Garden

Work in sprints, work with your biology

Energy Management

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 10 min read

“Energy is eternal delight.” — William Blake

“Your energy is currency. Spend it well. Invest it wisely. Use it Intentionally, consistently, and by your own design.” — Adrienne Bosh

＝能量管理＝精力管理

能量/精力管理 > 時間管理

“Energy, not time, is the fundamental currency of high performance.” — Jim Loehr ¹

Time is the same for everyone — 24 hours a day, no more, no less. ² Energy, by contrast, is highly variable: it fluctuates with sleep, nutrition, stress, environment, and mindset. Time management optimizes when you do things; energy management optimizes how well you do them. Time is a container; energy is the fuel that fills it.

時間是有限的，但能量或精力可以無限。
時間以不變的速度流逝，但能量或精力不斷地在變。

There are undeniably bad bosses, toxic work environments, difficult relationships and real-life crises. Nonetheless, we have far more control over our energy than we ordinarily realize. The number of hours in a day is fixed, but the quantity and quality of energy available to us is not. It is our most precious resource. The more we take responsibility for the energy we bring to the world, the more empowered and productive we become. The more we blame others or external circumstances, the more negative and compromised our energy is likely to be.

情緒能量表

Hawkins’ map (scaled 0–1000) is one lens for seeing why state dominates productivity. At low levels — shame, guilt, apathy, fear — the same task feels exhausting, and self-defeating thoughts quietly drain energy. At higher levels — courage, acceptance, reason, love — the same task becomes intrinsically motivating. From this view, energy management is partly state management: raise the level from which you operate, rather than merely squeezing more output from a low state.

After a particularly grueling day, I’d sit on the couch and veg for hours, doing my version of “Netflix and chill,” which meant keeping company with a pint of ice cream. Even though I knew that eating ice cream and sitting for a long time were probably bad ideas, I told myself that relaxation was my well-deserved reward for working so hard.
Psychological researchers have a name for this phenomenon: it’s called “Ego Depletion.” The theory is that ~~willpower is connected to a limited reserve of mental energy, and once you run out of that energy, you’re more likely to lose self-control.~~
However, recent studies suggest we’ve misunderstood willpower, debunking the theory of ego depletion.
- (Job, Dweck, and Walton 2010)
  - People who viewed the capacity for self-control as not limited did not show diminished self-control after a depleting experience.
  - …reduced self-control after a depleting task or during demanding periods may reflect people’s beliefs about the availability of willpower rather than true resource depletion.
- (Job et al. 2013)
  - …following a demanding task, only people who view willpower as limited and easily depleted (a limited resource theory) exhibited improved self-control after sugar consumption.
  - In contrast, people who view willpower as plentiful (unlimited) showed no benefits from glucose—they exhibited high levels of self-control performance with or without sugar boosts.
Here’s the key point: Simply believing that we’re “spent” or mentally drained can create a sense of fatigue, a phenomenon linked to the nocebo effect. Clinging to / Holding onto the idea that willpower is a finite resource can be harmful/detrimental, making us more likely to lose self-control and make poor decisions. In reality, ego depletion is driven by self-defeating thoughts, rather than any biological limitation. It’s not the sugar in the lemonade that sustains mental stamina—it’s the placebo effect in action. ³
Moreover, willpower functions like an emotion. Just as we don’t “run out” of joy or anger, willpower rises and falls depending on what’s happening to us and how we feel. ⭐️ If mental energy behaves like an emotion rather than fuel in a tank, it can be managed and harnessed accordingly: When faced with a difficult task, it’s more productive and healthy to view a lack of motivation as temporary, rather than assuming we’re spent/drained and need a break.

A common failure mode is to treat energy as a fixed budget to be spent conservatively — to “pace yourself” and hoard what remains. The more useful frame: energy is a capacity you can grow, not a reserve you merely draw down. Just as an athlete, a knowledge worker improves performance through two loops:

Train the capacity — build physical fitness, emotional resilience, and deep-work stamina through progressive, deliberate practice. Capacity grows only under load, and load is sustainable only with recovery.
Recover intentionally — treat rest as a productive activity rather than the absence of work. Sleep, walks, and unstructured time are not wasted hours; they are the production side of the energy equation (recharging activities).

There’s no such thing as working too hard. There’s just being under rested. — Don’t focus on energy output. Focus on energy production.

If you don’t schedule actions that produce energy, assume they’ll never happen.
If you don’t monitor actions that drain energy, assume they’ll keep expanding.

Energy-producing actions (exercise, rest, deep work, meaningful connection) rarely feel urgent, so they silently lose out to urgent-but-draining tasks (email, meetings, notifications). Scheduling them converts vague intentions into explicit commitments.

Conversely, energy-draining actions expand to fill any unmonitored space — what you don’t track, you don’t notice, and what you don’t notice grows.

“Whatever excites you, go do it. Whatever drains you, stop doing it.” — Derek Sivers

What produced energy today?
What drained it?
What will I schedule or cut tomorrow?

Schedule the energy-producing action before the energy-consuming one, letting the calendar enforce the default rule instead of your willpower.

To be fully engaged, we need to be fully present. To be fully present we must be physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused and spiritually aligned with a purpose beyond our own immediate self-interest.

In The Power of Full Engagement, Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz argue that energy has four dimensions, each of which must be managed separately:

Physical energy 身體能量 — the foundation of energy. Sleep, nutrition, and movement are the cheapest, highest-leverage energy upgrades available; everything else is built on this base.
Emotional energy 情感能量 — the quality of energy. Positive emotions (curiosity, gratitude, connection) widen capacity; negative emotions (fear, frustration, resentment) leak it.
Mental energy 心智能量 — the focus of energy. Trained through concentration and mental challenge; best refreshed by novelty and a change of task. ⁴
Spiritual energy 心靈能量 — the meaning of energy. Purpose and values act as a force multiplier: work aligned with meaning energizes, while misaligned work depletes no matter how much time it consumes.

Full engagement requires drawing on four separate but related sources of energy: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.
Because energy capacity diminishes both with overuse and with underuse, we must balance energy expenditure with intermittent energy renewal.
To build capacity, we must push beyond our normal limits, training in the same systematic way that elite athletes do. ⁵
Positive energy rituals—highly specific routines for managing energy—are the key to full engagement and sustained high performance.

≈ 冪律

第 n 重要的主題，分到 $(m-1)/m^n$ 的注意力，m > 1。

而 m 就是專注的「銳利度」：m 越大，越聚焦少數關鍵任務；m 越小，越傾向在多個任務之間平均投入。

當然，你不可能這麼精確地分配你的注意力，但這個公式至少提醒你：資源有限，必須取捨。

舉例來說，m = 2 時，第 1 主題就拿走一半，其餘快速衰減：

pie showData
    title 注意力分配
    "第 1 主題（50%）" : 50
    "第 2 主題（25%）" : 25
    "第 3 主題（12.5%）" : 12.5
    "第 4 主題（6.25%）" : 6.25
    "第 5 主題（3.125%）" : 3.125
    "其餘主題（3.125%）" : 3.125

➞ a practice sometimes called working with your energy, not against it

“My ability to do any serious mathematics fluctuates greatly from day to day; sometimes I can think hard on a problem for an hour, other times I feel ready to type up the full details of a sketch that I or my coauthors already wrote, and other times I only feel qualified to respond to email and do errands, or just to take a walk or even a nap. I find it very helpful to organise my time to match this fluctuation: for instance, if I have a free afternoon, and feel inspired to do so, I might close my office door, shut off the internet, and begin typing on a languishing paper; or if not, I go and work on a week’s worth of email, referee a paper, write a blog article, or whatever else seems suited to my current levels of energy and enthusiasm.” — Terence Tao

“The Energy Investment Portfolio” by Ali Abdaal

Dream Investments: Things that you want to do at some point, but probably not right now; can be as long as you like.
Active Investments: Things that you want to work on right now (e.g., this week); should be limited (~5) based on how much time and energy you’ve got to invest in them.

The ultimate measure of our lives is not how much time we spend on the planet, but rather how much energy we invest in the time that we have. ⌃
每個人每天都是固定 24 小時 ⌃
Studies show that our brain does not consume more blood sugar when working on difficult tasks. The brain is an organ, not a muscle. It does not burn extra calories but maintains a steady energy consumption with increased effort. Whether you’re solving calculus problems or watching cat videos, your brain burns roughly the same number of calories per waking minute. ⌃
靠專注練出來，靠新鮮事補回來。 ⌃
Stress is not the enemy in our lives. Paradoxically, it is the key to growth. In order to build strength in a muscle we must systematically stress it, expending energy beyond normal levels. We build emotional, mental and spiritual capacity in precisely the same way that we build physical capacity. ⌃

Job, Veronika, Carol S. Dweck, and Gregory M. Walton. 2010. “Ego Depletion—Is It All in Your Head?: Implicit Theories About Willpower Affect Self-Regulation.” Psychological Science 21 (11): 1686–93. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797610384745. ↩

Job, Veronika, Gregory M. Walton, Katharina Bernecker, and Carol S. Dweck. 2013. “Beliefs about Willpower Determine the Impact of Glucose on Self-Control.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110 (37): 14837–42. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1313475110. ↩

Idea Capture Inbox

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“Every composer knows the anguish and despair occasioned by forgetting ideas which one had no time to write down.” — Hector Berlioz

≈ Scratch Space/Tab/Note

好記性不如爛筆頭。

Write down ANYTHING that comes across your mind. Never miss writing down or document a good thought/task/note. Nothing is too big or too small. Nothing counts other than what you capture.
Always carry a A7 tear-off notepad (pocket notebook) and a 0.5mm mechanical pencil (soft 2B leads) with me.

The cost of digital storage is very cheap.
Our brain is made for generating/having ideas, not keeping/holding/storing them. (我們的大腦是用來作出思考和判斷的，它並不擅長用來儲存信息。)
- ~~Keep X in mind~~, ~~Remember X~~
- 藉由隨時將想法、心情寫下來（或存放在任何可信任的外部系統），清空/梳理大腦 (Brain Dump / Cognitive Offloading)，才能處理當下的思考與判斷，並檢視自己的「迷思 (myth)」和「盲點 (blind spot)」

In 📥 & Out 📤 Paper Tray
Quick Note
- Informal sketch (by giving barely enough details to allow you to readily reconstruct the whole thing later on, don’t care about the format)
- Only write down “keywords”, not “sentences”
Core Concept: Keep the process low-friction or even frictionless

an incomplete (or otherwise unsatisfactory) argument for a problem that you are working on
an embarrassingly wrong piece of work
- It is good to make a note of mistakes that one should avoid in the future (as an Anti To-Do List)

Brainstorm/Insight Notebook by Tim Ferriss１

For thought-dumping (interesting goals and ideas)
Multiple passes and constantly ask what did I think was important or cool through different times, so you’re not just spewing onto the page and then forgetting it
- 1st pass: when you first took notes
- 2nd pass: maybe a week or a month after the note was taken; underscore ideas you find interesting at this time
- 3rd pass: maybe a quarter after; encircle ideas you find interesting at this time

Note Taking

Money

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 18 min read

“Money poisons you when you’ve got it, and starves you when you haven’t.” — D. H. Lawrence

“Here’s the simple formula: Spend less than you earn—invest the surplus—avoid debt” — J.L. Collins, The Simple Path to Wealth: Your Road Map to Financial Independence and a Rich, Free Life

(Housel 2020)

People do some crazy things with money. But no one is crazy. […] Everyone has their own unique experience with how the world works. And what you’ve experienced is more compelling than what you learn second-hand. So all of us—you, me, everyone—go through life anchored to a set of views about how money works that vary wildly from person to person. What seems crazy to you might make sense to me. […] We all make decisions based on our own unique experiences that seem to make sense to us in a given moment. ¹ ²

Tails drive everything — When we pay special attention to a role model’s successes we overlook that their gains came from a small percent of their actions. That makes our own failures, losses, and setbacks feel like we’re doing something wrong. But it’s possible we are wrong, or just sort of right, just as often as the masters are. They may have been more right when they were right, but they could have been wrong just as often as you. ³

“It’s not whether you’re right or wrong that’s important,” George Soros once said, “but how much money you make when you’re right and how much you lose when you’re wrong.” You can be wrong half the time and still make a fortune.

