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Author Archives: AJ Kessler
Design Is Just Asking “How Do I Maximize Pleasure?”
For a long time, the electronics and computer industry asked “How do I make this work?” This is understandable. In any nascent industry, getting something that works out the door is priority number one. But, even after the functionality hurdle … Continue reading
Posted in Aesthetics, Art, Creativity, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Style
Tagged Design, Living, Pleasure, Tiny Home, Utility
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Barely Hanging On? Count Backwards to Success
The explosion came from out of nowhere. Flames surround me. I couldn’t see through the glowing white light of burning magnesium. That’s how the “second half” of Dan Ariely’s life began. After sustaining third degree burns to over 70% of … Continue reading
Posted in Advice, Business, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Persuasion, Productivity, Rationality
Tagged Brain, Count down, Hack, Lifehack, Mind, Mindhack, Success
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Did Boredom Make Species Survival Possible?
Boredom may not be unique to humans, as it seems polar bears and other animals experience some kind of boredom, but did it help our species survive? Boredom is a fascinating thing. It’s so familiar to people that the dictionary … Continue reading
Posted in Advice, Creativity, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Productivity, Rationality, Self-Improvement
Tagged Boredom, Boring, Evolution, Evolutionary Psychology
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There Is Always An Excuse
“I had a bad day, I deserve this.” “I had a great day, I deserve this.” “Well, I’ve already done X. Y won’t hurt.” “Well, I haven’t done X yet, so I can do Y.” Your mind is disturbingly capable … Continue reading
Posted in Advice, Creativity, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Rationality, Self-Improvement
Tagged Brain, Excuse, Fallacy, Logic, Mind, Will Power, Willpower
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Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems?
I’m unabashedly pro-wealth. I think the recognition of personal freedoms that allow capitalist systems to function has done more to benefit mankind than any other development since humans discovered how to wield fire. That said, I’ve thought and written much … Continue reading
Posted in Advice, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Rationality
Tagged buy, divorce, experience, luxury, Money, possessions, Psychology, relationships, Research, Root of all evil, Science, Studies, Wealth
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Advertising Works On You
Advertising makes you buy things. It makes you like things. It can even makes you remember things. Things that never actually happened to you: It turns out that vivid commercials are incredibly good at tricking the hippocampus (a center of … Continue reading
Posted in Food For Thought, Rationality, Self-Improvement
Tagged Advertising, Communication, False Memories, Implant, Memory
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The Tyler Durden Self Help Method
Who is Tyler Durden? All the ways you wish you could be, that’s me. I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways … Continue reading
You’re Always Gonna Be Scared
We’re all scared. The difference is whether you’re gonna keep moving. An inspiring talk about fear by Merlin Mann: (starts slow, but it’s worth pushing through) What are you scared of?
Posted in Creativity, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Productivity, Quotes, Rationality, Self-Improvement
Tagged Creating, Fear, Making, Moving, They Can't Eat You
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Want To Live Longer? Move
Steven Johnson, successful, middle-aged author and thinker, is moving from New York to San Francisco. His main reason for moving is to slow down time: Another old friend — my oldest, in fact — wrote an email to me after … Continue reading
Posted in Creativity, Inspiration, Quotes, Rationality, Self-Improvement, Travel
Tagged Biology, Brain, Neuroscience, Slo-mo, Slow Motion, Time, Travel
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More Shit Won’t Make You Happy
We often hear that having money doesn’t make you happy. I don’t think most people really believe that though. Maybe it has something to do with the source. Most people that say that seem to either not be rich, or … Continue reading
Posted in Advice, Food For Thought, Future, Inspiration, Quotes, Self-Improvement
Tagged Adam Carolla, Happiness, Meaning of Life, Money
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Conquering Fear
Most people have irrational fears of some sort. Whether it’s of flying, or confined spaces, or water, or people, the best method is always facing those fears head on. Click here for an amazing write up of someone who overcame … Continue reading
Posted in Advice, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Rationality, Self-Improvement
Tagged Band-Aid technique, Decency, Fear, good, Humanity, people
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Don’t Be Awesome, Be Decent
My girlfriend was telling me a story about her friend while we were driving in the car today. Some unknown person asked the friend for a favor, which she granted. “What an awesome thing to do!” I said. In this … Continue reading
Posted in Advice, Business, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Self-Improvement
Tagged Ask, Decency, Don't Be a Dick, Favor, Humanity
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More Hours ≠More Results
Energy, the capacity to work, is not a finite resource. I really want to believe this. I often get exhausted though, or sick of working on something, or drained, or just lazy. My capacity to work seems fluctuates all over … Continue reading
Posted in Advice, Business, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Productivity
Tagged Capacity, Grow, Harvard Business Review, Productivity, The Energy Project, Work
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Giving It Away
I’ve written before about working for free. It’s still the best way to get into positions or industries you would never have had a chance to get into if you insisted on being paid for your time. It’s still a … Continue reading
Posted in Advice, Creativity, Future, Inspiration, Self-Improvement
Tagged connecting, Free Work, internships, Learning, networking, TED, Working for free
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