Build your latticework of philosophies for a deeper and simpler life. — Curiosity about Japan is nothing new. After Japan opened to the West in the 19th century, its impact on the formal and decorative arts became so intense that the phenomenon was anointed as an ‘’ism.’’ Japonism or Japonaiserie has continued to thrive to this day, with influences in technology, anime…

An updated overview of my favourite apps and tools. — I love experimenting with different tools and apps to make my personal and professional life more productive and easier to manage. My 2021 Life Tech Stack received a great response, so here I am with an updated 2022 edition. What’s a tech stack, you ask? A technology stack or tech…

Save your mental energy for the decisions that matter. — I’m in a store, trying to pick a gift for my friend’s birthday. This should’ve been a quick errand, yet I’ve been walking through the aisles for the past 45 minutes, growing increasingly frustrated with myself. Just. pick. something! I end up walking out empty-handed. Our days are one long…

Four refreshing ideas from ‘How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big’ — Goals are for losers, and passion is bullshit. Scott Adams, creator of the popular cartoon Dilbert, says it like it is in his book How To Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that I enjoyed this much. It’s funny…

Distilled from Stanford psychologist’s phenomenal book The Willpower Instinct — “If there is a secret for greater self-control, the science points to one thing: the power of paying attention.” That’s how Stanford psychologist Kelly McGonigal concludes her phenomenal book ‘The Willpower Instinct.’ I decided to pay extra close attention as I was reading, and distilled what I learned into 10…

Deep dive into dopamine, epinephrine, acetylcholine, and serotonin. — Imagine having the power to influence your brain chemistry for a more focused, creative, and motivated day. It’s not as far-fetched as you might think. With the right lifestyle and nutrition habits, you can control your brain’s pre-existing neurochemical pathways by enhancing the neurochemicals you’re already producing. There are many…

3 ways to take care of your eyes and brain while out for a walk. — Let’s start with a fun fact: Did you know your eyes are two pieces of your brain, pushed out of the skull during development? So they’re not just connected to the brain. They ARE brain. Okay, another fun fact: The evolutionary purpose of your eyes was not to “see stuff”. …

“I can’t do it. It’s too hard.” I’ll never forget the moment, sitting at my parent’s kitchen island, feeling deflated after my first maths tutoring session for GMAT, a standardized exam required for admission to most graduate business programs globally. A feeling of relief washed over me when my parents…

Do you know why you’re not taking action? — So you know what question I get asked the most in my Creative Experiments workshops and 1–1 Creativity Calls? “How have you managed to keep yourself motivated?” They’re talking about my first Year of Creative Experiments. For 12 whole months, I randomly picked a creative experiment to try out. No…