Man in the Car Paradox — It’s a subtle recognition that people generally aspire to be respected and admired by others, and using money to buy fancy things may bring less of it than you imagine. If respect and admiration are your goal, be careful how you seek it. Humility, kindness, and empathy will bring you more respect than horsepower ever will. ⁴

Reasonable Rational

Do not aim to be coldly rational when making financial decisions. Aim to just be pretty reasonable. Reasonable is more realistic and you have a better chance of sticking with it for the long run, which is what matters most when managing money.

Academic finance is devoted to finding the mathematically optimal investment strategies. My own theory is that, in the real world, people do not want the mathematically optimal strategy. They want the strategy that maximizes for how well they sleep at night.

Money can only solve money problems.
Money isn’t nothing, it simply can’t be the only thing. Your wealthy life may involve money, but it will be defined by everything else.
- ~~Money is the only type of wealth.~~ → Sahil Bloom’s The Five Types of Wealth
Money is just a piece of paper.

“Think of money as information — it’s just for resource allocation across time and space” — Elon Musk
Don’t think all poverty is due to laziness. Don’t think all wealth is through hard work.
Making money is an action. Keeping money is behavior/habit. Growing money is knowledge/skill.
The proper financial mindset is to be scared enough to save for the short run and brave enough to invest for the long run.
Earning more money increases freedom. Spending less than you earn reduces stress.

Enough is enough

“Savings can be created by spending less. You can spend less if you desire less. And you will desire less if you care less about what others think of you.” — Morgan Housel

Contentment is the greatest wealth.
True wealth is found not in attaining more, but in discovering enough.
Financial freedom is a feeling, not a reality.
所謂的富裕，只有知足的人才能深切體會。不知足的人、以及徹頭徹尾感到不足的人，縱使再富裕優渥的生活，他們也感受不到。
Marginal Utility: Beyond a certain point, having more money will not lead to more security, freedom, and happiness. In fact, these things do not come from more money. They come from knowing when to stop.

See: The Mexican Fisherman
You’ll never achieve financial freedom when you play status games, fall into the consumer trap, and let your ego dictate your spending.
- The only way to build wealth is to have a gap between your ego and your income. Less ego, more wealth.
False Belief: “If I become great at making money, you’ll automatically become wealthy.”
- Make Money → Spend Money → Make Money → Spend Money
- Money more in = More money out
  - Lifestyle Inflation/Creep
    - When your income increases, your expenses increase just as much to upgrade the quality of your life.
  - Expectation Inflation
    - Expectation is the greatest liability. You will never be rich (financially wealthy) if your expectations are growing faster than your asset because you are constantly wanting more.
    - If your expectations grow faster than your income, you’ll never be satisfied with your money, no matter how much you accumulate.
    - You manage financial expectations by keeping your lifestyle way below your means.
    - Your Margin of Freedom is the buffer you intentionally create between your reality and your expectations.
    - The value of all money is relative to expectations. Reducing your needs has the same impact as increasing your income—but the former is more certain and in your control than the latter ⁵, so it has a higher expected value.
    - The less you need, the richer you become—wealth is about flexibility, not luxury.
    - Being rich is having things. Being wealthy is knowing you don’t need them.
      
      “I want it, but I can’t afford it” ➞ “I can afford this and more, but I don’t need it.”
    - Manage Your Expectations: You can be financially poor, but psychologically rich.
    - 《致富心態》（The Psychology of Money）的作者 Morgan Housel 曾舉過一個例子：

約翰 · 洛克斐勒的財富相當於四千億美元，但他一生中從未擁有過青黴素、防曬乳或止痛藥。在他大部分成年時期，沒有電燈、空調或太陽眼鏡。財富的感受，取決於所處的時代背景與期望。

John D. Rockefeller was worth the equivalent of $400 billion, but he never had penicillin, sunscreen, or Advil. For most of his adult life he didn’t have electric lights, air conditioning, or sunglasses. Everything about wealth is circumstances in the context of expectations.

Optimize for life fulfillment/experiences, not for money-in-the-bank.
- 人生的價值，不在「金錢」的總和，而在「體驗」的加總。
- 人們真正想要的，是食、衣、住、行、育、樂，而不是銀行裡的數字。
Having a lot of money ≠ Rich life
- 而財富，是這些東西的總稱，而非金錢。
- 或者說：財富是當你丟掉所有的金錢後剩下的東西。
- 所以，在人生中，你應該追求「財富」，而不是追求「金錢」。
Never allow self-worth to be dictated by net worth.
- 為了「幸福感」賺錢，不要為了「饋乏感」賺錢。
Use money to make more money for you. ⁶

“The poor and the middle class work for money. The rich have money work for them.” — Robert T. Kiyosaki, Rich Dad Poor Dad

“Rich men use most of their money to get richer. Poor men use most of their money to look richer.” — Mokokoma Mokhonoana

(Collins 2016)

“Stop thinking about what your money can buy. Start thinking about what your money can earn. And then think about what the money it earns can earn.”
- The rich get richer. Money begets money.
Skills get you to a million, character/charisma takes you to 100 million, and time brings you to a billion.

“The reason you’re not making $10m a year is that you don’t know HOW to make$ 10m a year. Therefore, that lack of knowledge is costing you $10m a year.” — Alex Hormozi
The only way to make a lot of money is to create a lot of value. To do something people want. No value means no money. Money is a lagging indicator of value created, impact, and service. Don’t chase the dollars. Create the value and the money will chase you. ⁷
MONEY and TIME is a balancing act. Stop trading/renting time for money, so money can create more time for you.

“Money is something you trade your life energy for. You sell your time for money. It doesn’t matter that Ned over there sells his time for a hundred dollars and you sell yours for twenty dollars an hour. Ned’s money is irrelevant to you. The only real asset you have is your time. The hours of your life.” — Vicki Robin, Your Money or Your Life
- Millionaires don’t have salaries. They own assets.
- WEALTH = Net Income + Asset Value
- 真正的財務自由，是不再被困在「時間換取金錢」的枷鎖裡。
The best thing you can do to stay poor is to start tomorrow.
- The Action Mindset: The longer you’re not taking action, the more money you’re losing.
The only way to make passive income is to provide value in a way that is not directly tied to your time. The best business model is the one that scales while you sleep.
- 被動收入＝睡後收入
- Passive income is actually “less active” income → Difference: “LEVERAGE”
  - We all have 24 hours per day.
  - We are all being paid per hour rate.
  - We all trade/rent out time for money at some levels.
開源節流
- Prioritize buying assets consistently over saving excessively.
- Don’t focus on saving (fixed mindset), focus on earning (growth mindset).
- Saving has limited downside, earning has unlimited upside.
- There’s a limit to how much you can cut, but no limit to how much you can earn.

It’s not how much money you make, but how much money you keep and take home.
Mindset shift for keeping money:
- ❌ 沒有拿去投資以獲得更高獲利的「罰金」
- ✅ 支付未來幸福生活的「入場費/手續費」(安全邊界 Margin of Safety)
Unspent money buys something intangible but valuable: freedom, independence, autonomy, and control over your time. Every dollar of savings buys a claim check on the future.

(Collins 2016)

There are many things money can buy, but the most valuable of all is freedom. Freedom to do what you want and to work for whom you respect.

“What’s the point of having f*ck you money if you never say f*ck you?”
- 金錢最大的價值是買回/留下「自由」，也就是「選擇權」。
- Wealth is hidden. Wealth is the money you don’t spend. Wealth is the nice car you don’t buy. Wealth is the big house you don’t purchase. Wealth is the financial assets that haven’t yet been converted into the stuff you see. Wealth is an option not yet taken to buy something later.
- 財富是無形的、是看不見的、是你沒有花的錢。

“Spend your money on the things money can buy. Spend your time on the things money can’t buy.” — Haruki Murakami

“Too many people spend money they haven’t earned (can’t afford), to buy things they don’t want (need), to impress people that they don’t like (care).” — Will Rogers

“If you buy things you do not need, soon you will have to sell things you need.” — Warren Buffett

“Waste lies not in the number of possessions but in the failure to enjoy them.” — Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin, Your Money or Your Life

“The key is remembering that anything you buy and don’t use, anything you throw away, anything you consume and don’t enjoy is money down the drain, wasting your life energy and wasting the finite resources of the planet. Any waste of your life energy means more hours lost to the rat race, making a dying. Frugality is the user-friendly and earth-friendly lifestyle.” — Vicki Robin, Your Money or Your Life

“Frugality is enjoying the virtue of getting good value for every minute of your life energy and from everything you have the use of.” — Vicki Robin, Your Money or Your Life

我發現，把錢花在那些很快就消失/一下子就消耗掉/轉瞬即逝的東西上，會讓自己有種受騙的感覺。
Consider spending money as a failure of imagination; a failure to solve problems by smarter means.
Your need for money is inversely related to your level of skill. Money buys convenience but more importantly, it compensates for lack of skill.
Money can buy happiness_, but in an indirect way._ It’s not money itself that makes you happier. It’s the thing acquired by money that actually makes you happy.

“Those who say that money can’t buy happiness, never had any.” — Samuel L. Jackson
Spending can be a representation of how hard you’ve worked and how much stress went into earning your pay check.
“Nothing you will do in your lifetime, realistically, will waste more money than buying a new car. It’s the single worst financial decision millennials will ever make.”

出門/落地就折價 30%
Bought Status Test

Before you buy something, ask yourself: Would I buy that thing if I couldn’t tell anyone about it?
Over the years, I’ve shifted away from buying material things because I’ve realized that owning things means they end up owning your time.
The cheapest thing you can buy is nothing. Nothing costs nothing.
A sixty-dollar gadget at half price doesn’t save you thirty dollars. It costs you thirty dollars you weren’t planning to spend.
The best uses of money are those that create one of four things in your life: Time, Experiences, Purpose, or Health.

“I try to keep in mind that there are two ways to use money. One is as a tool to live a better life. The other is as a yardstick of success to measure yourself against other people. The first is quiet and personal, the second is loud and performative. It’s so obvious which leads to a happier life.” — Morgen Housel ⁸
- Don’t buy “dumb things” that offer “temporary happiness.” Spend smart on the things that bring you true, long-lasting happiness.
- Do not attempt to achieve status, respect, or admiration through material purchases.
「拿鐵因子」（Latte Factor）是泛指生活中非必要、因習慣而產生的小額花費（如每天一杯咖啡、手搖飲、網購零食、訂閱卻少看的串流平台）。這些看似不起眼的開銷，長期累積會形成驚人的漏財黑洞。

“A latte spurned is a fortune earned.” — David Bach, The Automatic Millionaire: A Powerful One-Step Plan to Live and Finish Rich
Experimental Purchase (✅) Impulsive Purchase (❌)
- Never buy things based on status/material desires. Instead, buy things that make you healthier, wealthier, or provide you free time. It’s called Practical Materialism: Products that make a material difference in the quality of your life.
  - On the one hand, spend extravagantly on things you love (e.g., travel).
  - On the other hand, save (cut costs) mercilessly on things you don’t love (e.g., car).
- Luxury = Necessity that begins where necessity ends
Spending any amount of money to “save money.”
- Look at the ROI of your expenses, not the price tag.
- Buying quality is key. If you buy quality the first time, it can last a lifetime. ⁹
  
  如果一個東西值得，就不需一直想著能不能再便宜一點。
- Frugal doesn’t mean cheap. Cheap is saving money in short term, while frugal is making wise choices to save in the long run. ¹⁰
  
  花小錢省大錢。
- Often, the more expensive item (“Buy It For Life” ) is more frugal than the cheaper item (“Buy Once, Cry Once”).
The more money you have, the harder it becomes to know how to spend it in a way that will make you happy. And that confusion sets in at fairly low levels of income.

