Curiosity Chronicle

A mental model is a simple way to think about the world. The most useful mental models are broadly applicable—they help identify patterns across different areas of life to create clarity and spark action. Here's one I can't stop thinking about: The hidden debts of life... ••• My book has sold 200,000+ copies around the world and is a 7x NYT Bestseller. If you've been wanting a copy (or are looking...

This weekend, I was flipping through a few of my old journals when I came across this quote: "When jarred, unavoidably, by circumstances, revert at once to yourself, and don’t lose the rhythm more than you can help. You’ll have a better grasp of the harmony if you keep on going back to it." — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations A perfect blend of ancient wisdom for these uncertain times. ••• My book has...

The Streetlight Effect is the tendency to search for answers where it's easiest to look, not where the truth actually lies. ••• My book has sold 200,000+ copies around the world and is a 7x NYT Bestseller. If you've been wanting a copy (or are looking to gift copies to family or friends), there's a big 30% sale. Now’s a great time to get it. Order The Book Now!

My entire life changed when I realized one truth: You have to sacrifice short-term freedom in order to earn long-term freedom . ••• My book has sold 200,000+ copies around the world and has been a NYT Bestseller for 7 consecutive weeks since launch. If you've been wanting a copy (or are looking to gift copies to family or friends), there's a big 30% sale. Now’s a great time to get it. Order The Bo...

The future feels wildly uncertain (and you don't need to look far to feel it). This is my open letter to anyone struggling to prepare for an uncertain future... First, we need to scrap the old linear mindset (Plan, Execute) and replace it with an iterative mindset (Execute, Adapt). In a 2012 interview, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos highlighted the importance of identifying what will stay the same in t...

This is one of my favorite parables: A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thor...

Programming Note: The most common piece of feedback I receive is from readers who love the newsletter but find the Friday Five has too many ideas to digest in a single email. Over the next two weeks, I'm going to experiment with something new: The Friday Five will be split across four short weekday emails that will take 1-2 minutes (max!) of your time. The Wednesday deeper dive will remain the sam...

Question: Who would you call to get you out of a foreign prison? Framework: The Stoic Archer ••• My book has now officially spent 7 straight weeks on the NYT Bestseller List! It has a crazy "Buy 2 Get 1 Free" offer on the hardcover right now. Order Here

In 2022, after making a rash emotional decision to pause my book process, I got a piece of advice from a mentor that changed my life: Nobody cares . Here's the truth: You aren't afraid of failure . You're afraid of what other people will think of you if you fail . The Spotlight Effect is a psychological phenomenon whereby we overestimate the degree to which other people are noticing or observing o...

Question: Are you allowing a missing nail to destroy your kingdom? Framework: The Zone 2 Practice Session *** My book, The 5 Types of Wealth , is a 6x NYT bestseller! If you haven't grabbed your copy yet, there's no better time. It's 30% off right now. Get it HERE

Inversion is a mental model that flips the script on traditional problem-solving. It forces you to think differently about the problem—to see it from a new angle, from a fresh perspective. Take the foundational problem: How do you live a good life? Let's harness the power of inversion to address it: How do you live a miserable life? Here are 20 ways to guarantee you live a miserable life... *** My...

Question: Which wolf will you feed? Framework: Three Men Make a Tiger ••• My book was a New York Times Bestseller for the 5th consecutive week since launch! The hardcover currently has a 30% sale. Reply to this email with your receipt and I'll send you the 50+ page companion workbook to go deeper on the most important exercises from the book. Order  The 5 Types of Wealth  Now!

Consistency is the common thread behind every major success story. But no one ever tells you how to be consistent —and let’s be honest, it’s easier said than done. Fortunately, I've spent hundreds of hours thinking about this exact problem—and I've distilled that thinking into a short list of practical strategies to help anyone become more consistent. 7 strategies to be more consistent: (1) Every...

