Betterment

Moving is physical, travel is an emotional journey. Moving takes us from one place to another, one job to another, one situation to another. But if we seek to insulate ourselves from the emotional …

A simple formula for success

An old friend of mine at my hackerspace introduced me to the concept of Prototype Zero: The Version that Even Your Own Sweet Mother Isn’t Allowed to See. The idea is that when you’re building somet…

Extreme bursts of productivity are certainly eye-catching. But science shows why steady consistency wins nearly every business race.

The summer morning light on the east wall of Átl’ka7tsem/Howe Sound. When I set a vacation responder on my email during times of travel or rest, I try to make it useful. That often means shar…

The index is the search bar, the random access to the facts we can look up. The table of contents, though, that’s a point of view. It’s a taxonomy of how to understand a complicated ide…

Becoming a successful hacker requires more than just technical skills; it demands a unique way of thinking. This guide explores the core principles that

There's a painting in the Art Institute of Chicago that stops people cold. Van Gogh's "Bedroom at Arles." It's just a bedroom. A simple room with a bed,

Sneakers are better for running a marathon, but shoes are better for a wedding reception. This is the better of utility. Finding something that does the job it sets out to do. And then there is the…

Posted on Monday 4 Aug 2025. 1,104 words, 2 links. By Matt Webb.

When you're stuck in a rut, moving forward can feel impossible. Here's five steps to progress through struggles

No important movie has ever been a solo project. While we can see a director’s point of view from movie to movie, the collaborative nature of the work is evident. Actors, cinematographers and…

A clover, a bee, and a break

Reflections on Cal Newport's 'So Good They Can't Ignore You', and the order of passion and mastery.

The engineer’s over-engineered knowledge management system

In this challenging climate, even industry giants are forecasting profits declines. However, brands with purpose are well-positioned to lead.

A lightweight way to add ambient social cohesion for remote teams.

I just finished Benjamín Labatut’s remarkable book When We Cease To Understand The World. It’s a book that blends non-fiction and fiction, that tells the stories of scientists of the tw…

It’s tempting to go to an extreme. Unreasonable design standards, quality or hospitality are an effective way to gain share, delight customers and spread the word. To be unreasonable in servi…

Anything that works in practice can work in theory. When a theory tells us something that is working is impossible, we’ve either measured wrong or the theory needs updating. Theories exist to…

Of course, we make strategic errors all the time. Not enough time. Incomplete information. A fast-changing system. Sooner or later, a significant strategic error occurs. Don’t beat yourself u…

Designing a values-centered life from first principles.

Myth, Meaning, and the Last Stand of Democratic Consciousness

A while ago, I ate in a restaurant that had no menu. The waiter simply walked over to the table and said, “what do you want?” As bold a statement as this is, it made many diners uncomfo…

Image by Dosseman, via Wikimedia Commons In 2012, archaeologists discovered in Southern Turkey a well-preserved mosaic featuring a skeleton savoring a loaf of bread and a pitcher of wine, surrounded by the Greek words “Be cheerful and live your life.” Dating back to the 3rd century BCE, the mosaic likely adorned the dining room of a wealthy villa in the ancient Greco-Roman city of Antioch.

Who do you pay attention to? Do you respond or react to the feedback that’s coming in? Do you seek it out or wait for it to arrive? Does vivid online feedback from anonymous trolls carry more…

There’s been a popular statistic floating around for years from Gallup about how only 38% of the US workforce feels engaged at work. They claim this is a

(Car dashboards don’t have room to spell out the whole word). On a country road, late at night, when there are no other cars around, the hi beams are a really useful tool. It’s smart to…

Understanding and maintaining your circle of competence is crucial for software engineers. This post explores how self-awareness, continuous learning, and avoiding overconfidence lead to sharper decisions and greater impact.

Perhaps you’re really good at the job. Hard charging. Focused on every interaction and staying in control. It’s easy to justify the hard work because you refuse to settle. It turns out …