The concept of the Doughnut, as introduced by economist Kate Raworth, illustrates a balance between meeting essential human needs (the social foundation) and staying within planetary limits (the ecological ceiling). When applied to personal wealth and happiness, the Doughnut highlights a crucial insight: beyond a certain level of income—where basic needs are comfortably met—people enter a more ambiguous space of desire, where knowing what to want becomes far less straightforward than knowing what to need. As Luke Burgis points out ¹¹, once survival is secured, people shift from necessity-driven decisions to socially influenced desires, often struggling to determine what will truly bring fulfillment.
Eliminate Before Accumulate: Use The “One in, One Out” Rule when buy things
3 Levels
1. Beginner: If you can’t afford it twice, don’t buy it.
2. Advanced: If it’s more than 10% of your income don’t buy it.
3. Pro: If it’s not making you more money, only buy it if your assets can pay for it.
Tip generously whenever you’re able to. Be frugal with yourself and generous with others. Generosity creates significantly more happiness than consumption. It compounds. As a side benefit, when you tip generously, people go out of their way to help you, which always makes your life easier in the long run.

FIRE = Financial Independence, Retire Early
Financial Freedom/Independence = passive income exceeds your cost of living (日常開銷)
Financial Literacy = understand how to manage your money

Investing in yourself is the highest ROI investment you’ll ever make in your life

All human behaviors make sense with enough information. ⌃
“Being poor, for example, reduces a person’s cognitive capacity more than going one full night without sleep. It is not that the poor have less bandwidth as individuals. Rather, it is that the experience of poverty reduces anyone’s bandwidth.” — (Mullainathan and Shafir 2013) ⌃
“In 58 years of Berkshire management, most of my capital-allocation decisions have been no better than so-so. […] Our results have been the product of about a dozen truly good decisions.” — Warren Buffett ⌃
“When you see someone driving a nice car, you rarely think, “Wow, the guy driving that car is cool.” Instead, you think, “Wow, if I had that car people would think I’m cool.” Subconscious or not, this is how people think.” ⌃
操之在己 ⌃
In contrast, borrowing money creates debt’s vicious cycle, leading to financial strain and growing interest payments that can be difficult to escape. ⌃
No one hands out money. No one is going to pay you just because they like you or think you’re cool. That’s not the way the world works. Money earned is a direct byproduct of value created—and that value is a direct byproduct of your service of others. It’s not talking about the thing, it’s not brainstorming about the thing, it’s not asking about the thing, it’s not thinking about the thing. The only way to create value is by doing the thing. Identify a problem, create a solution, scale the solution. Simple, not easy. ⌃
錢是手段，不是目的。 ⌃
品質是最好的折扣 — 買一次，用一生。 ⌃
貪便宜買一堆，不如一次買對。 ⌃
“After meeting our basic needs as creatures, we enter into the human universe of desire. And knowing what to want is much harder than knowing what to need.” ⌃

Collins, J. L. 2016. The Simple Path to Wealth: Your Road Map to Financial Independence and a Rich, Free Life. First edition. Scotts Valey, California: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ↩¹ ↩²

Housel, Morgan. 2020. The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness. Petersfield: Harriman House. ↩

Mullainathan, Sendhil, and Eldar Shafir. 2013. Scarcity: Why Having Too Little Means so Much. New York: Times Books Henry Holt and Company. ↩

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“The trick is not minding that it hurts.” — Lawrence of Arabia (1962 film)

“The struggles you endure today will be the ‘good old days’ you’ll laugh about tomorrow.” — Aaron Lauritsen

“Don’t let your imagination be crushed by life as a whole. Don’t try to picture everything bad that could possibly happen. Stick with the situation at hand, and ask, “Why is this so unbearable? Why can’t I endure it?”

“Pain is neither unbearable nor unending, as long as you keep in mind its limits and don’t magnify them in your imagination.”

“Suffering is humbling. It pays to know how to get your butt kicked.” — Christopher McDougall, Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

“Je mehr er hinauf in die Höhe und Helle will, um so stärker streben seine Wurzeln erdwärts, abwärts, in’s Dunkle, Tiefe, — in’s Böse.” — Friedrich Nietzsche

其實人跟樹是一樣的，越是嚮往高處的陽光，它的根就越要伸向黑暗的地底。 — 尼采

“The qualities of “patience” and “endurance” are so similar that they are the same word in Greek, hypomonē. As the apostle Paul wrote, “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” I think my mother could have been an excellent marathoner.” — Nicholas Thompson, The Running Ground: A Father, a Son, and the Simplest of Sports

“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” — Haruki Murakami, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

痛是難免的，苦是甘願的。

Say you’re running and you think, ‘Man, this hurts, I can’t take it anymore. The ‘hurt’ part is an unavoidable reality, but whether or not you can stand anymore is up to the runner himself.

Suffering = Pain × Resistance; To suffer more = To suffer before it is necessary

“A man who suffers before it is necessary, suffers more than is necessary.” — Seneca

Duḥkha (commonly spelled dukkha) is a central Buddhist concept usually translated as “suffering,” “pain,” “unsatisfactoriness,” or “discontentment”

Pain did not show you who you were. It showed you who was actually there when you stopped performing.

Prioritization

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“The whole point of getting things done is knowing what to leave undone.” — Oswald Chambers

“Just because it’s what’s done, doesn’t mean it’s what should be done.” — Cinderella

“You can do anything, but not everything.” — David Allen

“The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” — Stephen Covey

“Clarity about what matters provides clarity about what does not.” — (Newport 2016)

“The Principle of Priority states (a) you must know the difference between what is urgent and what is important, and (b) you must do what’s important first.” — Steven Pressfield, The War of Art

= 排序 = 排定優先順序

先做完該做的事，再做你想做的事。

若重要，則優先：現在沒在做的事，就是不夠重要的事。

Inequality, Everywhere

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Don’t major in minor things. Learn to differentiate the majors and the minors.

If you have more than 3 priorities, you don’t have any. You must choose what to focus on. Not choosing is the worst thing you can do because now you’re compromising everything. If everything is a priority, nothing is a priority.

“There are also many situations in which it makes tactical sense to defer, delay, delegate, or procrastinate on any given task, and go work on something else instead in the meantime; not everything is equally important, and also a given task may in fact become much easier (and be completed in a much better way) if one waits for one’s own skills to get stronger, or for other events to happen that reduce the importance or need for the task in the first place.” — Terence Tao

The thing must have the following asymmetric properties:
- Upside: Uncapped/Unlimited exponential outcomes
- Downside: Possibility to build a skill that you carry/reapply elsewhere
Example
- Writing Twitter tweets/threads
- Asking someone on a date

The best type of risks to take are ones where (1) the worst outcome is manageable and (2) the best outcome is life-changing.

Look for opportunities where it won’t kill you if it goes poorly, but you’d be blown away if it goes well.

The 3-3-3 Method by Oliver Burkeman
- Spend 3 hours on your most important thing
- Complete 3 shorter tasks you’ve been avoiding
- Work on 3 maintenance activities to keep life in order
The 1-3-5 Rule
- 1 major task that has significant impact or is a top priority
- 3 medium tasks that are important but not as critical as the major task
- 5 small tasks that are relatively easy to complete and often quicker
The 1-2-3 Rule
- 1 Most Important Task
- 2 Important & Urgent Tasks
- 3 Maintenance Tasks

The Eisenhower Matrix

The 5-25 Rule

The Pareto Principle

Newport, Cal. 2016. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. First Edition. New York Boston: Grand Central Publishing. ↩

The Mountain & The Pebbles

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

⭐️ “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.” — Muhammad Ali

You can’t conquer the mountain in your path until you remove the pebble in your shoes.
What truly exhausts us isn’t always the big, obvious obstacle — it’s the small, nagging issue we ignore/overlook.
The real threat to progress often comes from within or from things we deem too minor to fix. It’s like trying to run a marathon while ignoring a blister.
How it applies in life:
- A student might fail not because the coursework is too hard, but because they keep doubting their intelligence.
- A relationship might crumble not from a huge fight, but from years of minor miscommunications or unspoken resentment.
- A project might stall not from lack of skill, but from procrastination or perfectionism.

Two Types of Work

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“If you don’t produce, you won’t thrive—no matter how skilled or talented you are.” — Cal Newport, Deep Work

“More generally, tasks that require little concentration seem to be best done in batches if possible, while tasks that require a lot of concentration seem to be best done individually, with as few distractions as one can manage.” — Terence Tao

“Professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit. These efforts create new value, improve your skills and are hard to replicate.” — (Newport 2016)

≈ deep work ≈ real work ≈ high-value work ≈ heavy work
Things we can do to progress our life
e.g., focused tasks, “important but not urgent” tasks, strategic planning, creative problem-solving, learning a new skill, writing, coding, designing, conducting research
Better done in “single-tasking (單工)” mode
Requires significant mental energy and deliberate preparation (e.g., blocking off uninterrupted time, setting clear goals for the session)
The output is often compound — small sessions of reflective work accumulate into significant progress over time

“Non cognitively demanding logistical-style tasks often performed while distracted. These efforts tend to not create much new value in the world and are easy to replicate.” — (Newport 2016)

≈ shallow work ≈ fake/pseudo work ≈ low-value work ≈ light work
Things we have to do to maintain our life (i.e., status quo)
e.g., administrative, logistical, and maintenance tasks, checking messages&emails, household chores, meal preparation, paying bills, filing taxes, scheduling meetings, filling out forms, expense reporting, browsing social media, etc. ¹
Better done in “multi-tasking (多工)” mode ²
Can often be batched, delegated, automated, or eliminated entirely

The Maintenance Day

It’s crucial to schedule time for both types of work to keep life in order. Think of it like managing a boat: admin tasks are like bailing out water that’s piling up — essential for keeping the boat afloat but not propelling it forward. On the other hand, focused tasks are like rowing, actively moving you toward your goals and desired direction. The balance lies in allocating enough energy to reactive work to keep the boat afloat, while reserving most of your finite cognitive energy for reflective work that moves you forward.

日文 Mendokusai：形容不想做一件事，卻又必須去做的情況（annoying, but unavoidable） ⌃
Multitasking isn’t always bad — you just have to make sure the conditions are right. ⌃

Newport, Cal. 2016. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. First Edition. New York Boston: Grand Central Publishing. ↩¹ ↩²

Frameworks to structure your day

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 7 min read

Live life by design, not default. ¹ Make each day your masterpiece. How you spend your days is how you spend your life.

“I cannot make my days longer so I strive to make them better.” — Henry David Thoreau

自由裡的框架，框架裡的自由：Just as “constraints” in mathematical optimization help find the best solution, design a lifestyle by defining a clear boundary for your ideal day and optimizing within it—rather than the other way around. If something pulls you outside that box, simply say, “No, thank you.”

