On August 31, 1837, a speech was delivered to the Phi Beta Kappa Society of Harvard University that would become famous. The address was titled, The American Scholar, and it was given by Ralph Waldo Emerson. He challenged the students of Harvard, along with all future thinkers (which include you and I), to realize thatContinue reading Dear Reader, What Do You Think?
Since the pandemic, the comfortable “Hoodie” has become my clothing of choice. That changed a few weeks ago when my wife and I started a new Apple TV series titled The New Look. It’s the story of Christian Dior, the French fashion designer. I love the series, but I also love that he goes toContinue reading Wear a Tie When Reading
Let’s do a thought experiment. Assume I give you ten thousand dollars and a book that teaches the exact method for converting your money into one million dollars by the end of the month. The only requirement is that you must follow its instructions perfectly. How would you go about learning from that book? WouldContinue reading A Useful Framework for Learning New Things (D-I-R-T)
I’ve been reading Walden again, and Thoreau reminded me of the value in doing nothing. Thoreau would paddle his boat to the middle of Walden Pond, pull the oars in, and then lie on his back across the seats until the boat eventually drifted to shore. This would take hours, and in that time, whatContinue reading The Value of Doing Nothing
I was a terrible student until I entered college, and even then, the first two semesters were a disaster. I believed I wasn’t smart because I couldn’t keep up, especially in math class. I loved learning, but what I didn’t understand was that learning is a skill. It’s not about having a high IQ orContinue reading The Deliberate Practice of Learning
Rock climbers are crazy. What on earth drives a person to crawl up the face of a 1,000 foot cliff? I understand that the view is breathtaking and the rush of doing something impossible is rewarding, but I can think of other ways to experience reverie without dangling precipitously over my death. And yet, everyContinue reading Sieze the Sunday
I feel guilty when I read. My “dad-sense” kicks in, whispering that I should spend more time with my kids. Part of me thinks that one day, when everyone grows up, the guilty feelings will vanish and I’ll be able to sit in my reading chair without remorse. But I know that’s not true. MyContinue reading The UnSelfish Act of Reading
In Walden, Henry David Thoreau built a cabin in the woods that he might live deliberately. He wanted to get rid of the unnecessary claims on his attention so that he could focus on the act of being human (80). It struck me yesterday that we’re all looking for our personal Waldens. There’s a forceContinue reading I Will Live Deliberately
Why should you learn something new? Maybe life is better lived without progress, merit, or hard work. After all, you can’t take your career with you when you die. The books you read will not pass beyond the grave. The things you build will likely be forgotten in a few generations at best. Despite theseContinue reading A Moral Obligation To Do Good Work
I’ve read hundreds of books in my life, but the first one I read well was Mastery by Robert Greene. I started it like any other book, eager to learn something new. But after the first few pages, I felt guilty for being casual with the material. It was full of knowledge and I wasn’tContinue reading How to Read a Book Well