Halfway Point
I’ve been thinking a lot about slowing down this year (2023). Stopping to smell the roses. Maybe I am having… Read More »Halfway Point
philosophy
Collected Wisdom
I’m starting to note down my collected wisdom – the things that I have learnt over the years that I… Read More »Collected Wisdom
Let’s Not Throw Out the Baby with the Bathwater
The so-called “cancel culture” is such a waste. I find it sad that we can’t appreciate one part of something… Read More »Let’s Not Throw Out the Baby with the Bathwater
Don’t Ask The Barber if You Need a Haircut
Why You Must Be a Generalist To Manage Your Specialist (Cross post from Medium. I’ve been working on this idea… Read More »Don’t Ask The Barber if You Need a Haircut
Hedonic Offset
I lived as a chronic procrastinator for a long time. If a task was boring, stressful, or both, I would… Read More »Hedonic Offset
Ego
Ego is a funny thing. I was raised in Australia with a religious bent (I more identify as atheist now),… Read More »Ego
Absurdism
The lightness of absurdism I’ve always been drawn to nihilism, but after reading more Camus and Nagel I’ve realized absurdism… Read More »Absurdism
Stay in Your Comfort Zone
Note: I first published this Comfort Zone post here on Medium many years ago. In some ways it’s just a… Read More »Stay in Your Comfort Zone
The Different ‘Yous’
This is related to my musing/crisis around identity. The Different ‘Yous’ I notice this phenomenon quite often, but I don’t… Read More »The Different ‘Yous’
How you do anything is how you do everything
I like this little aphorism. I think it holds a lot of truth. For example, I’m a very good starter… Read More »How you do anything is how you do everything
Your Greatest Strength is Also Your Greatest Weakness
First published 2017. I think the idea of having some traits that are strengths and some that are weaknesses is… Read More »Your Greatest Strength is Also Your Greatest Weakness
History
History is an excellent teacher with few pupils. Alice & Will Durant The cycles of history History is filled with… Read More »History
This is it
I find this little phrase – or dare I say mantra – very useful to jolt me into the present.… Read More »This is it
Chesterton’s Fence
What is Chesterton’s Fence? Chesterton’s fence is the principle that reforms should not be made until the reasoning behind the… Read More »Chesterton’s Fence
Gratitude
Too much has been written about gratitude in this era. Write in your gratitude journal. Blah blah. This is not… Read More »Gratitude
Death
The Denial of Death I just started reading Ernest Becker’s The Denial of Death and I’m currently obsessed with it.… Read More »Death
Hedonic Reset
I had some interesting life experiences which led me to coin the term Hedonic Reset sometime around 2014. I must… Read More »Hedonic Reset
Mind Changing
One thing that I find strange in our society is that we tend to punish people for changing their minds,… Read More »Mind Changing
Self Awareness
Learn to ask of all actions, “Why are they doing that?” Starting with your own Marcus Aurelius Acknowledging ignorance The… Read More »Self Awareness
Utilitarianism
There are three principles that serve as the basic axioms of utilitarianism. (An axiom is a statement or principle that… Read More »Utilitarianism
Randomness
This is one of my favorite things to think about. It leaves me with a feeling of wonder and appreciation… Read More »Randomness
Morality
90% of everything I know about morality I’ve read in a Jonathan Haidt book. In summary, “we are all self-righteous… Read More »Morality
Stoicism
I find parts of stoicism very appealing. Although it can be a bit at odds with my hedonistic streak. I… Read More »Stoicism
Tao Te Ching
I love the Tao Te Ching. Amazing to think it was written around 400BC! In fact, for all things there… Read More »Tao Te Ching
Nihilism
I’m a bit of a nihilist at heart. But an optimistic nihilist. (With a hedonistic streak. I think I’m in… Read More »Nihilism
Perception Versus Reality
Perception is not reality. I think about this a lot. It is interesting from a rationalism philosophy perspective, a physics… Read More »Perception Versus Reality
Rationalism
Spinoza I am not sure how it happened, but I read Spinoza when i was quite young. Probably early-mid teenage… Read More »Rationalism
The Halo Effect
What is The Halo Effect? I wrote about The Halo Effect in Issue #11 of Mental Models Weekly. The Reverse… Read More »The Halo Effect
Fundamental Attribution Error
This is a favorite mental model of mine. I wrote about how Learning This Idea Made It Easier for Me… Read More »Fundamental Attribution Error
Luck
The topic of luck – or chance, is a fascinating one. There’s ideas like blind luck, but also ideas like you make… Read More »Luck
Religion
It’s hard to know where to begin on this topic. I am fairly atheist. I’ve got a long personal story… Read More »Religion
Mindfulness
I focus a lot on being present. Whether with family or friends or even just when alone. Being present I… Read More »Mindfulness
Longevity
I want to live for a long time! Of course not just wasting away, but I want to live a… Read More »Longevity
Contradictory Platitudes
If you think about confirmation bias long enough, you start to notice that most platitudes and proverbs have a contradictory… Read More »Contradictory Platitudes
Illusions
I love optical illusions as a metaphor to remember that perception is not reality. I once thought about getting the… Read More »Illusions
Philosophy
Everybody is the unconscious exponent of a dead philosopher. Unknown Practical men who believe themselves to be quite exempt from… Read More »Philosophy
Satisficing
Satificing is one of my favorite mental models. Every day we make so many small low-impact decisions. Learning about “satisficing”… Read More »Satisficing
Sensory Food
I love this concept of sensory food. You are the books you read, the films you watch, the music you… Read More »Sensory Food
Reading
Think before you speak. Read before you think. Fran Lebowitz I read widely. I am old enough to have grown… Read More »Reading
Writing
I like to write things. I don’t find it very easy, but I find it to be valuable. Sitting down… Read More »Writing
Mental Models
If you just want to go straight to the Mental Models weekly newsletter please do. What is a mental model?… Read More »Mental Models