“Look for a way of life, not goals. Identify how you want to live, not what you want to achieve. Within that lifestyle, see what you can do to make a living.” — Hunter S. Thompson

“Instead of thinking about what you are going to do when you retire, think about how you can do that now and make a living from it.” — Celestine Chua

“Put your life in service to your values rather than putting your time in service to money.” — Vicki Robin, Your Money or Your Life
生活是全職，工作是兼職；工作是副業，做人才是本業。賺錢是用來改善生活，而不是為了賺錢失去生活。

“Don’t let making a living prevent you from making a life.” — John Wooden

工作應該圍繞著生活，而不是延伸出生活。² — 王木木

如果成就的代價是生活的其他面向，那代價就太高了。 —《我得了不想上班的病》
Spend a handful of hours a day going fast. Crush a gym session. Do deep work on a project you care about. Spend the rest of the day going slow. Take walks. Read books. Get a long dinner with friends. Either way, avoid the anxious middle (半調子) where you never truly relax or truly move forward.
- See also: Work in sprints, work with your biology
Think of life as units of days. Think of a day as units of time.
- 100 Blocks A Day by Tim Urban
  - Your awake time each day can be split into 100 × 10-minute blocks ≈ 16 hours
- The Power Half-Hour
  - Breaking your day into “snackable” 30-minute chunks/bites
- Try thinking about your time in a day in terms of Kairos, not Chronos.
  - Chronos = sequential, quantitative time
    - Chronos belongs in the realm of clocks. Chronos marks linear time or duration. Chronos is years, months, days, hours.
  - Kairos = fluctuating, qualitative time
    - Kairos refers to those moments in time that are more impactful than others—those that stand out from the regular flow of time and become memories we treasured/cherished. It’s what makes time feel slower or even paused. (Time Dilation)
    - The Power of Excitement Engineering: When you plan excitement in advance, the return on that moment compounds. You don’t just enjoy it when it happens, you get the anticipation dividends too.
    - Seek novelty in the mundane: Combat the sense that time speeds up by finding newness in daily life, e.g., take different routes or observe your surroundings more closely.
    - Story-worthy moments: Each night, write down (journal) the most “story-worthy” thing that happened during the day. This is an easy way to plant those mental flagpoles and make each day feel a bit more special.
    - Inject/Introduce planned spontaneity/memories into your days:
      - Do not fall into The Retirement Trap
        
        “Remember the motto: ‘Work hard, play hard.’ Regard your personal time as just as important as your work time and give as much attention to planning it as you do to planning your work. What are you working for if you don’t have a personal life?” — (Forster 2008)
        
        Always put non-work commitments in the calendar FIRST, knowing that work will always have a tendency to fill in the gaps.
        
        Block in time for holidays and trips first, rather than letting the calendar fill up with work-stuff by default
      - Downtime deserves time management too. The time you PLAN to waste is not a waste of time. The time you ENJOY wasting is not a waste of time.
    - Mini adventures: Set aside a half or full day each month dedicated to exploring a new place or activity (e.g., an evening cooking class).
      
      “Without new experiences, something inside of us sleeps. The sleeper must awaken.” — Frank Herbert
      
      “The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” — Christopher McCandless
The 8/8/8 Rule

“Eight hours labor, eight hours recreation, eight hours rest.” — Robert Owen
- Divide each 24-hour day into three equal parts:
  - 8 hours for Work（八小時工作）
  - 8 hours for Sleep（八小時睡眠）
  - 8 hours for Enjoying Life（八小時留給自己）
    - 3 Fs
      - Family
      - Friends
      - Faith
    - 3 Hs
      - Health
      - Hygiene
      - Hobby
    - 3 Ss
      - Soul
      - Service
      - Smile
Daily dose of sweat, sunlight and silence (or solitude or stillness) will solve 99% of your (mental) problems.
The 4 Quarters Rule ³
- Reframe each day as 4 quarters:
  - Quarter 1 (Morning)
    - Morning routine, deep creative work, etc.
  - Quarter 2 (Midday)
    - Exercise, healthy lunch, power nap, walk, etc.
  - Quarter 3 (Afternoon)
    - Meetings, admin tasks, etc.
  - Quarter 4 (Evening)
    - Quality time with family & friends, self-care, evening routine, etc.
- 💡 Life happens. Sometimes we’re on top of the world, other times the world is on top of us. No day is perfect. If you screw up one quarter, just get back on track for / reset to execute the next one. Each quarter is a new opportunity to reset, take control, and refocus your energy. Keep the mistake contained in that quarter, so that you don’t lose / write off the entire day, but only that quarter. Lamenting over an interrupted routine won’t get you anything worth having. Be like the “bend but don’t break” willow tree—even when the storm comes, the willow is tough enough to bend with the blows and not break beneath them. Simple metaphor. Bend don’t break. Roll with life chaos/punches. Enjoy the ride. Be ready to adapt, often.
Distribute brainpower in a descending order across the day
The formula to become a superhuman
- 1 really good cup of coffee
- 8 hours of sleep
- 4 hours of deep work
- 45 minutes of exercise
- 30 minutes of reading
- 30 minutes of sunlight
The 10-3-2-1-0 Formula by Craig Ballantyne
- 10 hours before bed — No more caffeine.
- 3 hours before bed — No more food or alcohol.
- 2 hours before bed — No more work.
- 1 hour before bed — No more screen time (turn off all phones, TVs and computers).
- 0 — The number of times you will hit the snooze button in the morning.
3Es
- In the morning, execute your priorities
- In the afternoon, exercise your body
- In the evening, educate your brain
3Rs for unwind routine
- Reflect & Review ⁴
- Read (Light/Pleasure Reading)
- Relax
3Ds
- 3 deep work sessions per day, with 90 mins each
The Daily Blueprint
- Phase 1: Waking and Early Morning (Hours 1–4)
- Phase 2: Midday Through Evening (Hours 5–13)
- Phase 3: Bedtime and Sleeping (Hours 14–24)

Always start and end the day right

反被動人生 ⌃
Work-Life Balance → Work-Life Integration ⌃
“Instead of feeling that you’ve blown the day and thinking, “I’ll get back on track tomorrow,” try thinking of each day as a set of four quarters: morning, midday, afternoon, evening. If you blow one quarter, you get back on track for the next quarter. Fail small, not big.” — Gretchen Rubin, Better Than Before (Rubin 2015) ⌃
每日自省吾身 ⌃

Forster, Mark. 2008. Do It Tomorrow and Other Secrets of Time Management. Hodder & Stoughton. ↩

Rubin, Gretchen. 2015. Better than before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives. First edition. New York: Crown Publishers. ↩

How to prepare for a marathon

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 19 min read

“The work is behind the scene. Competition is the easy part.” — Usain Bolt ¹

“The best pace is a suicide pace, and today looks like a good day to die.” — Steven Prefontaine

“I train like I’ve never won, and I compete like I’ve never lost.” — Eileen Gu

Don’t Aim. Just Shoot.

Train smarter, not harder.
⭐️ Start cautiously, finish strong.
Easy. Light. Smooth. Speed will follow.
專心訓練、放心比賽、用心生活
練習時斤斤計較，比賽時忘掉所有
Take easy days easy. Take hard days hard. Don’t race your workouts.
- Most people run their easy days too hard and their hard days too easy.
- Run your easy runs easier so you can run your hard runs harder. If you find yourself wanting to run your easy runs harder, you probably aren’t doing your hard runs hard enough. And easy days are rest days if you do them easy enough.
- See: Be Aware of the Gray Zone Where Junk Miles Live

Go out for a set time at what you think is easy pace, then turn around and run back at that same effort. If you can’t make it back in the same time, you went out too hard.

Week 1: 10 min out → 10 min back. Repeat weekly until you return in ≤10 min.
Succeed: 15 min out → 15 min back. Repeat weekly until you return in ≤15 min.
Succeed: 20 min out → 20 min back. Repeat weekly until you return in ≤20 min.
Maintain: Once mastered, do this workout once a month as a check-in.

Hone your understanding of what easy pace truly means — not what your ego thinks it should be.

A rising heart rate means you need more easy miles. Easy runs build aerobic fitness (續航力：讓你在相同配速下心率更低、更持久). A fitter heart pumps more blood per beat.

Note that long run and easy run share a similar heart rate zone.

Run Type	Duration	Heart Rate	Primary Purpose
Recovery Run	20–45 min	<65% max HR	Flush fatigue, accelerate repair
Easy Run	45–75 min	65–75% max HR	Build aerobic base, accumulate mileage
Long Run	75–180 min	65–75% max HR	Build endurance, glycogen efficiency, mental toughness

If you run your recovery/easy days properly, you can continue training without any full rest days. However, it’s important to build up gradually, and I recommend including a de-load week every third or fourth week, depending on how you feel at the end of a week.
1. Reduce Weekly Mileage: Cut your total running distance by 20–40% compared to your peak training weeks.
2. Lower Intensity: Avoid hard workouts (e.g., intervals, tempo runs). Focus on easy-paced runs.
3. Maintain Frequency: Keep your usual number of running days, but make each run shorter and easier.
4. Prioritize Recovery: Get extra sleep, hydrate well, and pay attention to nutrition.
5. Listen to Your Body: If you still feel fatigued, don’t hesitate to reduce volume further or add cross-training/an extra rest day.
There’s a biomechanical reason to schedule a de-load week every 3–4 weeks: bone healing. After you increase your training load, your bones temporarily become weaker as old, damaged tissue is broken down to make space for new growth. It takes a few weeks for new bone cells to rebuild and strengthen the tissue. Around the 3–4 week mark, there’s a window where your bones are actually weaker than when you started—resorption has occurred, but new bone formation isn’t complete yet. A de-load week helps reduce injury risk during this vulnerable period.
Think of your body like a sponge. Every session and every week adds a bit of water to the sponge—that’s your training load. Eventually, the sponge becomes saturated and can’t take on any more water. A de-load week is like squeezing out some water so the sponge can absorb more again. This reset allows you to continue making progress without risking burnout or injury.
The fitness level of a human body in training can be broken down into four periods: initial fitness, training, recovery, and supercompensation. During the initial fitness period, the target of the training has a base level of fitness. Upon entering the training period, the target’s level of fitness decreases. After the training period, the body enters the recovery period, during which the level of fitness increases back to the initial fitness level.

Because the human body is an adaptable organism, it will feel the need to adapt itself to a higher level of fitness in anticipation of the next training session. Accordingly, the increase in fitness following a training session does not stop at the initial fitness level. Instead, the body enters a period of supercompensation during which fitness surpasses the initial fitness level. If there are no further workouts, this fitness level will slowly decline back towards the initial fitness level (shown by the last time sector in the graph).

If the next workout takes place during the recovery period, overtraining may occur. If the next workout takes place during the supercompensation period, the body will advance to a higher level of fitness. If the next workout takes place after the supercompensation period, the body will remain at its base level.

Source: Wikipedia

跑步前確實做好熱身動作 (彈性練習): (1) 墊腳尖 (2) 原地踮腳跳 (3) 原地單腳跳 (三下為一拍)
跑步前做「登階跳」: (1) 跳的時候，下面那隻腳不發力 (2) 雙手幫忙擺臂，帶動身體的重心轉換 → 抓準發力的時間點，讓跑步動作更有效率、更協調
Shin Training
跑步該如何呼吸？（波爾效應）
跑步經濟性（Running Economy）
跑步動態數據（Running Dynamics）
- 觸地時間
- 垂直振幅
  - Patrick Smyth 平均 8.1cm
  - I think vertical ratio is the better metric. It’s vertical oscillation normalized with the stride length. Basically, a low vertical ratio number indicates a small cost for a large benefit. The lower the vertical ratio, the more efficient your running. Meaning that you’re not bouncing excessively and the additional energy is going into forward motion.
「跑量」才是馬拉松訓練中最關鍵的元素！
- Any training technique is second order to the weekly volume.
- Rather than “run slow to run fast,” the better principle is: if you want to get faster, run more — and to run more without overdoing it, you have to run slower.
Marathon Training Methods
- Hansons
- Pfitz’s 18/55 or 18/70
  
  18-week training cycle, peaking at 55/70 mpw
- Jack Daniels 2Q
Pfitz tends to utilize a more ‘classic’ periodization protocol (extending duration, then running faster) while Hansons are a closer to a ‘reverse’ periodization protocol (starting with faster running and extending duration). Either way is good, it’s mostly about what you can tolerate and what will lead to the most consistent running.

