You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.Eleanor Roosevelt In The Psychology of Money, Morgan Housel reflects on his time as a valet. “The best part of being a valet is getting to drive some of the coolest cars ever to touch pavement. Guests came … Read more
Less is more. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe When asked about sculpting his famous statue of David, Michelangelo supposedly said, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” Isn’t that the crux? The most remarkable sculptures in the universe already exist; they simply require an expert sculptor to chisel away … Read more
I take the high road because it’s easier to look down on people from up there. Lately, I find myself grappling with questions that are bigger than my daily to-do list. Maybe it’s a function of age, but instead of obsessing about my favorite problem—productivity—I’ve pivoted to worrying about things that are much more uncomfortable: … Read more
I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead. Mark Twain Fans of Bollywood movies know this: three-hour movies are a classic staple. Traditionally these films offered audiences a journey of escapism, a break from the outside world’s hustle, oppressive heat, or for a lot of moviegoers, an … Read more
You are only as young as the last time you changed your mind. Kevin Kelly In the 16th century, when tobacco was first introduced in England, it was seen as a reliable prophylactic against the plague. Kids were encouraged to use it and faced punishment in some schools if they didn’t take the required dose. … Read more
It’s 7 p.m., and I’m completely drained. I’ve spent the entire day locked in negotiations—with myself—about writing this very piece. I kept debating questions like, “Should I write in the morning or evening?” “How long should I spend writing?” “Do I even know what I want to say, so why start today?” “Maybe I should … Read more
The options are limitless. But time isn’t. Choose wisely. I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another … Read more
If you are the smartest person in the room, it’s time to find a different room. Confucius. In Alice Schroeder’s biography, The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life, the author illustrates several anecdotes that led to the Oracle of Omaha becoming the legend he is. One such story exemplifies a value Buffett believes … Read more
In his Man in the Arena speech, Theodore Roosevelt emphasized the importance of having skin in the game: It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is … Read more
Instant gratification takes too long. Carrie Fisher Nobody likes to wait In Melanie Watt’s children’s book, You’re Finally Here, the bunny uses some choice adjectives to describe waiting: unfair “as having to eat a Brussels sprout”, annoying “as having a song stuck in my head,” and rude, “as running on carpet with muddy feet.” Most … Read more
I read a bunch of productivity tips once—and then spent the rest of the day feeling accomplished for reading them. It’s not rare to see celebrities adopt a multi-hyphen tagline (Actor-Writer-Comic-TikTok star) to describe themselves as a means of self-promotion. But believe it or not, we are all multi-hyphenates in some shape or form. We … Read more
He who is unaffected by praise or blame, and neither laments nor desires, has equanimity and is fit for immortality. Buddha This, too, shall pass According to legend, King Solomon struggled with a problem that is all too familiar to most of us. He sought a way to control his emotions instead of having them … Read more
Nothing in the world is permanent, and we’re foolish when we ask anything to last, but surely we’re still more foolish not to take delight in it while we have it. W. Somerset Maugham There are very few truths on which we can all agree, regardless of our religious, political, or cultural leanings. Naps are … Read more
One of the most quoted (and, if I may, cliched) references in time management and productivity is the Big Rocks, Pebbles, Sand, and Water analogy. The metaphor originates from a technique often attributed to productivity guru Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The story goes like this: A professor stands … Read more
You can’t pay back, so you might as well pay it forward. Catherine Ryan Hyde Catherine Ryan Hide’s book Pay it Forward is the story of a twelve-year-old, Trevor. Inspired by a school assignment to develop an idea to improve the world, Trevor decides to be kind to three strangers and then asks each of … Read more
It’s not the physical characteristics of a place the human connections that make the place.
If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine; it is lethal. Paul Coelho In his novel Veronika Decides to Die, Paul Coelho uses Veronika’s story to highlight how living a life centered around routine without passion can be more detrimental to one’s spirit and well-being than the perceived risks of stepping outside one’s comfort zone. … Read more
Is everything subjective? The balance between subjectivity and objectivity continues to be a central issue in philosophy. We see things not as they are but as we are. Immanuel Kant The Trolley Problem “The Trolley Problem” is a famous thought experiment in philosophy and ethics, introduced by philosopher Philippa Foot in 1967. Thanks to shows … Read more
Hedonic adaptation, the tendency to quickly return to a baseline level of satisfaction, no matter what happens to us in life, is Mother Nature’s bait and switch. All sorts of life events we think would make us happier actually don’t, or at least they don’t for long. Nir Eyal. Over four decades ago, three psychologists … Read more
Hans Christian Andersen’s simple yet powerful tale The Emperor’s New Clothes about the power of truth becomes increasingly relevant to us as we age and achieve success. For those unfamiliar with the storyline, The Emperor’s New Clothes is about an emperor obsessed with fashion. Sensing an opportunity to swindle the emperor, two con men pose … Read more