The test of literature is, I suppose, whether we ourselves live more intensely for the reading of it.
– Elizabeth Drew
In my recent article, How to Read a Book, I offered some ideas for extracting value from dead trees. I focussed primarily on non-fiction in that article. Now I want to offer you an approach for [...]

Properly, we should read for power. Man reading should be man intensely alive. The book should be a ball of light in one’s hand.
– Ezra Pound
I run a One Man University.
I’m the Dean, the Professor, and the entire student body of OMU. My major is the conscious pursuit of happiness; my minor, everything else. My [...]

Information is not knowledge.
– Albert Einstein
I have a confession to make: I’m a crack addict.
On the information black market, my drug of choice goes by the name of email. The good stuff is laced with social media and RSS. The better stuff also includes mailing lists, website statistics, IRC, and 500 TV channels. The best [...]

I don’t care how much power, brilliance or energy you have, if you don’t harness it and focus it on a specific target, and hold it there you’re never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrants.
– Zig Ziglar
Whether your goal is to start a company, meet an amazing guy or girl, or travel [...]

Slow down and remember this: Most things make no difference. Being busy is a form of mental laziness—lazy thinking and indiscriminate action.
– Timothy Ferriss
“Work smarter, not harder” is one of the ultimate clichés. Like most clichés, few people actually do it. The busy outnumber the productive by a wide margin. Whether you’re a boss, an [...]

I recently came across a great article over at The Onion:
Study Finds Working At Work Improves Productivity

According to the article, the secret to being more productive on the job is to, well, work:
“Our findings are astounding: By simply sitting down and doing work, employees can dramatically increase their output of goods and services,” said Deputy [...]

The people I most admire are total animals. They are intensely dedicated to their craft, and make the most of every moment to reach their goals. They are so focussed on what they want that they don’t have time for anything that isn’t aligned with their intentions. They are constantly creating, always choose to align [...]

In the absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily acts of trivia.
– Unknown
So you’ve finally figured out your goal in life: To become a successful entrepreneur.
You’ve never liked working for others. You would love the freedom that comes with working for yourself. You know your wealth prospects are staggering. You [...]

Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness; no laziness; no procrastination; never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.
– Lord Chesterfield

*Yawn*
You wake up and reach over to your mobile phone to check the time. 9:48 AM. You overslept a bit, but whatever, it’s Saturday. [...]

The busy outnumber the productive by a wide margin, caught up in a never-ending flurry of meetings, phone calls, email, brainstorming sessions, “management” and other treadmilling. At the end of the work day, a Cold War ensues between the managers and their employees about who will leave the office first.
If you can relate to this [...]