“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool.” — Richard Feynman This is my favorite documentary of one of my favorite people, Richard Feynman. His lectures and books—such as Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character)—have greatly inspired many of my best …
The Magic of DonorsChoose — Join Me and Reddit Co-Founder Alexis Ohanian for Dinner
DonorsChoose.org is the first charity named to Fast Company’s 50 Most Innovative Companies in the World. I dislike most non-profits because — good intentions aside — they get little or no results. DonorsChoose, on the other hand, is incredibly effective. In this month’s Vanity Fair, Melinda Gates describes them as “Kickstarter for classrooms.” Here’s her …
The Dangers of Hero Worship: An Open Letter from Ryan Hall
At first glance, this post appear to be about martial arts, as it’s written by Ryan Hall. Ryan is a new friend and a phenom. He’s IBJJF Mundial (world) and No-Gi Mundial champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), with more than 300 career victories and 275+ submissions to his credit. Looking past his fight record, this letter …
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The Magic of Apprenticeship — A How-To Guide
In 1902, Einstein (far right) formed “The Olympia Academy” with two friends, who met to discuss books about science and philosophy. Three years later, Einstein’s Annus Mirabilis papers vaulted him to international fame. I’m asked “How do I find a mentor?” all the time. I’ve never had a good answer. The sad fact is this: …
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The Value of Aggression — Ode to Dan Gable
Dan Gable is a demi-god in the world of wrestling. He’s been called “Sports Figure of the Century” by Sports Illustrated. Why? As an athlete, he had a 182-1 prep and college record. His single loss, in his final NCAA match, infuriated him. To make up for it, he out-trained the world and won the …
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Stoicism for Modern Stresses: 5 Lessons from Cato
The philosophical school of Stoicism is, I believe, the perfect operating system for thriving in high-stress environments. For entrepreneurs, it’s a godsend. Both Seneca and Marcus Aurelius have been extensively written about elsewhere (For my favorite resource, check out The Tao of Seneca). But what of Cato, about whom Dante said, “And what earthly man …
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How to Take Intelligent Career Risk (and Win Mentoring from Reid Hoffman, Chairman of LinkedIn)
(Photo by graziedavvero) The following post is co-authored by Ben Casnocha and Reid Hoffman. In the conclusion, there is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be mentored by both of them. Ben Casnocha is an award-winning author and serial company-builder, whom BusinessWeek has labeled “one of America’s best young entrepreneurs.” Reid Hoffman is Co-founder and Executive Chairman …
Beyond X PRIZE: The 10 Best Crowdsourcing Tools and Technologies
Peter Diamandis explaining X PRIZE economics. (Photo: Hubert Burda) Dr. Peter H. Diamandis is the Chairman and CEO of the X PRIZE Foundation, and co-Founder and Chairman of the Singularity University, a Silicon Valley based institution partnered with NASA, Google, Autodesk and Nokia. Dr. Diamandis attended MIT, where he received his degrees in molecular genetics …
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How to Become an Effective CEO: Chief Emotions Officer
Chip Conley, founder of Joie de Vivre Hotels Chip Conley is the founder of Joie de Vivre Hospitality, which he began at age 26 and built to more than 30 properties in California alone. In 2010, Joie de Vivre was awarded the #1 customer service award in the U.S. by Market Metrix (Upper Upscale hotel …
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Looking to the Dietary Gods: Eating Well According to the Ancients
(Photo: H.Koppdelaney) Just a few weeks ago, I received the following from Ryan Holiday: “…in the last 6 months, I’ve lost 15 lbs and am in the best shape of my life. From adding in sprinting to my running regime, using kettle bells once a week, using a weighted vest while taking long walks, and …
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