	漢森	Pfitzinger
核心理念	累積疲勞（Cumulative Fatigue）	超補償（Supercompensation）
長跑哲學	練到剛好就好（peak 26K）	練到超過比賽距離（peak 32-37K）
訓練感	對上腳時你一直是疲憊的	每次關鍵課表前應該是恢復好的

	漢森	Pfitz
最長距離	26 km（16 miles）	32-37 km（20-23 miles）
頻率	平日也有強度，長距離只是其中一環	長距離是每週的 C 位
配速	大量 M-pace 混入	大部分輕鬆跑，末期可混 M-pace

https://www.reddit.com/r/AdvancedRunning/wiki/workoutoftheweek/
倒金字塔間歇速度訓練：距離逐步減少，配速逐漸增加
Tempo Run: at a “Comfortably Uncomfortable/Hard” (moderate-to-hard) pace
- 5–10% below the GMP
- 8 out of 10 on a perceived-exertion scale
The Fartlek Workout
- In Swedish, “fartlek” means “speed play.”
- The core idea is to incorporate interval training in a flexible, unstructured way.
- As you run, pick random landmarks and vary your speed between them—run faster when you feel strong, slow down when you need to recover. Repeat this process throughout your run. This creates a workout with varying paces and distances.
- 【比較】
  - In interval training, the brain tells the body what to do. You consciously manage your pace, rest, and effort, following a structured plan.
  - In fartlek sessions, the body tells the brain what to do. Instead of sticking to a rigid structure, you let your body guide the workout. You speed up or slow down based on your energy, the terrain, or even your mood.
  - In short: interval training is about mental discipline and control, while fartlek running is about body awareness and responsiveness. Both approaches develop different aspects of the runner’s mind-body connection.
亞索 800（Yasso 800s）是一種經典的馬拉松訓練與預測方法，由 Bart Yasso 發明。核心內容是進行 10 趟 800 公尺的快速間歇跑，休息時間與快跑時間相同（例如：800m 跑 3 分 30 秒，休息 3 分 30 秒）。其理論認為，若能順利完成 10 趟，800 公尺的時間（分：秒）便對應馬拉松的完賽時間（時：分），如 3 分 30 秒對應 3 小時 30 分的潛力。
- 前 50 公尺刻意放慢，後 200 公尺加速。
Pose（關鍵姿勢）、Fall（收腿, 向前落下）、Pull（推蹬, 向上拉提）
- 專注於上拉「腳掌」（而非「大腿」或「膝蓋」），拉起後立即放鬆，讓它自然上拋、自然落下。
- 不需刻意跨大步：重心落在臀部「正下方」，而非「前方」。
  
  關鍵：腿往後拉！
- 無為而無不為：像原地跑一樣向前跑！
- Avoid bouncing up & down (Minimize vertical oscillation)
- Increase steps per minute (cadence)
完美跑姿（Running Form）
- 目視前方
- 抬起胸膛，避免聳肩
- 身體微微前傾
- 擺臂
  - 前不露肘、後不露手
  - 上至胸口、下至腰際
  - 不過中線
- 雙手輕握
- 腹式呼吸
- 臀部、大腿出力，保持小腿、腳踝與膝蓋放鬆
- ⭐️ 中足、前腳掌外側/前緣著地
- 想像在身體前方處，把腳趾頭插進地裡
- 腳掌落地時與地面平行，腳背不向下施壓
送髖奧義/技術
意象訓練：在準備過程中，不斷地想像自己衝過終點線的那一刻。
心無旁鶩，專注在自己身上：
- 起跑後，如果因為別的對手追上自己就急著加速，自己的力量就會急遽減少。基本上我只會專注在自己的節奏上，不去思考其他事情。
- 馬拉松的關鍵在於不被周遭的人影響，專注在自己的節奏上，並且耐心等待。
最高強的跑法是讓身體「下意識自然地律動」，要練習跑步時不思考跑步，從而達至最省力的情況。
能夠毫不妥協完成練習並站在起跑線上，本身就已經是一種勝利、很有成就感的事了。
Kipchoge trains in the Kenyan Highlands of Kaptagat, at an altitude of 2,500 meters above sea level. Training at high altitude makes every workout more demanding—your heart rate and breathing quicken as your body adapts to the thinner air. Over time, you produce more red blood cells, which boosts your body’s ability to carry oxygen. This adaptation gives your muscles a natural advantage when you race at lower altitudes.
兩大原則：
- 訓練不足 > 訓練過度
- 如果表現越來越差，肯定是過度訓練。
Set your target in the final 6 to 8 weeks before the race, then confirm it during the taper. A goal chosen 5 months out rarely survives contact with real training.
Pacing Strategies
- 緩緩加速（負分段）是最理想的，或至少全程保持一樣的配速（和跑姿！）。²
  - 前面有多囂張，後面就有多落魄。
  - 配速不是定存，而是高利貸！不要有「先跑起來放，前半馬預支幾分鐘，後半馬慢下來還」的錯誤心態！！
  - Marathons are 10ks with a 20 mile warm up.
- 最後 12 公里，拆成 5/4/3
- 最後 10 公里
  - Break it into familiar workouts: After miles of hard training, you have a mental library of difficult efforts you’ve already completed. When the last 10K feels enormous, break it into something familiar. “I’ve done a 2 × 3 mile tempo run. I just need to run this the same way.” Framing the remaining distance as a workout you’ve already finished is far more manageable than thinking “I still have 6 miles left.”
  - Use confident self-talk: Your brain responds to what you tell it. Every time you feel the pace slip or your focus drift, repeat a short affirmation: “I am strong. I’m running great. I prepared for this.” It sounds simple because it is simple. Research on athletic performance consistently shows that positive self-talk improves endurance performance at the end of hard efforts. Use it.
  - Check your form, not your watch: When your pace starts to slip in the final miles, don’t fixate on the number. Instead, run a quick mental form check: head up and level, shoulders relaxed, arms swinging forward and back (not crossing the body), powerful knee drive, controlled foot strike. Correcting your form when tired is often enough to bring your pace back without trying to consciously force a faster speed.
  - Count down in minutes, not miles: At mile 24, a mile feels like a long way. Two minutes feels like almost nothing. If you’re running 9-minute pace, mile 25 is 9 minutes away. Mile 26 is 18 minutes away. The finish is roughly 21 minutes away. Breaking the remaining distance into time rather than distance makes an enormous psychological difference in the final stretch. You’ve done hundreds of 9-minute runs in training. You can do three more.
- Half marathon checkpoint: At 13.1 miles, check your elapsed time against your calculator’s target. If you’re more than 30 seconds ahead, you’ve been running too fast and need to pull back immediately. If you’re within 30 seconds either way, you’re executing perfectly.
- The proper strategy is to target a pace 5 to 10 seconds per mile slower than your goal pace for the first three or four miles. It will feel painfully/absurdly slow. It’s the right call. Just trust your splits.
- The payoff: Runners who execute a negative split race pass people in the final miles. They don’t get passed. That sensation — moving through a field of people who went out too fast — is one of the best feelings in marathon running.
賽前三天開始做 What Happened When One Runner Tried a 1-Month Walking Challenge，要吃到體重公斤數的「八倍」公克數。

RPE (= Rate of Perceived Exertion) should be the primary measure—everything produced by your watch is secondary feedback.

Rate every run on a 1 to 10 scale and log it. Easy runs sit at 4 to 6, threshold work at 7 to 8, and hard intervals at 9 to 10.

Breathing Rate: Count the steps you take on each inhale and exhale. A 3-step inhale and 3-step exhale usually signals easy running, dropping toward 2 and 2 as the pace turns hard.

is almost unaffected by training, but primarily determined by genetics and age.

Use a high-quality chest strap or armband heart rate monitor (HRM) for best results. Wrist-based optical sensors are not reliable for rapid heart rate changes.

Warm Up: 15–20 minutes, including some higher paces and strides, on a flat surface.
Hill Sprints:
- Find a steep hill (15–25 seconds to climb).
- Do 4–5 reps: start at a moderate pace, accelerate in the second half, and sprint hard in the last third.
- On your final rep, sprint all out until exhaustion. The highest heart rate you reach is close to your max HR.

Traditional Formula: Max HR = 220 - age
More Accurate Formula: Max HR = 211 - (0.64 × age) = 207 - (age x 0.7)

is affected by training.

is a 30-minute solo time trial designed to accurately determine training zones without lab equipment.

Preparation: Best done during Base or Build training periods. Use a chest-strap heart rate monitor for accuracy.
Location: A flat, consistent, uninterrupted course (no stoplights).
Warm-up: 15–20 minutes easy, including some high-intensity strides to prepare the body.
The Test: Start your watch. Run/cycle at the highest consistent pace you can sustain for 30 minutes (not a sprint, but a hard, steady effort).
The Lapper: At exactly 10 minutes into the test, press the lap button on your device.
Cool-down: 10–15 minutes easy riding or jogging.
Result: Look at the average heart rate for the last 20-minute lap. This is your estimated LTHR.

is a 12-minute cardiovascular endurance test designed by Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper in 1968 to measure maximal oxygen uptake.

Participants run or walk as far as possible in 12 minutes, typically on a 400m track. It is used to assess fitness levels based on age and gender.

Preparation: Warm up with 15–20 minutes of light jogging and stretching.
Procedure: Run or walk at a steady, maximum pace for 12 minutes.
Measurement: Measure the total distance covered (in meters or miles).
Requirements: A stopwatch and a measured, flat surface.

is a highly effective, time-efficient workout designed to maximize aerobic capacity.

Structure: 4-minute work interval, followed by 3-minute active recovery (light jogging/pedaling). Repeat 4 times.
Intensity: Aim for 85–95% of maximum heart rate (effort 8/10 or “comfortably hard”).
Goal: The goal is to maximize the time spent at or near your VO2max (maximum oxygen consumption).
Application: Ideal for running, cycling, rowing, or ski erg, and is often used to boost fitness in just 30–40 minutes.
Progression: It is crucial to perform a proper warm-up (e.g., 10 minutes) before starting the first 4-minute interval.

Norwegian Singles

Remember the joke about the tourist asking a native New Yorker how to get to Carnegie Hall? “Practice, practice, practice” is the smart-aleck reply. That answer, modified for runners, could be given to anyone who asks how to race faster. “Practice race pace, practice race pace, practice race pace!”

At the start of your training, replace a weekly tempo run with 5 miles at your goal marathon pace (GMP). Do this workout early in the week, and add one mile every week. Once you reach 10 miles, move the GMP run to every other weekend, alternating it with your slower-paced long run. Then build the GMP run to no more than 15 miles.

不應超過週跑量的 25–30% 或 18–22 miles（29–35 kms）

Optimal Duration: The greatest aerobic benefits from long runs occur between 60 and 120 minutes. Beyond 2 hours, the additional gains decrease, and after 2.5 to 3 hours, the risk of injury and excessive fatigue rises significantly.
Risk Management: Running longer than 2.5 hours increases your risk of overuse injuries, poor recovery, and diminishing returns in fitness. For most runners, capping the long run at 3 hours is a smart, sustainable approach.
Progress Over Time: Structure the long runs progressively. For example, on a 30km run you could do something like: 2k easy / 8k @ 5:45/km / 1k easy / 8k @ 5:30/km / 1k easy / 8k @ 5:15/km / 2k easy. This approach breaks a long run into a series of manageable segments.
Practical Advice: Focus on quality and consistency. Prioritize staying healthy and finishing your long runs feeling strong, rather than exhausted. Long-term consistency is more valuable than pushing for extra mileage in a single session.

