Category Archives: Self-Improvement

Gossip

Small minds discuss people. Average minds discuss events. Great minds discuss ideas. – Eleanor Roosevelt The explosion of mindless ‘reality’ television has talking heads decrying the state of culture and intellectualism in the United States. They point to shows that … Continue reading

Posted in Advice, Creativity, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Quotes, Self-Improvement | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

You Have Not Arrived At Your Destination

“If you ever get some idea you’ve arrived at a certain level,” he says, “you should only be taking it as a cue to work harder and to push farther.” -Jack White The people I know who, from my vantage … Continue reading

Posted in Advice, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Quotes, Self-Improvement | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Two Device Solution

If you’ve ever been backpacking, weight is one of the biggest issues. You want to take as little as possible to make your load as light as possible. Nobody wants to lug half their kitchen and bathroom on their back … Continue reading

Posted in Advice, Creativity, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Productivity, Self-Improvement | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Wake Up Early, Rule the World

Most people seem to hate getting up early.  “I’m just not a morning person” they say.  I won’t totally call bullshit on this one.  It turns out, there appears to be some genetics involved when it comes to sleeping preferences. … Continue reading

Posted in Advice, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Self-Improvement | Leave a comment

How To Get Back 9 Weeks of Your Life

“1 in 3 Adults Don’t Get Enough Sleep” “Doctors Agree: 8 Hours of Sleep Is Key To Staying Healthy” “You Are Worse Than Pinochet If You Don’t Sleep 8 Hours a Night” I just watched this four minute talk by Arianna … Continue reading

Posted in Advice, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Self-Improvement | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

What Do You Want?

“I don’t know what I want to do with my life.”  I hear this all the time.  Hell, I think this all the time.  It’s a disconcerting thought, as it generally means you’re not happy with what you’re currently doing, … Continue reading

Posted in Advice, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Self-Improvement | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

It’s OK to be Wrong

The late 1960’s and early 70’s was an era of contrasts: free love and government hatred; sexual revolution and the threat of nuclear annihilation; the birth of an age of technology and exploration and the threat of social and environmental … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Creativity, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Self-Improvement | Tagged | 1 Comment

Money is the Root of All Good

One of the most thought provoking, relevant things I’ve ever read.  Read it in its entirety. Now. http://www.capitalismmagazine.com/economics/money/1826-francisco-s-money-speech.html

Posted in Food For Thought, Inspiration, Self-Improvement | Leave a comment

Don’t Let Associations Define You

Paul Graham, in his essay Keep Your Identity Small, dishes out some wonderful advice about how to have better discussions, be a more rational person, and, ultimately, how to be a better person.  The problem, as he describes it: I … Continue reading

Posted in Advice, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Persuasion, Self-Improvement | Leave a comment

You Can Screw People, As Long As They Have A Say

“That’s not fair!” If you have kids, or friends with kids, you probably hear this a lot.  Fairness is a wildly subjective standard, and as such, it usually doesn’t really mean anything.  The only problem is, people’s subjective opinions about … Continue reading

Posted in Advice, Food For Thought, Persuasion, Rationality, Self-Improvement | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Don’t Piss Your Life Away

Many people have a tendency to be lazy.  When they get home from work or school, they lounge around.  Maybe they watch some TV, or surf the internet for a bit, cook some food, relax, watch more TV, think about … Continue reading

Posted in Advice, Creativity, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Persuasion, Productivity, Self-Improvement | Tagged , | 14 Comments

Start at the Bottom

I’ve always said that talent is overrated.  Most people can become really good at most things given enough deliberate practice.  These photos by Stanley Kubrick, just a lowly photojournalist for Look magazine in 1949, began to show the sort of … Continue reading

Posted in Advice, Aesthetics, Art, Creativity, Food For Thought, Inspiration, Photography, Self-Improvement, Style | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Don’t Break The Chain

There’s no better way to become great at something than to do it every single day.  Whether you want to learn to play the guitar, or become a great tennis player, or be a great standup comedian, doing something every … Continue reading

Posted in Advice, Art, Creativity, Inspiration, Self-Improvement | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

If You’re Gonna Be Opaque, You Better Over-Deliver

This article, a fantastic rant by auto writer Chris Harris, is a great example of how zealously trying to control your brand’s message can backfire.  Harris skewers Ferrari for things like heavily modifying journalists’ test cars to specific tracks so … Continue reading

Posted in Advice, Food For Thought, Self-Improvement | Leave a comment

Strip-Club-Bathroom Psychology

You ever walk into the bathroom at a nice restaurant, or, so I’ve been told, at a strip club, and been startled when you’re greeted by an older gentleman in an ill-fitting tuxedo with a tray full of hair product, … Continue reading

Posted in Food For Thought, Persuasion, Rationality, Self-Improvement | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment