“Now, just about any question you have you can put into Google or Quora and you’re going to get an answer. So, if you’re looking at the laws of supply and demand, the supply of answers is filled. We’ve got answers up the kazoo, but how many great questions do we have?”
Why Food Tastes Better in Bowls
“A bowl that we pick up and touch is more likely to set an expectation of a hearty, filling and healthy meal. That weight in the hand is likely to make your brain think the food is more substantial and you’re likely to rate it as more intensely fragranced and aromatic than for exactly the same food sat passively on a plate.”
10 Ideas For The Interested This Week
“Men are what their mothers made them.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
What I Learned From Sharing 1,000 Self-Improvement Ideas In 100 Weeks
This week marks the 100th edition of my For The Interested newsletter.
It’s not a goal I set out to achieve, but I’m proud of the accomplishment and thankful for the 19,000 subscribers (!) who joined me along the way.
Since each week’s newsletter includes 10 actionable ideas to help you improve your work, art, and life, that means I’ve shared 1,000 such ideas in this time as well (you can see them all archived here).
Doing so has taught me a lot about how to get better at things, but it’s also showed me what happens when you stick with a creative project for 100 weeks.
Here’s what I discovered and I’m sure you will too…
13 Life-Changing Habits to Try Every Day
“Ask yourself: How often am I unreachable? The answer is: Not often enough. Build some of this time into your daily practice. You’ll be better for it. And the world will not notice, I promise.”
What Happens When You Commit to an Email-Free Morning for Five Days
“Finally it was 11:00, and I had my first important realization of the week: I had 20 emails, and zero were urgent.”
How to Set Emotional Boundaries and Stop Taking on Other People’s Issues
“We’re afraid that if we clear set boundaries for ourselves, the people in our lives will begin to resent us. However, learning to communicate boundaries effectively is necessary for healthy relationships.”
Why It’s Important to Revisit Your Notebooks
“Almost every writer will tell you how important it is to keep a daily diary or notebook, but very few emphasize how important it is, if you want to publish, to have a system for going back through those personal notebooks and diaries and turning them into public writing.”
How to Use Smart Exercise to Stay Younger Longer
“Instinct tells us that playing bridge and doing the crossword are good for the brain, but workouts also improve cognitive function, although the process is poorly understood.”
What Happens When You Only Follow 88 People on Twitter
“I cannot add anyone without removing someone. Every single time, it is a hard exercise to go through. But over time, the 88 have become more and more valuable. It’s like starting with raw sugar and ending up with pure addictive cocaine.”