略慢於比賽配速
比賽配速
略快於比賽配速

配速（Pacing）
補給（Fueling）

全馬主要靠 threshold（閾值）和 volume（跑量），VO₂max 是「拉高天花板用的」（bonus）。

Zone 2 決定你能用這個速度撐多久（油耗效率），VO2 Max 決定你的速度天花板在哪裡（油箱容量）。

Medals are won in training. Tournaments are where you pick them up. ⌃
跑全馬好比將一杯盛滿的水緩緩倒至見底 — 最好的狀態是抵達終點時水恰好倒完。 ⌃

Just focus on the next decision

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“You are always just one good decision away from being in a better place tomorrow — just focus on the next decision.” — Sahil Bloom

“Any success takes one in a row. Do one thing well, then another. Once, then once more. Over and over until the end, then it’s one in a row again.” — (McConaughey 2021)

“At some point, everything’s gonna go south on you and you’re going to say, this is it. This is how I end. Now you can either accept that, or you can get to work. That’s all it is. You just begin. You do the math. You solve one problem and you solve the next one, and then the next. And If you solve enough problems, you get to come home.” — The Martian

“Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.” — Oprah Winfrey

“We take care of the future best by taking care of the present now.” — Jon Kabat-Zinn

“You can’t make time go faster or success come sooner. The only thing you can control is the next action.” — James Clear

What is the first right thing I can do?

The misstep doesn’t define you. Your next move does.

Next Play Mentality

The Bricklayer (Next Play) Mentality

Stacking the bricks

“You don’t try to build a wall. You don’t start by saying, I’m going to build the biggest, baddest wall that’s ever been built. You say, I’m going to lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid. You do that every single day, and soon you have a wall.” — Will Smith

“No matter what you’re going through, there is always another brick sitting right there in front of you, waiting to be laid. The only question is, are you going to get up and lay it?” — Will Smith, Will

Stop thinking about the damn wall!

There is no wall. There are only bricks. Your job is to lay this brick perfectly. Then move on to the next brick. Then lay that brick perfectly. Then the next one. Don’t be worrying about no wall. Your only concern is one brick.

Don’t try to solve everything. Focus on one clear step you can take right now. Progress, not perfection.

Leadership

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 5 min read

“To lead people, walk beside them.” — Lao Tzu

“You lead by letting others know what you expect of them, which may exceed what they themselves expect. Provide them a reputation that they can step up to.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier

“The way to help someone is not to critique what makes them smaller, but to encourage what makes them larger.” — James Clear ¹

“The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist.’ But this holds true for leadership in general—give people space and they flourish.” — Maria Montessori

“Great leaders create more leaders, not followers. Great leaders have vision, share vision, and inspire others to create their own.” — Roy T. Bennett

A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.” — Islwyn Jeneins

(Senge 2006)

“The bad leader is he who the people despise; the good leader is he who the people praise; the great leader is he who the people say, ‘We did it ourselves.’”

(Sinek 2014)

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” — Simon Sinek

(Covey 2013)

“Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be and he will become as he can and should be.” — Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

“When we select leaders, we don’t usually pick the person with the strongest leadership skills. We frequently choose the person who talks the most. It’s called the babble effect. Research shows that groups promote the people who command the most airtime—regardless of their aptitude and expertise. We mistake confidence for competence, certainty for credibility, and quantity for quality. We get stuck following people who dominate the discussion instead of those who elevate it.” — Adam M. Grant, Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things

太上，下知有之；其次，親而譽之；其次，畏之；其次，侮之。 —《道德經》第十七章

The best leader is one whose existence is barely known by the people. Next is one who is loved and praised. Next is one who is feared. Next is one who is despised. — Lao Tzu

優秀的管理者投資於績效，偉大的管理者投資於潛力。

Leadership is seeing the greatness in others before they see it in themselves.

When you find yourself in a situation where everyone looks at each other, it’s time for you to lead the way.

加忙 → 幫忙

Leading from Any Chair

We all have the opportunity to make an impact, even when we’re not standing at the front. When you choose to step up, you may discover that that leadership is more complex than it appears and develop greater empathy for those in leadership roles. Learn to lead by constantly asking yourself, “What would I say should I suddenly be called upon to lead?”

砌磚工人 (The Three Bricklayers Story)
造船工人
- If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach/inspire them to yearn for the vast and endless sea. Audacious ideas motivate people.
- You should not build something just for the sake of building. You should build something because it will help you to fulfill a dream, in this case, going to sea.

Your identity dictates your actions

The CORE Principle

by Sir David Brailsford, used in British cycling team (TeamGB) and Team Sky])

Commitment
Ownership
Responsibility
Excellence

Think of a great leader like a captain of a ship: they make sure everyone is safe and settled before they themselves rest.

“I can afford to wait, because I trust myself and my tribe.”

Insecure leaders rush to take first, fearing there’s not enough. Confident leaders create abundance by leading with stability and assurance.

To be a Leader, you must be able to:

Manage expectations.
Deliver bad news.
Assume responsibility and blame.
Serve the people on your team.

You serve people by:

Being kind.
Being honest.
Being available.
Learning to listen.
Clearing paths they will walk on.
Giving credit, immediately and openly.
Offering a clear vision of where you are going together.

領導、統御一個組織時，有兩種治理方法：

以「力」壓人的「霸道」
以「德」服人的「王道」（孫文）

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody

“We cannot teach people anything. We can only help them discover it within themselves.” — Galileo Galilei ⌃

Covey, Stephen R. 2013. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. 25th anniversary edition. New York: Simon & Schuster. ↩

Senge, Peter M. 2006. The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. Rev. and Updated. New York: Doubleday/Currency. ↩

Sinek, Simon. 2014. Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t. New York, New York: Portfolio/Penguin. ↩

Quit social media

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 6 min read

(Haidt 2024)

“This is the great irony of social media: the more you immerse yourself in it, the more lonely and depressed you become.”

“The phone-based life makes it difficult for people to be fully present with others when they are with others, and to sit silently with themselves when they are alone.”

“There are only two industries that refer to their customers as ‘users’: the illegal drug trade and tech companies. Both thrive by creating addicts and profiting from the addiction.” — The Social Dilemma (2020 film)

“Social media should be used as a platform to share your efforts (show your work) with the world, not as a place to mindlessly spend your time. The key is realizing that the flow needs to go from the real world into the digital space, not the other way around. Those who understand this will be the ones who succeed in life, almost guaranteed, barring some accident or injury. It’s that simple.” — Andrew Huberman

“Labor is work that we get paid for. It’s work we wouldn’t do for free. And for most people on social media, it’s unpaid labor on behalf of the platforms.” — Seth Godin

(Nguyen et al. 2025)

Quit social media | Dr. Cal Newport | TEDxTysons

A life without Instagram

為什麼我不用社群媒體了？

為什麼我想停止使用社群媒體？

不再為了發文而活，我才學會真正地生活

10 Hacks to Fight Social Media Distractions

Eight cognitive biases social media takes advantage of

Social media is a “slot machine” designed to be addictive.

The goal of social media is to make every problem, your problem.

注意力黑洞、頭號時間殺手/小偷 (No.1 Timer Killer/Thief) 🪬

生活有兩大誤區：一是生活給別人看，二是看別人生活。生活不是為了線上觀眾表演，一個人不需要那麼多「點讚之交」。

Social media is a highly judgmental space. What you see there is merely a curated highlight reel—a second reality that doesn’t tell the full story of people’s behind-the-scenes lives.

Social media increases two things:

fear of losing
strengthening of ego

Social media content, which offers a quick, easily accessible way that makes you happy or, even if it doesn’t make you happy, offers an escape from the thing that makes you unhappy.

Social media is a complete waste of time. These platforms routinely lead to anxiety, isolation and unhappiness across all ages.

社群媒體並無法消除寂寞感，只會再疊加一層焦慮感。

Social media can feel like a second job, with people constantly deciding what to post, overthinking every detail, and trying to keep up with others—often to the point of exhaustion.

Frequent scrolling and swiping behaviors can hinder/inhibit our ability to deeply focus and gradually shorten/fragment our attention spans. As our brains are flooded with an overwhelming stream of information, cognitive energy and mental resources become depleted, leaving us less capable of producing meaningful and tangible outputs.

Fast Digital Consumption

is harmful to the brain, mind, and soul. ¹
making re-reading the same page feels like a waste of time because the short content I constantly consume has made my brain accustomed to this behavior.

Avoid unconsciously scrolling on social media without any intentions ²
Unless you’re making money from social media, delete them.
Instead of passively scrolling, engage with content by leaving thoughtful comments, asking questions, or joining conversations. Shift from passive consumption to active participation.
Set an intention to view social media as simply an idealized highlight reel with something engaging and entertaining, but really not a reflection of real life.
Don’t take content recommendations from algorithms. Get your recommendations from people you follow who’ve earned your trust.
Set boundaries for social media usage → helpful for taming/calming the monkey mind
Not all photos/videos need to be shared. It’s the memories that count.
Unfollow celebrities/influencers/brands.
Mute everyone online who doesn’t do at least one of the following:
- Teach you something new
- Make you laugh
- Want to see them in the next 6 months
I no longer use it for validation; now, I use it to:
- Stay accountable to my goals (Building In Public)
- Quickly capture daily learnings (Today I Learned)
- Deeply process thoughts I struggle to articulate

Smartphones and digital distractions have amplified this issue. We can be in the same room with others physically, but still feel completely disconnected.
Social media has created more connectedness than ever before—a constant dopamine drip.
We have more connectedness, but we feel less connected to those right in front of us.
Social media is as addictive as drugs ³ designed to make you wish you were somewhere else, doing something else, with someone else.
We all need to put down the phone and spend time connecting with people in person/real life. Disconnect to reconnect.
“NutraSweet” Connection

Social media mimics real socializing, but it’s just a cheap imitation—like “NutraSweet (甜味劑)” for the brain, tricking you into thinking you’re getting what you need, only to leave you feeling empty.

The market values rare and valuable skills, not easily replicated activities like social media use.

“I deleted all my social media accounts, and I regretted it.” — Said no one ever.

We naturally seek social acceptance and approval, but the only validation that truly matters comes from yourself and the people you love. Focus on them, and let go of the need to compare yourself to others.

A life without social media is more productive and peaceful, fostering deeper concentration and more restorative leisure time.

By quitting social media, you gonna experience:

less anxiety
less sense of comparison
more peace of mind
more productive days
more realness
more sense of presence

…and the list goes on!

If you were to reduce screen time—especially social media—by just one hour per day for the next 40 years, that’s 15,000 hours of your life.

Enough time to become a master at nearly anything.
Enough time to build a thriving business.
Enough time to make hundreds of memories with your loved ones.

Humblebrag

Thumbtrap

Variable Rewards

BS Asymmetry Principle

News Sobriety

Comparison is the thief of joy

Addiction is not about pleasure, it’s about escape

Brain Rot (腦腐) ⌃
aka Doomscrolling (= Idle Scrolling = Zombie Scrolling = Mindlessly Surfing) → Sans Scrolling ⌃
(1) Excessive social media use is comparable to drug (毒品) addiction (2) The best things in life are happening away from screens. Phone addiction is a silent epidemic. ⌃

Haidt, Jonathan. 2024. The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness. New York: Penguin Press. ↩

Nguyen, Lan, Jared Walters, Siddharth Paul, Shay Monreal Ijurco, Georgia E. Rainey, Nupur Parekh, Gabriel Blair, and Miranda Darrah. 2025. “Feeds, Feelings, and Focus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Examining the Cognitive and Mental Health Correlates of Short-Form Video Use.” Psychological Bulletin 151 (9): 1125–46. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000498. ↩

Train yourself not to worry

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.” — Benjamin Franklin

“There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power or our will.” — Epictetus

“Little minds have little worries, big minds have no time for worries.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Take all the energy you spend on 1) worrying about the past 2) worrying about the future 3) worrying about what others think 4) worrying about if you might fail, and channel that energy into one useful action within your control.” — James Clear

“No amount of regretting can change the past, and no amount of worrying can change the future.” — Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

“A good question to ask yourself today is “What might I be wrong about?” This is the only worry worth having.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier

培養自己「無憂無慮」的能力。

(Mamat and Anderson 2023)

Worrying about the future is like watching a leaf fall and trying to predict where it will land.

