Your brain works differently when you speak aloud. When stuck on a problem, most people retreat into silent thought. They read the same information repeatedly, hoping for a rare breakthrough. But silent thinking uses only part of your brain’s problem-solving machinery. When you verbalise a problem—speaking it aloud to another person—you activate language centres that… Read More »Hold My Duck: A Problem-Solving Hack
Sam Parr, who sold his newsletter The Hustle for $27 million, credited his writing success to the practice of sitting down with pen and paper, copying great writing verbatim. What musicians and artists accept as fundamental training, writers often reject as beneath them. We expect to create masterpieces without first learning to play the scales.… Read More »Copywork: The Forgotten Practice That Will Make You a Better Writer
I keep two thinking systems. The first is my mind map system for note-taking, a precise hierarchical system of organised notes with careful cross-references and indexes. It’s logical, structured and works exactly as intended. The second is a beaten-up cardboard box stuffed with random note cards. I call it my “Chaos Box.” No organization. No… Read More »The Chaos Box
Reading more won’t make you remember more. I’ve finished hundreds of nonfiction books over the past decade. But the big ideas fade away as soon as I turn the last page. Sound familiar? There’s a straightforward explanation. Passive reading and rereading give us a false sense of mastery. In reality, it doesn’t push us to… Read More »The blank sheet priming method
Writing and editing often go hand in hand, but your environment plays a bigger role in your success than you might think. As creatures of habit, we tend to stick to the same routines and spaces, hoping for consistent results. But when it comes to polishing your work, that consistency can backfire. Your brain craves… Read More »Change your environment for better editing
For centuries, walking has been the unsung hero of great minds. From Aristotle’s legendary walking lectures to Darwin’s daily strolls. The simple act of putting one foot in front of the other can transform the way you think. But why does walking hold such sway over our creativity and problem-solving abilities? The answer lies in… Read More »Improve your problem-solving skills with a daily walk
I thought I knew how to take notes. Capture the key points, write them down, and review them later. Simple, right? But my notes were a jumbled mess, and I forgot the material as quickly as I learned it. Not surprisingly, that approach failed me time and again – until I learned about the RRR… Read More »The RRR (Remark, Reflect, Reference) Note-taking technique
Think back to the last time you tried to pick up a new skill. Maybe it was a foreign language, a musical instrument, or a programming language. Remember those first disorienting hours, staring at unfamiliar symbols, your fingers fumbling over the strings, strange sounds stumbling off your tongue? Did you feel clumsy, slow, or even… Read More »The power of the struggle in learning
I’ve always been a bit of a productivity geek, forever searching for the perfect system to keep me organized and on track. I’ve tried countless apps, planners, and methods, but nothing quite seemed to stick. That is until I stumbled upon the 4-step weekly review. This deceptively simple routine, consisting of reviewing my email, calendar,… Read More »The 4-step weekly review routine to stay on top of your tasks and responsibilities
I thought brain-training games were the key to a sharper mind and have spent hours hunched over my phone, tapping away at memory challenges and mental math puzzles, convinced I was giving my brain the workout it needed. But a recent study reveals a simpler and more robust path to cognitive enhancement: embracing unfamiliar challenges.… Read More »Learn a new skill to boost your brain power