Category Archives: Self-Improvement

More Shit Won’t Make You Happy

Posted on May 31, 2011 by AJ Kessler

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 →

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Conquering Fear

Posted on May 30, 2011 by AJ Kessler

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 →

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Don’t Be Awesome, Be Decent

Posted on May 29, 2011 by AJ Kessler

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 →

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Giving It Away

Posted on May 26, 2011 by AJ Kessler

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 →

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Time Tracking, version 3

Posted on May 24, 2011 by AJ Kessler

I was turned onto time tracking a few months ago by Sebastian Marshall.  Overall, I’ve found it tremendously helpful.  It’s a fantastic system to not only keep you on track, but it really does increase (my) productivity.  But, the my … Continue reading →

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Games > Music

Posted on May 23, 2011 by AJ Kessler

In Delivering Happiness, Zappo’s CEO Tony Hsieh recounts how he, and every other Asian kid he knew, was forced to practice multiple instruments, often for hours each day.  No TV, no playtime, no games, until homework was finished and music … Continue reading →

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Why Creativity is Scary

Posted on May 21, 2011 by AJ Kessler

What is creativity?  Is it spawning new ideas from whole cloth?  Is it wild discovery and clear innovation?  Where does creativity come from? Is it that Eureka moment, that flash of inspiration that comes out of the ether?  Is it, … Continue reading →

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You’ll Never Be Rich

Posted on May 19, 2011 by AJ Kessler

How much money does it take to feel rich?  Throw out a number. Ten million dollars?  Fifty million dollars?  One Hundred million dollars? Interestingly, when you ask people that have actually made that much money, the average answer seems to … Continue reading →

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How To Get Smarter

Posted on May 18, 2011 by AJ Kessler

For years, people thought intelligence was genetic.  It was thought that your intelligence potential was more or less fixed at birth, that at best, you could make yourself dumber by huffing paint or drinking booze.  This was actually confirmed by … Continue reading →

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That’s Not Fair

Posted on May 16, 2011 by AJ Kessler

What revolves around the Earth? “Henri looked down in concentration as the answer choices were read aloud: (A) The moon, (B) The sun, (C) Mars, (D) Venus.  Henri reread the question out loud and mulled the choices over in his … Continue reading →

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We Are All Followers

Posted on May 11, 2011 by AJ Kessler

Obesity is spreading like a disease.  If a person becomes obese, the likelihood that his friend would also become obese increased by 57 percent.  If a person’s sibling became obese, the chance of another sibling becoming obese increased by 40%.  … Continue reading →

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Why Their Offer Sucks and You’re Always Right

Posted on May 8, 2011 by AJ Kessler

Following yesterday’s post, I thought I’d share a bit more about irrational behavior.  The following attributes won’t help as much at the tables in Vegas, but they can save, or make, you more money in a lot of other situations.  … Continue reading →

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How To Lose Your Shirt In Vegas

Posted on May 7, 2011 by AJ Kessler

I like to gamble.  Actually, that’s a lie.  I love to gamble.  Poker and craps, mostly, but if I’m bored enough, I will literally gamble on anything.  I’m fortunate in that I’ve developed a bit of skill at the games … Continue reading →

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Transparency

Posted on May 5, 2011 by AJ Kessler

Polished Sausage “Transparency” has been one of the hottest buzzwords in business for a few years now. Pundits and actual businessmen alike tout the advantages of full disclosure, and maybe more importantly, the ramifications of not being forthright. But, as … Continue reading →

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The Cult of Status Quo

Posted on May 4, 2011 by AJ Kessler

Bill Simmons, who’s nicknamed The Sports Guy and writes a comical column for ESPN, shares a very insightful response to a reader’s email about why soccer will never become popular in the U.S.: “Sometimes when people become die-hard fans of … Continue reading →

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