Category: Life Optimization

I started working with Noah Kagan two years ago. Like the desk right next to him.  My first thought was, “wow this dude moves fast.” Maybe even too fast.  He was employee #30 at Facebook, #4 at Mint, and started 20+ companies since (including AppSumo, my current employer). So maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised.  […]

More than anything else in the world, we all care most about ONE thing.  Ourself.  Whether it’s the sound of our name or the stories that involve us. We love it all.   And it’s not selfish. It’s practical.  But as much as we enjoy hearing about ourselves, our actions don’t always align to maximize our […]

I used to be a serial over-analyzer.  I had a knack for turning a tiny choice into an exhausting decision. In the highway of life, I was getting stuck at every toll.  But that soon changed when I discovered an alternative route. One filled with the same youthful bliss I’d experienced as a kid riding […]

I recently had an aha moment, after noticing a trend among impressive entrepreneurs… They all say the same thing. “I saw [thing I wanted], so I just [how I got it].” And it worked for all of them. What is this and how do we use it? VC investor Mike Maples sums it up by […]

It’s never been easier to access information. So easy in fact, that it’s introduced a new problem. The worst part is… we often have no idea. The issue is our return on attention (ROA) is at an all-time low.  What’s ROA?  Imagine we get only $100 worth of “attention” to spend each day.  The same […]

Ivy Lee Method The Ivy Lee method is over 100 years old. It’s simple. And it works. In 1918, a well-known productivity expert, Ivy Lee, was hired by a steel company CEO to increase their output. Lee was highly respected and got right to the point. He asked for just 15 minutes with each of […]

After waking up at 6:30am for 30+ days I formed my favorite new habit. Early mornings are an amazing way to start the day. But then I wanted MORE. The 30-day challenge was great. But I thought, how can I do more of this AND in less time? (Sound crazy? Just wait.) I also thought, […]

I’ve tried TONS of hacks to consistently wake up early without hitting snooze. Multiple “Wake-Up Light” alarm clocks, phone apps, even keto chocolate ball rewards for getting out of bed… After optimizing for habit loops (cue, response, reward) — I thought I cracked the code: CUE: alarm goes off RESPONSE: get out of bed, walk […]

For years I was waiting to “find” my passion. Twiddling my thumbs, just waiting for it to magically appear…  It turns out, that’s not how it works. Not even close. We don’t FIND our passions, we must DEVELOP them (see Don’t Follow Your Passion). We go out in the real world and get our hands […]

Each quarter end, I have a calendar event to remind me to recap the quarter. Nothing too crazy. Just a quick check-in to take inventory. How did the last quarter go? How does my current trajectory align with where I want to go? What are my top priorities for next quarter? If I’m really in […]