essays

For example, I'm feeling sad or frustrated. It's amazing that many people, myself included in the past, just take for granted, "Okay, I'm feeling sad. There's not a whole lot I can do to feel better." Maybe I will cope by eating ice cream or watching TV, and those things make me feel a little better.

But there's no sense of, "Oh, I can actually just... See more

I think a lot of why people make poor choices with their attention is just fatigue, and you get stuck in this loop. This is true for a lot of healthy choices, like eating well or exercising. When you're tired and stressed out, stress eating is a thing. You're not doing it because you think potato chips are better, but because you're in a state of f... See more

It's about setting myself up to be able to notice or be surprised. A lot of people don't realize how much they're cutting themselves off from serendipity and opportunity.

People talk a lot about making your own luck or serendipity in careers. It starts to sound like an aphorism or warmed-over career advice, but people don't take it seriously enough.... See more

Stuckness occurs when decisions aren't made. Specifically, it's when the intellectual mind takes over and recursively analyzes all possible scenarios, looking for a perfect next step. No such thing exists. That's the first step in getting unstuck—letting go of the mind's endless attempt at finding an ideal, risk-free next step.

Recursive over-intell... See more