Why everything is the way it is: How ordinary people built the world you take for granted
The world around you wasn’t always this way. The streets weren’t always laid out like this. The buildings
Newsletter
The full archive of my newsletter, covering psychology, philosophy, business and culture. Every post features a photo from my travels.
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The foundations of confidence
This post is an early version of a thought/anecdote that eventually made its way into my book, Sovereign. Grab
Is Anger Your Armour?: Why safety and growth pull in opposite directions
In 2004, a man named Marvin Heemeyer climbed into a bulldozer he had spent 18 months modifying in secret. He
Is AI the Death of Art? Not Even Close: Creativity was always iterative
There's much ado about the future of art, and it's something I contemplate every week, if
Art Isn’t the Output: Why the creative process matters more than the product
It’s easy to understand why people are so excited by ChatGPT and AI-generated art when you remember that
How to Use Your Time Well: The paradox every ambitious person has to solve
Two voices whisper to us about the ways we use our time, and both claim to speak truth. The first
Why Smart People Make Stupid Decisions: Why everyone else’s life looks better than yours
We don't make bad decisions because we're stupid. We make bad decisions because we often compare
Two Dollars For Your Life: Why small oversights cause big disasters
Everything you’ve worked for could be undone in an instant, by a triviality you’ve overlooked. I remember reading
How to Make Your Practice Perfect: Why effort without feedback is wasted
You’ll frequently hear people extoll the virtues of meditation – but take note when they focus more on tallying how
Never Chase The Fire: Why discipline outlasts inspiration every time
In the early 2000s, it was easy for an aspiring rapper to spend a small fortune to get their hands
How to Stop the Slop: Why your feed keeps getting worse on purpose
The slop machine is cranking, churning, grinding—to bring you things to consume; things you'll swear you hate,
The Maths Behind Mastery: Why practice without direction is just repetition
When you can't sleep at night, whack on some Chopin. That's what I do. Let the
