One of my favorite science fiction books of all time is Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan. The series follows Takeshi Kovacs, an elite rebel fighter known as an “Envoy.” Takeshi lives hundreds of years in the future, at a time when a crucial invention has profoundly changed society: cortical stacks, known simply as “stacks.” They…
This is the first interview I’ve done that was recorded on video, with Nicholas McCay on his podcast Eclectic Spacewalk. Originally published on their Substack newsletter, you can also read the full transcript. Here’s the show notes: How growing up in a diverse cultural household shaped his worldview. (03:02) Reading and books were always a…
If you’ve been around here for a while, you know I’m a big fan of what I call “personal growth.” But you may have wondered, “What the heck IS personal growth?” I’ve honestly struggled to define it: It’s not religion, though it often has a spiritual flavor It’s not philosophy, although it can easily get…
This is a full live recording of the presentation delivered by Tiago Forte and Lauren Valdez on their Notion As A Second Brain tour, on how they think about and use Notion in their work at Forte Labs. Scroll to the bottom of the post for a full transcript and slides. Guest presentations Below are…
I long ago stopped reading books on note-taking. They were always too vague and boring, full of platitudes that had little to do with the world outside academia. I especially avoided “how-to” style books on the subject. They would often list dozens of tips and tricks that had little to do with each other. There…
I’m proud to announce my new book, The Heart is the Bottleneck. In this book, I explore and dissect a wide range of topics related to productivity and personal effectiveness. From note-taking and writing, to creativity and curation, to being a digital nomad and working with a virtual assistant. Tying together these topics is the…
I raised the tennis racket high above my head once again, the gloves on my hands failing to prevent the blisters already forming. My eyes were wide with fear as I struck the pillow before me with all my strength. I felt at the edge of control, at the edge of what I knew. The…
Here are my goals for 2020. I’m publishing them for public accountability, and just in case anyone out there has a goal that is aligned with one of mine. 1. Write and publish Building a Second Brain book by June 1, 2020, with 100,000 copies sold by end of 2020 This is the big priority…
1. Entrepreneurship is hard because it requires someone with a strong command of reason, who is at the same time thoroughly unreasonable You have to be smart to be an entrepreneur, obviously. Modern businesses are complex, and you have to be able to reason effectively if you’re even going to understand how they function. But…
As part of my year-end review, I always review my favorite reading of the year. These usually tend to be “long-form” online essays diving deep into interesting ideas. Revisiting my notes on these articles serves three functions: Helps me absorb their ideas more deeply Serves as a reminder to think about how I can use…
I recently spoke with Ian Lenny via videoconference for his series showcasing interviews with entrepreneurs, experts, high performers, and thinkers. We talked about my Building a Second Brain methodology, and what I’ve learned about the most effective ways for people to build one for themselves. Watch or listen below, or visit the episode webpage for…
I recently spoke with Boomer Anderson on his podcast Decoding Superhuman, about my ideas on productivity and knowledge management. Including: [2:18] Why I moved to Mexico City [5:19] My influences in developing productivity theories [9:14] Benefits of network effect and momentum on productivity [17:14] The guy who doesn’t like Cal Newport [27:56] Organizing the endless…
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