Reading Time: 2 minThe state of learning (particularly memorization) is at a weird place in time. Since the launch of Google 25 years ago, and steadily increasing as things like Wikipedia, smartphones, and AI came along, the need to memorize information has become less important. However, it’s becoming increasing important to develop the ability to connect information to […]
Learning
Sit in the third chair
Reading Time: < 1 minBeing able to see things from another person’s point of view can be powerful. Gaining attunement (to know what they’re thinking) and empathy (to know what they’re feeling) can be a great place to start, and understanding the strengths of the “other side” will give you a massive upper hand. In Seth Godin’s book “Linchpin” […]
Books will get shorter, but not for the reason you think
Reading Time: 2 minI suspect that in the coming years, the length of books (particularly non-fiction) will become noticeably shorter. Not all books, of course, but many of them. This isn’t due to diminishing concentration or attention spans (which aren’t actually diminishing), but due to better ways of learning. In a recent podcast by Guy Kawasaki on his […]
You should interrupt others, but just a little bit
Reading Time: 2 minI kind of enjoy when I’m reading a book and it seems to contradict what I’ve read in another book. This happened recently while reading “The JOLT Effect“, followed by “The Charisma Myth“. Both are great books, but they seem to offer competing advice about interrupting others. From the JOLT Effect and some thoughts on […]
Memorize the system or just let the learnings wash over you?
Reading Time: < 1 minAs I read more and more, I come across a lot of great systems for business structures, meeting cadences, and many other little tools that can be useful to know. For example, the “SMART” framework is a great way to set goals: Make sure that your goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. That’s […]
What is the boundary of your understanding?
Reading Time: < 1 minKnowing your limits is one of the best ways to grow. If you know where your understanding ends, you can choose to develop further in that area (if you want to), or accept help when things get beyond your grasp. I first shared this a few years ago when talking about “Alex” and “Joan”, and […]
Present with Word, not PowerPoint
Reading Time: 1 minPowerPoint (and Keynote and Google Slides) can be a powerful tool, but it’s very often misused. Beyond just presentations, I’ve seen it used to design layouts and even create logos. However, it can be even worse when people use it to avoid having to really think through an issue. In the book “Working Backwards” about […]
The two greatest misuses of AI
Reading Time: < 1 minI’m using AI more and more in the work I do. I talk with ChatGPT quite often, I generate many of my “featured images” for this post using AI, and I’m always looking to do more with it. However, I’m noticing two recurring patterns of AI use that are making things worse. The first is […]
Good notes are worth it even if the notes get destroyed
Reading Time: < 1 minI spend a lot of time working on my note-taking system, as it contains thoughts on future blog posts here, podcasts, books to read, and much more. It’s taken a long time to put together, but it’s become an amazing tool for me. I create regular backups of it just in case, but what would […]
Where do you want to find your notes?
Reading Time: 2 minNote-taking systems have changed a lot over the years. Like most people, I was a “sort notes by topic in folders” kind of guy for a long time, but back in 2020 I switched to Roam Research and it changed my whole philosophy of how to store notes. I’ve changed systems a few more times […]