Lessons on growth, productivity, and living intentionally. A collection of insights that have shaped my journey.
The 4 Things You Need To Be An Expert
Learning
Based on Veritasium's video: 1. Valid Environment - Your field must have learnable patterns, not inherent randomness. Politics is unpredictable; physics follows laws. 2. Repetitions - You need multiple attempts to practice. Musical instruments, coding, public speaking allow this; winning elections doesn't. 3. Timely Feedback - Get quick feedback on your attempts. Solving equations gives immediate verification. Without it, you can't know if you're on the right path. 4. Deliberate Practice - Don't just repeat in comfort. Challenge yourself, change environments, push boundaries. Growth happens outside your comfort zone.
Expertise isn't just about practice—it's about practicing in the right environment with the right feedback.
Deep Work Over Busy Work
Productivity
Not all hours are created equal. One hour of focused, uninterrupted deep work can be more valuable than a full day of shallow tasks. Protect your deep work time fiercely.
The ability to perform deep work is becoming increasingly rare and therefore increasingly valuable.
Identity-Based Habits
Habits
Instead of focusing on goals, focus on becoming the type of person who achieves those goals. Don't say "I want to run a marathon", say "I am a runner". Identity change precedes behavior change.
Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.
Learn in Public
Learning
Document your learning journey publicly. Writing about what you learn deepens your understanding, builds your network, and creates a knowledge base for others. Don't wait until you're an expert.
The best way to learn is to teach.
The Two-Minute Rule
Productivity
If a task takes less than two minutes, do it immediately. This prevents small tasks from accumulating and overwhelming you. It also builds momentum for tackling larger tasks.
Embrace Discomfort
Growth
Growth happens outside your comfort zone. Deliberately seek situations that challenge you. The discomfort you feel is your brain rewiring itself for new capabilities.
A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.
Morning Rituals Matter
Habits
How you start your day sets the tone for everything that follows. Create a morning routine that energizes you: exercise, meditation, journaling, or simply enjoying coffee without distractions.
The Power of No
Focus
Every yes to something is a no to something else. Be selective with your commitments. Saying no to good opportunities creates space for great ones.
The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say no to almost everything.
Reflection Time
Productivity
Schedule regular time for reflection. Weekly reviews help you course-correct early, celebrate wins, and extract lessons from failures. Progress without reflection is just motion.
Build a Learning System
Learning
Don't just consume content. Create a system for capturing, processing, and applying what you learn. Use tools like note-taking apps, spaced repetition, and teaching others.
Energy Management > Time Management
Productivity
Manage your energy, not just your time. Schedule your most important work during your peak energy hours. Protect your energy through sleep, exercise, nutrition, and boundaries.
Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.
The Power of Questions
Mindset
Ask better questions to get better answers. Instead of "Why me?", ask "What can I learn?". Instead of "What if I fail?", ask "What if I succeed?". Questions direct focus.