Slack In The Rope
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Is there slack in my rope? Here’s something that is sometimes hard to remember: Maximal is not optimal. Imagine, if you will, a highway. Really picture the flow of cars down this highway… Fast ones, slow ones, tractor trailer trucks, sedans… All speeding along. If we’re checking
Only You
Here’s a thing that is both exhilarating and terrifying: There are certain ideas only you can come up with. There are things in this world – Paintings, songs, books, concepts, speeches, organizations, businesses, products, romantic evenings, longing glances, buildings, achievements, inventions… That will only exist if and when you decide
How To Stay Informed About COVID-19 Without Stressing Out (As Much)
I’ve been trying to manage a kind of balance, lately. For one, I believe I have a civic duty to stay informed, to stay updated on COVID-19, to know what’s going on so I can best act to protect myself, my family, and my community. On the other
Corona Virus: The Decision Journal Challenge
Are you interested in becoming smarter, a deeper thinker, and making better predictions? Then I have a challenge for you. But most of you won’t do it. It involves being brutally honest with yourself – opening yourself up to deep and lasting improvement in how you think. If you can
The Reasonably Rational Thinking Process, Part 2: The Goal Tree
This is Part 2 of our series on the Reasonably Rational Thinking Process. Read Part 1 here. [https://nolessthan.com/the-reasonably-rational-thinking-process-part-1-why-are-some-problems-so-hard-to-solve/] Dejected, the man once again surveyed his surroundings. Trees, strecthing up towards the sky and blocking the sun, towered everywhere. The seemingly endless columns of bark were broken through
The Reasonably Rational Thinking Process, Part 1: Why Are Some Problems So Hard To Solve?
This post is part of a series (currently in progress) on the “Reasonably Rational Thinking Process. The sense that “I should have solved this by now” brings a sickening mix of anger, frustration, and shame. There’s no excuse, we think. We work so hard, for so long, desperately seeking
In Defense of The News: Information Pulse and Content Overload
(Photo credit – http://www.cubebreaker.com/1950s-hong-kong-street-photography-fan-ho/) It’s become very fashionable, in business/productivity circles, to hate the news. And with good reason: the news can feel cheap, trite, designed for a brief spike of rage or indignation or fear…and not much else. “I don’t watch the
Practical Notes on Depression From a Semi-Famously Depressed Person
Depending on how you know me, this may or may not come as a bit of a surprise: Most people I meet expect me to be depressed. This is because I am, perhaps, most famous for releasing a few albums [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Have_a_Nice_Life] of
All You Need Is One Idea.
All you need is one idea. Most of us are operating with the mental model that change has to be hard. “Nothing good comes easy,” we tell ourselves. But that’s not really true. In fact, transformative ideas can have instantaneous effects – and can fundamentally alter the course of our
