People who are good at solving poorly defined problems don't get the same kind of kudos. They don’t get any special titles or clubs. There is no test they can take that will spit out a big, honking number that will make everybody respect them.

A lot of the things people ask for advice on fall into this category. “How can I be happier?” “How can I be more productive?” “How can I have a bigger impact on the world?” Sure, there are basic life hacks like sleeping well or getting exercise. But 99% of the “secret”—the thing that separates me from Gell-Mann, or Jeff Dean—is tacit knowledge. It ... See more