Reminders for myself

Realize also that many of the flaws you see in the world are low-order bits that were allowed to fail or high-order bits that can’t be flipped yet. Instead of getting disillusioned, try to understand why things are the way they are and help flip some bits if you can. But at least show patience and empathy, appreciating that all you see may not be a... See more

“A man on a thousand-mile walk has to forget his ultimate goal and say to himself every morning, ‘Today I’m going to cover twenty-five miles and then rest up and sleep.’” — Leo Tolstoy

After a while determination starts to look like talent

The hardest thing is taking responsibility for everything in your life. It is also the most liberating thing.

whenever I encounter someone who has endless explanations about why they have to compromise on their values, I know they’re not serious, because they have no answer for, “What’s the tiniest change you’re willing to make right now, today, and that you can make slightly larger tomorrow?”

So seriousness isn’t some kind of final reward, a golden watch you earn for a lifetime of operating in bad faith. It is, instead, one of those basic practices you gotta do to prevent your life from disintegrating, like getting out of bed and taking a shower and talking to people. That’s because seriousness is the great Orderer of Priorities, and th... See more

"Running one mile has more in common with running a marathon than sitting at home.

Investing $100 has more in common with being a millionaire than being broke.

Writing one sentence has more in common with writing a book than never writing one.

It always feels small in the beginning and the big goals seem far away. It's easy to talk yourself out of ... See more

The next time you catch yourself being average when you feel like quitting, realize that you have only two good choices: Quit or be exceptional. Average is for losers.