Question: Do I want this job, or do I want other people to see me having this job? Framework: Sapere Aude ••• My book was a New York Times Bestseller for the 4th consecutive week and was the #3 bestseller for the entire month of February! The hardcover has a big 30% sale. Order now and reply to this email with your receipt and I'll send you the 50+ page companion workbook to go deeper on the most...

Traditional wisdom says you have to live life with an On-Off Switch Mentality: If you want to do well, you can have two areas switched ON, but if you really want to win, you can only have one area switched ON. The other areas are, by default, switched OFF. The problem with this approach: If you leave an area OFF for too long, it becomes very difficult (if not impossible) to turn it back ON. My sol...

Question: What would happen if you gave just a little bit more? Framework: The 5 Levels of Financial Wealth ••• My book is officially a three-peat New York Times Bestseller, hitting the list for the third consecutive week since launch! The hardcover has a big 30% sale on Amazon right now. Order the book and reply to this email with your receipt and I'll send you the 50+ page companion workbook, al...

Last weekend, I experienced an overnight success that was years in the making. It was a seemingly lucky break that had very little to do with luck . The story of how it happened carries several important lessons for life—principles any of us can apply to create more luck in our own lives. 4 principles to create more luck: (1) Increase your luck surface area, (2) Work hard in the darkness, (3) Shoo...

Question: Are you allowing their narrative to impact your life? Framework: The Skyscraper Mentality ••• Order My First Book to Unlock Exclusive Bonuses: The 5 Types of Wealth is the compass for your journey to a life of wealth that goes far beyond money. It provides the actionable tools to define, measure, and design your life around the pillars that truly create lasting happiness and fulfillment....

A few months ago, I had an experience that stopped me in my tracks. It was a reminder that sometimes in life, the things we pray for can become the things we complain about, but only if we let them. How many times has the thing your younger self dreamed of become the thing you complain about after you’ve gotten it? There are a lot of beauties in life that are easy to miss if you’re moving too fast...

Last week was the biggest moment of my professional life: The release of my first book into the world. But I feel it's important to be honest here: The external reality seemed great—but my internal reality was a completely different story. The day of release, rather than happiness and joy at the accomplishment, I was in the grips of a common psychological phenomenon: Imposter Syndrome. This piece...

After three years, I can't believe I finally get to say this: The 5 Types of Wealth is now available everywhere books are sold! It's time we all reject the default definitions of success that have been handed to us and start living by design. This book is a guide to doing just that. Order  The 5 Types of Wealth  Now! Also available at ​ Barnes & Noble ​ and ​ more ​ ! This is the start of a mo...

Status can be defined as the standing or positioning of one person in relation to another person or group. Status is a basic form of social currency—it dictates our interactions with those around us. There are two types of status: Bought Status and Earned Status. Bought Status is the improved social positioning garnered through acquired status symbols (cars, watches, etc.). Earned Status , however...

Question: Do you need to allow the things you want to come to you? Framework: The Right Now Test We're less than two weeks away from the launch of my first book, The 5 Types of Wealth. Order today to Unlock Exclusive Bonuses The 5 Types of Wealth provides the actionable tools to define, measure, and design your life around the pillars that truly create lasting happiness and fulfillment. Order now...

I spent time with Arthur C. Brooks, the world's leading expert on happiness science. As I was writing my book, I asked Arthur to collaborate with me on collecting a list of some of our best ideas for living a happy, healthy, wealthy life. This piece shares 22 happiness hacks we wish we knew at 22. We're two weeks away from the launch of my first book, The 5 Types of Wealth. Order today to Unlock E...

Question: Are you holding onto something that you no longer need? Framework: Helped, Heard, or Hugged We're two weeks away from the launch of my first book, The 5 Types of Wealth. Order today to Unlock Exclusive Bonuses The 5 Types of Wealth provides the actionable tools to define, measure, and design your life around the pillars that truly create lasting happiness and fulfillment. Order now and y...