“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow. It only saps today of its joy.” — Leo Buscaglia

Worrying does not take away tomorrow’s troubles, but it takes away today’s peace. Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

Mamat, Zulkayda, and Michael C. Anderson. 2023. “Improving Mental Health by Training the Suppression of Unwanted Thoughts.” Science Advances 9 (38): eadh5292. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adh5292. ↩

Work hard

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 5 min read

“Without ambition one starts nothing. Without work one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

⭐️ “Work hard until you no longer have to introduce yourself.”

⭐️ “Work hard in silence. Let your work make the noise.”

“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” — Tim Notke

“The only thing that I see that is distinctly different about me is I’m not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be out-worked, period. You might have more talent than me, you might be smarter than me, you might be sexier than me, you might be all of those things you got it on me in nine categories. But if we get on the treadmill together, there’s two things: You’re getting off first, or I’m going to die. It’s really that simple, right? “You’re not going to out-work me. It’s such a simple, basic concept. The guy who is willing to hustle the most is going to be the guy that just gets that loose ball. The majority of people who aren’t getting the places they want or aren’t achieving the things that they want in this business is strictly based on hustle. It’s strictly based on being out-worked; it’s strictly based on missing crucial opportunities. I say all the time if you stay ready, you ain’t gotta get ready.” — Will Smith

“I always tell people that this is a really simple deal: Work hard. If you work hard, follow what’s required and set your priorities right, then you can really perform without taking shortcuts. If you’re taking shortcuts, you can’t be free.” — Eliud Kipchoge

“No matter what your ability is, effort is what ignites that ability and turns it into accomplishment.” — Carol S. Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

You can get to the top-10% by either working hard OR smart, but you can only reach the top-1% by working hard AND smart.

Working hard isn’t just about attitude. Working hard and trying your best every time is a skill that can be trained and practiced.

Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called passion.

Assiduity: Sit down and do it until it’s done.

You don’t get the things you dream of, you get the things that you work for.

殫精竭慮

你必須很努力，才能看起來毫不費力。

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.” — Ira Glass ¹

There will always be a gap between where you are and where you want to be. And the bridge between that gap is courage. The courage to look foolish in the beginning. The courage to show up again when your early work is criticized. The courage to look yourself in the mirror and say, “I realize I’m not good enough yet, but the only way to get better is to keep working on it.”

Nibble and your appetite will grow — Steph Ango

Humans tend to have an expectation that…

they will be justly rewarded and praised for all of their hard work and sacrifice.
there will be a reward in the end if they sacrifice enough, work hard enough, and struggle hard enough that.

Work as hard as you can, but don’t forget to rest with the same intensity.

“Your first task is to find what feels effortless to you. Your second task is to put maximum effort into it.” — James Clear

“You have to work hardest for the things you love most.” — Carol S. Dweck

眼高，也要手高 ⌃

What Is Success

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

To earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty;

To find the best in others;

To give of one’s self;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;

To have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived -

This is to have succeeded.

Apple Shortcuts

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 7 min read

AppleScript ➞ Automator ➞ Shortcuts

[比較]

iOS: Apple’s Shortcuts
Android: Google’s Action Blocks

Guiding principle: keep automation simple and intuitive. If a workflow is complex, package it as a custom Shortcut and call it with the “Run Shortcut” action. This makes sharing and maintainability much easier.

“Take Screenshot” + “Extract Text from Image” (for OCR)
Get “Item” from List → Options: “First Item”, “Last Item”, *“Random Item”, “Item at Index”, “Items in Range”
Get random items from List
- Single: “Get Item from List” → Choose “Random Item”
- Multiple: “Filter Files” → Choose “Random” in “Sort by” → Enable “Limit” → Select the number of random items you want to get
“Is Charging” vs “Is Connected to Charger” (Get Battery Status)
- Former: Is the device gaining battery charge?
- Latter: Is the device connected to a charger that at least is slowing down the rate the battery drains?
For Optimized Battery Charging: being connected to a charger but not charging
Shortcut icon: use the “Get Images from Input” action

Hourly: Retrieves results for the next 24 hours in a list of 25 items—the first represents the current conditions, followed by the forecasts for the next 24 hours.
Daily: Retrieves results for the next 10 days in a list of 10 items.

Comma-separated text
Each item is encoded

A great way of storing multiple pieces of information at once; in Shortcuts it is converted into a JSON plain-text object
“Get Dictionary Value” → Options: “Value”, “All Keys”, “All Values”
- Often: “Choose from List” + “All Keys”
  - Tip: “Choose from List” can also be used for a “Dictionary”!
    - Get “Value” for “Chosen Item → Name” from “Dictionary”

How to use Boolean variables?
- Method I: Type = Boolean → If "myBooleanVar"
- Method II: Type = Text → If "myBooleanVar" is Yes/No

Apple’s Uniform Type Identifiers (UTIs)

A framework used in macOS and iOS for identifying data types and file formats in a standardized and consistent way.
Strings that uniquely identify types of data.
Examples
- Public UTIs
  - public.text
  - public.image
  - public.json
- Private UTIs
  - com.example.myapp.myformat
  - com.adobe.pd
  - com.apple.plist = com.apple.property-list
  - com.apple.shortcuts.action

“Add to Variable” → List
- Tip: “Repeat with each item” + “Text” → “Repeat Results” is already a list of “Text”, not need to use “Add to Variable” for each iteration → simplify code!
Magic variables

Tip: If you’d like to run one shortcut from another shortcut, use the Run Shortcut action instead of a URL scheme. You should only run shortcuts with a URL if you’re integrating from another app outside of Shortcuts (e.g., in a shell script, in Terminal)
Run Shortcut vs URL Scheme
- Difference
  - URL Scheme requires to open the Shortcuts app, while Run Shortcut doesn’t.

“Open X-Callback URL” (= URL_Schemes)
- Allow you to go beyond “Open App” in Shortcuts
- They are helpful in the Shortcuts app when the App itself doesn’t have any Shortcut Actions support available by default
Run a shortcut using a URL scheme on iPhone or iPad
- Import Shortcut: shortcuts://import-shortcut/?url=[url]&name=[name]
  - Parameters:
    - url: download url for a .shortcut file
    - name (optional): name for shortcut, defaults to shortcut filename
    - silent (optional): true to import without opening the shortcut, false by default to open and display the shortcut to the user
  - Example: shortcuts://import-shortcut/?name=Awesome%20Shortcut&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdownloadwebsite.com
- Open Shortcut:
  - shortcuts:// to launch app to last-used state
  - shortcuts://create-shortcut to create a new shortcut
  - shortcuts://open-shortcut?name=[name] to open the app to the shortcut of a given name
- Run Shortcut: shortcuts://run-shortcut
  - ⭐️ Query parameters:
    - name: string name for shortcut
    - input (optional): initial input into the shortcut, a text string or the word clipboard to use the contents of the clipboard
  - Example: shortcuts://run-shortcut/?name=Shortcut%20to%20Run
- shortcuts://x-callback-url/run-shortcut?name=[name]&x-success=[your-application-url]
  - Callback URL work with 3 parameters:
    - x-success — To handle Successful execution
    - x-cancel — To handle interruptions in execution
    - x-error — To handle errors in execution
- Open the Shortcuts Gallery
  - shortcuts://gallery
- Search the Shortcuts Gallery
  - shortcuts://gallery/search?query=[query]
[比較]
- Open X-Callback URL: If your Shortcut has to wait for response
- Open URLs: If your Shortcut doesn’t have to wait for response

Two ways to set and view binding keyboard hotkeys for Shortcuts

Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Services → Shortcuts
Shortcuts App on macOS → “Quick Actions” in the sidebar

There are only four subcommands in the command-line (CLI) version of shortcuts://run-shortcut from Terminal: list, run, view, sign

shortcuts list
- Prints every shortcut name, one per line. Quote names that contain spaces or emoji.
- -f, --folder-name <folder-name|identifier> — restrict to one folder; pass none for shortcuts that live outside any folder
- --folders — list folder names instead of shortcuts
- --show-identifiers — prefix each entry with its stable identifier, which run and view accept in place of the name
- Recipes
  - Count them: shortcuts list | wc -l
  - Find one: shortcuts list | grep -i backup
  - What sits in a folder: shortcuts list --folder-name 'Shortcutomation'
  - Which folders exist: shortcuts list --folders
shortcuts run <name-or-identifier>
- Blocks until the shortcut finishes; exit code is non-zero on failure, so && / || work
- -i, --input-path <file> — feed a file in as the shortcut’s input
- -o, --output-path <file> — write the shortcut’s output to a file
- --output-type <UTI> — force the result type, e.g. public.json, public.html
- Example: shortcuts run "Shortcutomation - shortcut to html" -i a.json -o a.html
- The first call from a given app triggers the one-time Automation permission prompt (System Settings → Privacy & Security → Automation)
shortcuts view <name> — opens that shortcut in the app; the only navigation the CLI offers
shortcuts sign --input a.shortcut --output signed.shortcut [--mode anyone|people-who-know-me] — signs a .shortcut file for sharing; people-who-know-me is the default mode

Each shortcuts run is its own process. A shell loop over 400 shortcuts spawns 400 of them, and every Run Shortcut action inside a workflow spawns more again — they linger in Activity Monitor and the run gets progressively slower
shortcuts list reads the local store, so shortcuts created on another device only show up once iCloud sync lands

What do iCloud Shortcut share links actually link to?

It’s a link to a point-in-time snapshot at the time you shared it. Any further changes you make will not be reflected in that link.
It’s permanent, so make a copy and remove the personal information before sharing.
It presumably gets uploaded to the generic iCloud server that doesn’t belong to anyone’s account, along with some metadata. Although it’s still tied to your account (and that’s why you’re able to stop sharing at any time), no one sees the account info from the shortcut. You can check the metadata by inserting /api/records/ to the iCloud URL → Change the url part from icloud.com/shortcuts/<identifier> to icloud.com/shortcuts/api/records/<identifier>, then you could access a dictionary including a download url.

Time limitation: a running shortcut will only stay active for a short period of time (around 3 mins) when you are away from the Shortcuts application
如何透過 Siri 呼叫 “Ask for Input” (not just “Dictate Text”) 指令? Add “Dismiss Siri and Continue” in the very beginning

Busyness

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

“Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” — Socrates

“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.” — Lao Tzu

“Working hard for a long time without checking what the better things to be working on are is a hidden form of laziness. A laziness that disguises itself as something to be proud of.” — Julian Shapiro

“Busyness is no different from laziness when it doesn’t lead you to accomplish anything.” — (Bailey 2016)

“I’m about to make a wild, extreme and severe relationship rule: the word busy is a load of crap and is most often used by assholes. The word “busy” is the relationship Weapon of Mass Destruction. Remember: men are never too busy to get what they want.” — Greg Behrendt, He’s Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys

Overworking does not mean productive.

The Busy Trap = The Rat Race — A treadmill to nowhere

= 瞎忙 = 窮忙 = 假勤奮 = 偽生產力 ¹
Often, we found there was a lot of movement, but no forward progress (like a “Rocking Horse” — always moving, but never going anywhere). ²
有時候，我們會覺得自己很忙，好像做了很多事，卻根本沒做出什麼明顯的成績。有行動，卻沒有成果。辛苦了老半天，結果卻回到原點，開始時和結束時的狀態都差不多，沒什麼進展。這正是「效率 (Efficient) 」與「效能 (Effective) 」的關鍵區別。兩者看似相近，實則大不相同 — 如果方向錯了，即使做得再好，也只是徒勞無功。
Action: Break the busyness cycle. Don’t fall into “The Efficiency Trap.”

