How to Get Good at Thinking

 Aloha from Honolulu!

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How to Get Good at Thinking

When I was younger, I often felt a sense of dread whenever 'hot topics' came up in the workplace or in social circles. Either I didn't know how I felt about a topic, or I was very sure of how I felt and knew that I would be the lone person in the room with that opinion, unsure of how to defend myself.

Recently, I stumbled upon a great video by Cal Newport, which offers a simple and easy-to-follow way to get ahead of the news and think critically.

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1. Seek Quality Information

a. Uninstall Social Media Apps

If you use social media for work, make sure to log off as soon as possible before getting sucked into doomscrolling.

b. Opt for Manually Curated Content

Avoid media sites that feed you content based on algorithms. These sites prioritize engagement over informing you, which can lead you to dark places that aren't good for your mental health—we've all been there.

c. Cal Newport's Suggestions:

- Daily: Pick one or two sources for daily news updates and another for weekly insights. Newsletters are timely, while weekly magazines offer a broader focus on current events.

- Seasonally: Choose a book every 1-3 months on a topic you genuinely want to understand. After one book, you'll know more about the subject than most people, aside from those who studied it formally.

My Application:

- Daily: I read The Economist magazine, buying one issue for the week and digesting it over 5 days.

- Weekend: I read Foreign Affairs, as I'm concerned with global government affairs and want to understand how the world works.

Balance Fun and Intellectual Media

To avoid going full "monk-mode," maintain a 1:1 ratio of fun/smart media. For every pure-entertainment video you watch, challenge yourself with something intellectually stimulating.

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 2. Increase Your Comfort with Boredom

- Daily: Have one task per day (3 - 20 minutes) without your phone.

- Weekends: Include an hour-long session without your phone. I typically do this during my daily commute or while doing laundry on weekdays, and during a workout or extended cooking session on weekends.

The Phone-Foyer Method

Leave your phone in a specific area of your apartment or house where you can check it if needed, but otherwise, stay away from it. And dear God, don't bring your phone into the bathroom!

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 3. Practice Being Intellectual

Engage with the world. Master and integrate it.

Two Concrete Ideas:

1st: Pair Primary and Secondary Sources

The most obvious example is with books. If you want to read The Odyssey, read a book about the book. Understand why it's important.

Secondary First:

Learn the historical significance or the environment when a primary source was written or created. For instance, what was going on in the world when Ayn Rand wrote Atlas Shrugged? Understanding the context will enrich your appreciation of works like Mad Max: Fury Road.

2nd: Maintain Idea Documents

Summarize timeless topics in your own words through writing. Create and regularly update these summaries. You can apply this to current events too.

If something feels important, create a document on how you feel about it and why. This helps you avoid falling into tribal thinking. Organize your thoughts. Shut down your Twitter and write it out.

Articulate your concerns and put them online where people can see, evaluate, and give you feedback.

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Until next time!

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This format should present your ideas in a clear, structured way, perfect for a newsletter. Let me know if you'd like any adjustments!