Learn Everyday

This is related to spaces with high ceilings (like in Cathedral) or more space compared to a confined space.  Based on a Huberman lab podcast, research says that if you have to do creative thinking kind of work like planning, brainstorming or something abstract/artsy — a space with high ceiling and more space around you is the ideal place.  On the contrary if it is work that requires less creativity and more concrete, detail focused work — in that case a space with low ceilings is more ideal.

While writing - think of an image and then translate that image into words. If you are able to generate the same image in the reader's mind, then it will be easy for both the reader and the writer to come on the same page. (from "The Pyramid Principle")

 Makes sense to focus on the process rather than the goal. Create habits that will ultimately lead to not only meeting the goal but sustain that achievement over long term. You do not want to hit the goal of lets say reducing your weight and then allow it to increase again once you hit your target.

Sometimes inflexibility is a good thing and important to have in your approach. It helps save the brain some "Decision Fatigue".  Taking a pledge is one example. E.g. taking a pledge to not drink coke or not eat chocolate. The mind does not have think in this case.  Another example - I will only eat one thing in the breakfast. Or I will always wear the same type of clothes (e.g. jeans and black shirt) when I go out. 

This one is from the book Thinking Fast and Slow. We often think that when we use big, complex words, specially during writing — then it will impress the reader. However, studies have shown that using heavy words instead of simple ones — makes you less credible. Quoting from the book: “If you care about being thought credible and intelligent, do not use complex language where simpler language will do. My Princeton colleague Danny Oppenheimer refuted a myth prevalent among undergraduates about the vocabulary that professors find most impressive. In an article titled “Consequences of Erudite Vernacular Utilized Irrespective of Necessity: Problems with Using Long Words Needlessly,” he showed that couching familiar ideas in pretentious language is taken as a sign of poor intelligence and low credibility.”

“Prevention is better than cure”. This is an old adage but we are obsessed with problem solving rather than problem prevention. Why? Because that is more sexy. But a good leader is someone who steers the ship around an iceberg than hitting it. Yet we make a hero out of the person who, after hitting the ship in the iceberg puts his life on the line and saves all the passengers. We should be careful of this ‘Herosim bias’.

When you are writing a document, be aware that your readers will have a multitude of thoughts in their mind when starting to read your document. You have to entice them to concentrate on your document. So the challenge is to first bring them there — make them stand where you are and then take them through your ideas. Narrating a story format or SCQA format helps. (From ‘The Pyramid principle’)