At the heart of personal experimentation are four distinct phases that work together to create meaningful change. They all work together, but every experimentalist tends to have one phase that feels like a more natural starting point.
When I was younger, I badly wanted to live in Japan. Japan is a country with very strict immigration laws, but my university had an exchange program where you could go spend a semester and study in another country. There was only one problem: the Japanese university they had a partnership with was one of … Read More
Personal science is the practice of systematically observing and experimenting on yourself to gain insights into your health, habits, and performance. It can help you make informed decisions, improve well-being, and optimize your daily life.
When you’re uncertain, your brain activates two key regions, but handling uncertainty isn’t about suppressing emotions in favor of logic. Instead, it’s about coordinating both parts of yourself to respond more effectively.
At his school in ancient Athens, Aristotle encouraged everyone to walk through the gardens while discussing ideas, rather than sitting quietly for lectures. Teachers and students would explore questions, challenge each other’s thinking, and build on each other’s insights. This tradition of walking and wondering together became so successful that it continued for centuries, influencing … Read More
In 2008, Spotify set the ambitious vision to create a legal music streaming service that could compete with piracy. Their initial strategy was clear-cut: secure licensing deals with major record labels, build a robust platform, and acquire users. But the path that led to their current 626 million active users was anything but straight. They … Read More
Imagine two aspiring writers, both with the idea of establishing an online writing presence. The first writer, Alex, sets a fixed goal: they aim to grow their newsletter to 1000 subscribers by the end of the month. Alex has heard that consistency is key, so they choose a topic, decide on a format, block time … Read More