Tag Archives: Life

Of Studies

Posted on July 19, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Sir Francis Bacon was a true Renaissance man.  A lawyer, statesman, an educator, a philosopher, and perhaps the first modern scientist, Bacon is also accused of authoring some or all of Shakespeare’s works.  This fringe theory fits well because of … Continue reading →

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Taking Control of Your Life: Concierge Medicine

Posted on July 11, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Dr. Solis was on the edge of burnout after 21 years of running a traditional medical practice.  Trying to see between 30 and 40 patients a day, keeping track of a roster of over 3,000 patients, and dealing with endless … Continue reading →

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Cost v. Benefit

Posted on July 10, 2012 by AJ Kessler

It turns out, crime does pay.  Just not very much: The basic problem is the average haul from a bank job: for the three-year period, it was only £20,330.50 (~$31,613). And it gets worse, as the average robbery involved 1.6 … Continue reading →

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Compared to What

Posted on June 29, 2012 by AJ Kessler

It’s easy to convince yourself that you’re doing well if you compare yourself to your peers who are doing worse than you.  Unfortunately, this is a recipe for mediocracy.  Eventually, your self-induced laziness lets your peers catch up and then … Continue reading →

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There Is No Speed Limit

Posted on June 11, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Most of the world is designed for the lowest common denominator.  Schools are designed to impart a set amount of knowledge to a diverse group of kids each year.  It doesn’t much matter how smart you are, how interested you … Continue reading →

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Filling In The White Spaces

Posted on June 8, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Advice from Peter Thiel’s final CS 183 lecture: There is something importantly singular about each new thing. There is a mini singularity whenever you start a company or make a key life decision. In a very real sense, the life … Continue reading →

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Why Drama

Posted on June 6, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Derek Sivers recounts the time Kurt Vonnegut explained why people concoct drama: People have been hearing fantastic stories since time began. The problem is, they think life is supposed to be like the stories. Let’s look at a very common … Continue reading →

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Old People

Posted on June 3, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Building relationships with your peers is important.  But when you’re younger, or just starting out in a field, it’s more important for your immediate future to build relationships with people that are five, ten, and twenty years ahead of you. … Continue reading →

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The Death Zone

Posted on June 2, 2012 by AJ Kessler

In When I Die, Philip Gould talks about the freedom that his impending death from esophageal cancer allowed him to enjoy:

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On Travel

Posted on May 29, 2012 by AJ Kessler

When most people think about retirement, they imagine a life full of friends, hobbies, and (likely) travel. To illustrate, think about what you would do if you knew you were going to retire at 65 and die at 75.  You’d … Continue reading →

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Happiness Is Not A Reward – It’s A Consequence

Posted on May 28, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Time is your most limited resource.  You can always make more money, but you can only buy so much time.  Happiness is not a reward for giving up most of your time in exchange for money.  Happiness is a consequence … Continue reading →

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A Fool’s Life

Posted on May 26, 2012 by AJ Kessler

The fool, with all his other faults, has this also: he is always getting ready to live.

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Neil Gaiman on Life

Posted on May 25, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Great speech:

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Smart People Don’t Call Others Stupid

Posted on May 21, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Some really mostly-good advice from Derek Sivers: Being smart means thinking things through – trying to find the real answer, not the first answer. Being stupid means avoiding thinking by jumping to conclusions.Jumping to a conclusion is like quitting a game … Continue reading →

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On Saving Time

Posted on May 16, 2012 by AJ Kessler

Treasuring the little time we have was not a new idea, even in Seneca’s day.  And, while there have been treatises more eloquently written, I haven’t seen any that drive the point home more succinctly and powerfully than Seneca.  For … Continue reading →

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