The official website of Josh Kaufman, bestselling author
<p><img src="https://files.joshkaufman.net/vernet-shipwreck-in-stormy-seas.jpg" alt="vernet-shipwreck"></p> <p><small>Detail of <a href="https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/claude-joseph-vernet-a-shipwreck-in-stormy-seas">"A Shipwreck In Stormy Seas"</a> by Claude-Joseph Vernet, The British Museum.</small></p> <blockquote> <p>"Sometimes carrying on, just carrying on, is the superhuman…
<p>The default way of thinking about progress and success is in terms of concrete actions: the things you’re willing to <em>do</em> to get what you want.</p> <p>It’s useful to invert that line of thinking: what are you <em>not</em> willing to do to get what you want?</p> <ul> <li>What are you not willing to consider, even though it might work?</li> <li>What are you willing to forego, even though…
<p><img src="https://files.joshkaufman.net/tools.jpg?w=640" alt="tools"></p> <p>I talk to a <em>lot</em> of business owners.</p> <p>Through my work on <a href="https://personalmba.com"><em>The Personal MBA</em></a>, I’ve been advising entrepreneurs – primarily early-stage independent founders – for over a decade now. One of the most common topics of conversation is how to handle the day-to-day…
<p><img src="https://files.joshkaufman.net/martial-arts-whitebelt.jpg?w=640" alt="martial-arts-whitebelt"></p> <p>In addition to <a href="/strength-training-for-non-athletes/">strength training</a>, I've been exploring various styles of martial arts as a way to improve balance, coordination, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprioception">proprioception</a>. I've focused primarily on…
<p><img src="https://files.joshkaufman.net/kettlebell.jpg?w=640" alt="kettlebell"></p> <p>I've spent the last year investigating various ways to improve my overall level of strength and general fitness.</p> <p>By way of context: I'm an entrepreneur / researcher / author, not an athlete. I'm not training for competition, don't have a ton of time to spend at the gym, and I don't want to look like a…
<p>Everyone's looking for a shortcut.</p> <p>And yet: the overwhelming majority of people who accomplish meaningful things do it the hard way. <sup id="fnref1"><a href="#fn1">1</a></sup></p> <p>Focused effort. Training. <a href="https://first20hours.com">Skill acquisition</a>. Battling confusion, anxiety, uncertainty, doubt, and fear. Persistence. <em>Work</em>.</p> <p>It's tempting to wait, to…
<blockquote> <p>“Know how to choose. Most things in life depend on it. You need good taste and an upright judgement; intelligence and application are not enough. There is no perfection without discernment and selection.”</p> <small><strong>Baltasar Gracian</strong>, philosopher and aphorist</small> </blockquote> <p>To achieve what you want in life, you generally need to do three things:</p> <ol>…
<p></p><hr> <p><small><em>Update (2024-09-19)</em>: I've made significant progress in getting to the root cause of my health issues, which turned out to be a major chronic health condition. <a href="/on-difficulty-and-persistence/">Here's the latest information.</a> If you're struggling with similar issues, I hope these posts are helpful.</small></p> <p></p><hr> <p>I've been exhausted for over a…
<p>In my essay on <a href="/status-malfunction/">Status Malfunction</a>, we discussed the problem of allowing the promise of social status to warp our decision-making.</p> <p>We didn't discuss the solution: making a conscious, deliberate choice to not care about the forms of status that don’t lead us toward the fulfillment of our current priorities or long-term goals.</p> <p>I call it…
<blockquote> <p> Fill your bowl to the brim<br> and it will spill.<br> Keep sharpening your knife<br> and it will blunt.<br> Chase after money and security<br> and your heart will never unclench.<br> Care about people’s approval<br> and you will be their prisoner.<br> Do your work, then step back.<br> The only path to serenity.<br> </p> <small><strong>The Tao Te Ching</strong>, as <a…
<p>To build skill from scratch, you need to know <a href="/how-to-climb-a-ladder/">How to Climb A Ladder</a>.</p> <p>But how do you know <em>which</em> ladder to climb?</p> <p>There are millions of skills you could acquire, and billions of subtle variations. Which set of those skills and variations is the optimal path to getting what you want? How do you determine those things in advance, before…
<p>Say you want to climb a tall ladder. Here's the worst way to go about it: refuse to move until you find a way to teleport yourself straight to the top.</p> <p>You have to take small steps. You put your foot on the first rung, check your balance, hold on tight, then push yourself up to the second rung. Then you put your foot on the next rung, check your balance, hold on tight, and push yourself…
<blockquote> <p>"Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel. You can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving, you will come to a better place."</p> <small><strong>Iroh</strong>, retired General of the Fire Nation, The "Dragon of the West," and proprietor of The Jasmine Dragon tea house in the <em>Avatar: The Last Airbender</em> animated television series</small>…
<p>Here's a simple structure I use to evaluate the non-fiction (books, articles, essays, etc) I read:</p> <h2>Is it true?</h2> <p>Does this explain the world in some way? Does the information appear to correspond to how things work in the world, given prior knowledge and experience? Does the material cite sources? Does the material abuse cognitive biases to appear more appealing or persuasive?</p>…
<p><em>Schadenfreude</em> is experiencing pleasure at the misfortunes of others. A rival suddenly goes bankrupt, an enemy takes a fall, karma finally catches up to a shady dealer… and you smile at the news, without a touch of consideration or remorse.</p> <p>An ugly reaction, really, but it's an easy emotion to experience.</p> <p><em>Mudita</em> (Muditā in Pāli) is the opposite: experiencing…
<p>Want to <em>be</em> somebody?</p> <p><em>Do</em> something. Then do it again. And again. And again.</p> <ul> <li>Want to be an artist? Make some art. Then do it again. And again. And again.</li> <li>Want to be a writer? Write something. Then do it again. And again. And again.</li> <li>Want to be a performer? Perform something. Then do it again. And again. And again.</li> <li>Want to be an…
<p><img src="https://joshkaufman.net/img/posts/fear-of-failure.png"></p> <blockquote> <p>"Our doubts are traitors,<br>And make us lose the good we oft might win<br>By fearing to attempt."</p> <small><strong>William Shakespeare</strong>, <em>Measure for Measure</em></small> </blockquote> <p>Here's a new word for you…</p> <p><em>Kakorrhaphiophobia</em> is an abnormal, persistent, irrational fear of…
<p><img src="https://files.joshkaufman.net/happiness-of-pursuit.png?w=640" alt="happiness-of-pursuit"></p> <h2>About Chris Guillebeau</h2> <p>Chris Guillebeau is the bestselling author of <a href="https://joshkaufman.net/book/happiness-of-pursuit/" rel="noopener"><em>The Happiness of Pursuit</em></a>, <a href="https://joshkaufman.net/book/100-dollar-startup/" rel="noopener"><em>The $100…
<blockquote> <p>“Thoughts flowing like toxic sludge this Monday morning. Brain feels like it needs an oil change."</p> <small><strong>Venkatesh Rao</strong>, <a href="http://www.ribbonfarm.com">ribbonfarm.com</a></small> </blockquote> <p>Ever have a day where your brain just doesn't seem to want to turn on?</p> <p>It happens to all of us: I'm having one of those days right now. Sometimes, for…
<blockquote> <p>“You have a gold mine between your ears: your mind and your imagination."</p> <small><strong>Earl Nightingale</strong></small> </blockquote> <p>If you're going to invest your time and money, why not get the best possible return?</p> <p>Here are the best investments…</p> <h2>Knowledge</h2> <p>Anything that helps you figure out <em>what</em> you really want and <em>how</em> to go…