Inspiration Through Information
Today I read the cover story of Newsweek titled Is College a Lousy Investment? by Megan McArdle and I was jumping up and down with joy that this public discussion is finally starting to see some widespread traction. It’s a discussion we need to have. The default assumption that college is the correct path for every […]
Do we actually create our own happiness? Is our level of happiness really within our control regardless of our life situation? Do we overestimate how one particular life goal or outcome might improve our overall happiness over another goal or outcome? In Daniel Gilbert’s TED presentation, evidence he’s gathered suggests this is the case. Daniel […]
Technology marches forward at an amazing pace. And it’s technology that’s going to continue to revolutionize the opportunities for self-education. What will continue to be the primary driver for the democratization and accessibility of education is technology. For example, examine a technology like MyEdu that lets college students design, manage and navigate their higher education […]
Recently I was watching a recording of the brilliant musical Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim. What an amazing work of theater it is. If you like musical theater and haven’t seen it, I recommend it. One of the lines in the show struck me as quite beautiful in its clear summation of why our […]
Informal learning is a concept that is quickly taking hold in companies and organizations everywhere. No surprise. Such learning often produces as good or better results than more formal training programs and at a fraction of the cost. But as with all trends adopted within large organizations, there can be a tendency to over-complicate matters. […]
Over the years, I’ve read about and tried countless goal attainment systems. I’m sure you’ve investigated or tried some of them too. Most of them go something like this. Create your lifetime goals, then break them down to long-term goals, then break those down to short-term goals, and then break those down into immediate action […]
I ran across this quote by one of my favorite playwrights, David Mamet, as I was reading Seth Godin’s book, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? The quote applies to much of life, and it most certainly applies to self-education. If you wholeheartedly embrace the industrial model, including the industrial model of education that our current formal system […]
Since my friends, acquaintances and colleagues all know I’m a writer, I’m often asked how they can best improve their writing. While there is an endless collection of tips and tricks one can employ to become a better writer, there is really no replacement for practice. Writers write. The more you write, the better you […]
Since I was a child, probably due to the influence of growing up with an over-achieving father, I have been incredibly goal focused. I am one of those people who has constantly made long-term, medium-term and short-term goal lists and tried (notice I said tried) to chip away at accomplishing them. This process has not […]
A friend of mine recommended The Story of Stuff website and I think you’ll be well served if you decide to view this site too. Watch the 20-minute video of the inspiring Annie Leonard. She clearly and brilliantly walks you through the chain of events in our current consumerism society, highlighting the downside of continuing […]