tragedy is that when we’re busy (which… Read More »How to Get Exponentially Better at Generating Ideas

Gathered during 34 years of building a life I have been on this planet for just over 34 years now. During that time, I’ve built a modest but fulfilling life. I have many close friends and family to thank for helping me build it. I have many more people to thank who did not directly help… Read More »A Few Pieces of Simple but Useful Wisdom

By recent estimates, something like 47% of jobs face the threat of being automated over the next 20 years. That means that what was once done by humans alone will now be done by a machines and algorithms. As more of that 47% becomes a reality, all eyes are fixated on that other 53% — the stuff… Read More »We Are All Creatives: A Manifesto of Humanity in the Age of Automation

Until I was in my late twenties, I hated running. I played sports (off and on), I did some exercise, but I stayed far away from running anything longer than a distance of a few city blocks. Running got me exhausted way too quickly. I can’t breathe well through my nose — mostly due to issues with… Read More »The Powerful Mental Benefits of a Daily Morning Run, and How to Start the Habit

Close your eyes for a few seconds. You don’t need to go find a quiet place, in fact the less quiet the place, the better. Now just listen. What do you hear? No, not the droning of the world around you listen deeper. What’s going on in your head? Everyone has a voice or two… Read More »The Quiet Voice: On Listening to the Noise in Your Head, and Using it to Your Benefit

A Meditation on Progress, Creativity, and Purpose For a long time, I’ve been obsessed with a concept. The problem is, I’m not sure what to call it. I am really into the beginning of things — the origins, patient zero, if you will. My favorite parts of autobiographies or historical narratives are the beginnings, where we get a… Read More »Some Unconventional Advice to Hungry, Passionate Creatives

How the content inflation caused by online marketing is hurting its future, and what we might do about it. Last year, I signed up for the email list of a pretty famous writer/podcaster/internet personality. I liked the few articles that I read, and felt that I’d like to get some emails from him — pointing me to other… Read More »The Prisoner’s Dilemma of Online Content

source: pexels A simple practice to boost intelligence, avoid cognitive bias, and prove your own ideas wrong In the middle of the 20th century, philosopher and professor Karl Popper found himself mystified by the beliefs and methods of the otherwise intelligent and rational people around him. I found that those of my friends who were admirers… Read More »The Falsification Mindset: How to Change Your Own Mind

I have a challenge for you: think back on all of the books, articles, and keynote speeches about self-improvement and growth you’ve consumed through the years. Now think of as many things as possible that they’ve identified as key traits for being successful. Go. Okay, stop. What did your list look like? Something like this,… Read More »The Enriching Effects of Humor as a Habit