Curiosity Chronicle

Question: If I repeated this action 100 times, would my life be better or worse? Framework: The Complexity Trap.

The world is not black and white. Many of life's most important truths appear contradictory on the surface.  A paradox is defined as a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement that, when investigated or explained, may prove to be true. This piece shares 20 of the most powerful paradoxes of life.

Question: What lie have I repeated to myself so many times that it feels like the truth? Framework: Laundry Cycle Theory.

On January 1, 2014, I wrote a letter to my future self just before graduating. Ten years later, I opened it, and it hit me hard. Everyone should do this. My core reflection: We have the answers, we just haven't asked the right questions yet. To write your own letter to your future self, cover four key areas: (1) Reflections on the present, (2) Vision for the future, (3) Changes to make, and (4) Fu...

Today is my 33rd birthday. Every year, I try to spend some time reflecting on what I've learned along the way. In the past, this list of life learnings was just for me—a private accounting of my own journey, growth, failures, and missteps. But this year, I'd like to share it with all of you. This piece shares 33 life learnings from my 33 years of life.

Most people overestimate what they can do in a day and underestimate what they can do in a year. Don't be one of them. Your entire life can change in one year. 2024 is officially upon us. Will it be the year that you change your life? This piece contains 24 actionable ideas for making 2024 your best year yet—segmented into categories across life, work, health, and money.

Welcome to the final episode of 2023. For the second year in a row, I sent out over 100 newsletters to my subscribers—two per week, every single week. The newsletter (and corresponding podcast) is all about ideas —actionable ideas to help you build a high-performing, healthy, wealthy life. I shared thousands of ideas here this year. My 10 favorites (the top 1% of ideas from 2023): The Surfer Menta...

My 2024 Annual Planning Guide includes: (1) a simple goal-setting framework, (2) four system-building mental models, and (3) a strategy for tracking and adjusting throughout the year. This annual planning process has been an immensely helpful exercise to which I would credit many of my greatest achievements. I hope that it will spark you to conduct your own annual planning process for 2024, as I'm...

Question: How will this struggle fuel my inevitable growth? Framework: Monkeys & Pedestals

My wife and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary on December 17th. To create something unique and memorable, I decided I would explore a bit of the relationship wisdom that time provides. I asked couples who have been married 40, 50, and 60+ years a simple question: What relationship advice would you give to your younger selves? The advice captured 500+ years of earned relationship wisdom.

Question: What is the artist hidden inside of you? Framework: Shoshin - the beginner's mind.

The end of the calendar year presents us with a valuable opportunity to reflect on the year that was and plan for the year that will be. It's easy to glaze over the former and focus on the latter, but failure to reflect will eventually manifest as a failure to grow. The Personal Annual Review is 7 questions: (1) What did I change my mind on this year? (2) What created energy this year? (3) What dr...

Question: What is the burden that you're still carrying? Framework: The Capability Gap.

Charlie Munger, an American investor most well-known as vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and Warren Buffett's partner, passed away last week at 99, just one month shy of his 100th birthday. He was a treasure trove of wisdom—which he shared lavishly with the world over the course of his life, and which will create lasting ripples long after he is gone. 10 of his insights that created a lasting i...

Question: Where am I allowing the uncontrollable to impact my life? Framework: Energy Creators vs. Energy Absorbers.

In a famous story, Cicero wrote of Diagoras, an atheist who, when confronted with paintings of people who prayed and then were saved from a shipwreck, replied, "I see those who were saved, but where are those painted who prayed and drowned?" Survivorship Bias is the error resulting from systematically focusing on survivors (successes) and ignoring casualties (failures) that causes us to miss the t...

3 short passages from Teddy Roosevelt's 1899 Strenuous Life speech.

Question: What are the tiny things you are thankful for? Framework: Creative Cliff Illusion.

In preparation for my first marathon, I spoke to a legendary American marathoner, who offered one piece of advice: "Make sure you have three goals: An A Goal, a B Goal, and a C Goal." Soon after the race, I realized that the core principle behind the system applied well-beyond running. For any arena of life, you can create an A Goal, B Goal, and C Goal. On days when you feel great, you hit your A...

I just co-hosted a three-day retreat with a group of multimillionaire entrepreneurs in Cabo. This podcast episode is a recording of my journal reflections from the event, which includes 10+ learnings (that everyone should hear)...

Question: How to flip the script on your fears. Framework: The 80% rule (kick the afternoon slump).

Every journey has two fundamental sides: (1) The Positive: Where we want to go; and (2) The Negative: Where we want to avoid along the way. The Anti-To-Do List is our tool for governing the negative, for avoiding the traps along the journey. Your Anti-To-Do List has the set of daily actions, behaviors, and habits to avoid; the things that will hold you back or lead you into trouble. The Anti-To-Do...

Question: Are you fulfilled, or just less lonely? Framework: Grayscale Mode.

Researchers studying zebras in the wild placed a red dot on the target zebras to distinguish them, but they were quickly eaten by lions. The Zebra Effect says that blending into the crowd is a survival mechanism. Standing out is risky. In his final shareholder letter, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos called out the difficulty and importance of the fight against normalcy. Specifically, he said that your d...

Question: What game are you playing? Framework: The Diderot Effect.