The Red Queen Effect

“Being In Motion vs Taking Action” by James Clear

“Never mistake activity for achievement.” — John Wooden

You gain clarity through motion, but don’t mistake motion with action. Beware of false progress.

Most hard work is a form of laziness. The real hard work is in finding a way to make it easy. It’s easy to work hard, but hard to make the work easy.

productive.

I work harder, but you’re busier.

It probably doesn’t look like lying in bed doing nothing for thirty years. It looks like a normal life: you wake up, answer messages, go to work, scroll for a bit, deal with whatever feels urgent, tell yourself you’ll start that thing when life gets less hectic, and go to sleep. Repeat that often enough and five years can disappear without a single memorable catastrophe. That’s what scares me. A wasted life doesn’t feel wasted while you’re living it. It can feel productive, responsible, even successful. You can spend decades efficiently doing things that never mattered much to you. Maybe the question isn’t whether you’re doing enough with your life. Maybe it’s whether the things keeping you so busy deserve this much of you.

Rule: Boredom > Busyness

Scarcity creates a mindset that perpetuates scarcity

What you work on is far more important than how productively you work

Hard work is a secret form of procrastination or laziness due to a misallocation of time and energy. ⌃
Rocking Horse (搖搖馬) ↔ Carousel/Merry-Go-Round (旋轉木馬) ⌃

Bailey, Chris. 2016. The Productivity Project: Accomplishing More by Managing Your Time, Attention, and Energy. Westminster: Crown/Archetype. ↩

How to be a better writer

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 33 min read

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” — Benjamin Franklin

”The skill of writing is to create a context in which other people can think. — Edwin Schlossberg

“Great writers comfort the confused and confuse the comforted” — David Perell

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” — Stephen King

“I think of writing a lot like walking. It’s rarely the most popular, the most effective, or the most efficient way of getting to your destination. I don’t always want to do it, and it’s not always technically enjoyable; sometimes it’s boring or slow, sometimes it’s tiring and pointless, sometimes it’s cold or wet or windy and I’m retracing the same steps around my neighborhood that I’ve walked a thousand times and it sucks and I’m miserable and wish I’d stayed inside. Nonetheless, I always feel worse in my body and mind when I avoid it for too long, and it’s a loss that feels greater than just the quantifiable enumeration of calories I didn’t burn or sunlight I didn’t see.” — Rayne Fisher-Quann

“Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia.” — E.L. Doctorow

“The difficulty of writing is to transform a tangled network of thoughts into a linear string of words.” — Steven Pinker

寫作之難，在於將網狀的思考，梳理成樹狀的結構，並展現於線性展開的語句之中。

“If you’re thinking without writing, you only think you’re thinking.” — Leslie Lamport

“Clear writing leads to clear thinking. You don’t know what you know until you try to express it.” — Michael A. Covington

“Once we begin to explore this much wider and deeper world, we realize how much we’ve been missing. It’s as though we’ve been living and working in a corridor without even realizing there are windows and doors on either side. More than that: writing enables us to open the window blinds, undo the catches, lean out and look, smell, hear, touch, taste adventure. We can climb out of those windows. Writing can give us the keys to open those doors: explore what’s on the other side.” — Alison Jones, Exploratory Writing: Everyday magic for life and work

“Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well. It’s about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy.” — Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

“You must write every single day of your life. You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads. May you be in love every day for the next 20,000 days. And out of that love, remake a world.” — Ray Bradbury

I write to think better. Ideas don’t come out fully formed. They only become clear as we work on them.
I write for interconnected thinking. Standalone concepts are harder to retain in our memory. Writing helps us link new ideas to those we already know, improving memory retention.
I write to deliver value. My writing should be useful and impact people’s lives positively. It should inspire people’s action and change their perspectives.
I write about things I intrinsically care about, not what’s popular. I prioritize writing things I’m intrinsically passionate about with long-term value. My writing should be authentic and opinionated. I don’t chasing news or trends solely for broader audience reach.
I write to catalyze meaningful connections with interesting people. Public writing puts me in the arena, enabling people to see my work and give me feedback.

海明威 (Hemingway)：用「簡單的字句、真實的情感」來寫作
我只是代替讀者把他們心中想說的話寫出來。
If you get stuck while writing, pretend you’re writing to a specific friend or family member.
If you’re teaching people how to succeed in a given field (or talking about your own success), start with how you failed. Few people reach the top, but everyone has failed—including those who eventually succeed.
First, you should be changing your mind a lot as you write. If not, you probably aren’t doing enough research. Second, your first draft’s conclusion should be much tighter and more expressive than its introduction. If not, you probably haven’t learned anything from the writing process, which means the draft can be scrapped.

量變產生質變（Quality is a byproduct of quantity）：Write something (but not necessarily published) every single day, preferably first thing in the morning. Writing stamina is built just like muscle. The writing muscle is the ability to sit down with your butt in the chair and your hands on the keyboard.

It’s not the writing part that’s hard. What’s hard is sitting down to write.

“The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair. (「寫作的藝術，就是把屁股放在椅子上的藝術。」—詩人羅伯特・佛羅斯特)” — Robert Frost

“Print out a giant calendar and make a big red X every day you’ve done writing and publishing.” — Jerry Seinfeld

“You don’t have to write, but you can’t do anything else other than writing during this one focus session. Either write or do nothing at all.” — Raymond Chandler

“Having a live tracking word count that looks like a progress bar which sits publicly on your personal website that everyone can see each day.” — Brandon Sanderson

“I write when I’m inspired, so I see to it I’m inspired every morning at nine o’clock.” — Peter De Vries

“Someone once asked Somerset Maughham if he wrote on a schedule or only when struck by inspiration. “I write only when inspiration strikes,” he replied. “Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o’clock sharp.”” — Steven Pressfield, The War of Art

“Having something you have to do every day. It’s not that you have something to say. It’s that you find out what you have to say.” — Austin Kleon
- Writing is just putting words on a page. All it takes is to sit down and write one sentence, and then another, and then another.
- The best writers don’t find time to write. They make time to write.
  
  “Being a professional writer is all about locking yourself in your room for 12 hours per day, every day.” — Nicolas Cole
- Paul Millerd’s approach to consistency with his newsletter: “Write most days, publish most weeks.”
- Daily Performance Metrics
  - Number of new evergreen notes
    - You have started writing while taking notes. Evergreen note-writing is the fundamental unit of knowledge work.
      
      “If you want to write faster, the first step is to know what you’re writing before you write it.” — Rachel Aaron, 2,000 to 10,000: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What You Love
      
      “One of the earliest lessons I learned about writing was that if I was stuck, it was because I didn’t know something.” — Rachel Aaron, 2,000 to 10,000: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What You Love
    - 寫作，是從一則筆記開始的
      - 最好的想法和洞見，往往是不期而遇的。最有趣的題目，通常是不曾事先計劃的。
      - 讓興趣帶著你走就對了！（Follow your genuine intellectual curiosity 好奇心/求知慾 and interests）
- Luhmann 很少強迫自己寫他不想寫的東西，他只寫那些「來得很容易」的靈感和想法，他在某次的訪談說道：「當我卡在某個地方 (寫作時)，我就離開去寫別的。」
  - Words per hour
- Aim for a minimum baseline of:
  - 1–2 articles/essays/blog posts per week
  - 1000 creative hours per year
Turn your flow into stock. Build your content engine.
- Maintain your flow while working on your stock in the background
- Timing: when you find/notice themes/trends/patterns emerging in your daily shares on social media sites
- Stock and flow / Snarkmarket
  - Flow is the feed. It’s the posts and the tweets. It’s the stream of daily and sub-daily updates that reminds people you exist.
  - Stock is the durable stuff. It’s the content you produce that’s as interesting in two months (or two years) as it is today. It’s what people discover via search. It’s what spreads slowly but surely, building fans over time. ¹
Stop/end each daily writing session in the midst of a sentence, paragraph, or chapter—right where you know exactly what comes next, even if inspiration is flowing. By creating your own “cliffhanger,” you prime your mind with a clear starting point for the next session. This leverages the Zeigarnik Effect, making it easier to resume, preserving momentum and enthusiasm, and ensuring each return feels fresh and inviting.

“You always stop when you know what is going to happen next, you go on from there. You write until you come to a place where you still have your juice and know what will happen next and you stop and try to live through until the next day when you hit it again. It is the wait until that next day that is hard to get through.” — Ernest Hemingway

Always make an outline. Always prep the page.
I never sit down and just “start writing.”

Instead, I Prep The Page with:
- A working title
- Section headers
- Sub-section headers
Then, once I have everything laid out, I’ll start brain-dumping notes inside each section/container.

And I won’t “start writing” until I have 90% of the chess pieces out in front of me, on the page.
“Every writing session after this realization, I dedicated five minutes (sometimes more, never less) and wrote out a quick description of what I was going to write that day. Sometimes it wasn’t even a paragraph, just a list of this happens, then that, then that. This one simple change—those five stupid minutes—boosted my word count more than any other single thing I’ve ever done. I went from writing 2k a day to 5k a day within a week without increasing my 6-hour writing block. Some days, I even finished early.” — Rachel Aaron, 2,000 to 10,000: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What You Love

You have to know the general direction of your writing, and let it flow.

My outlines aren’t very detailed. It’s usually a set of bullet points that are maybe one or two sentences. But this is enough to keep me going to the next point.

And before you ask, yes. You can be more detailed if you want. That will actually make it easier.

The key here is to have the outline available, and to read it before you start each writing sprint so you know what you need to do as you go.
How to decide what is worth writing about?

“Good ideas are easy to write, bad ideas are hard. Writer’s block usually indicates more about your ideas than your writing.” — Morgan Housel
- “Do I think this would be interesting/useful to at least 1 person in the world?” ²
- “What would I wish I know a week/month/year ago?”
Write to your former/younger self, i.e., Past You

“I write this not for the many, but for you; each of us is enough of an audience for the other.” — Epicurus
- The 2-Year Test: write for yourself “2 years ago.”
  - What questions did you used to have, that you now have answers to?
  - What obstacles were you faced with, that you’ve since overcome?
  - What outcomes did you desire, that you’ve since achieved?
  - What skills did you want, that you now have?
  Your audience isn’t some random person “out there.” Your audience is YOU, 2 years ago.
Document, Don’t Create
My writing should be opinionated, not hedged. I should prioritize my opinion over summarizing others. For second-hand information, I should add value by connecting ideas or sharing my thoughts. ³

“Writing is an act of ego, and you might as well admit it.” — William Zinsser, On Writing Well: The Classic Guide To Writing Nonfiction
Difficulty is a quality signal. High-quality content is everything—put your soul into every piece of content you write. Don’t write platitudes ⁴. Write for legacy. Write ideas that changed the way the world thinks. (時效性 Timeless > 及時性 Timely)

“The deeper the truth in a creative work, the longer it will live.” — Charlie Chaplin

“Writing a very personal journey, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a slow one. Sometimes, all it takes is a new way of looking at the problem to change everything.” — Rachel Aaron, 2,000 to 10,000: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What You Love

[“A lot of good writing makes points that people already intuitively know but haven’t yet put into words. ⁴ It works because readers learn something new without having to expend much energy questioning whether it’s true. The alternatives are points that are ==obvious and well known (boring)== or ==something that’s non-obvious and unknown (often takes too much effort to understand and impatient readers leave)==.” — Morgan Housel](https://collabfund.com/blog/little-rules-about-big-things/)

“Like most blogs worth my attention, this blog is updated only infrequently. That is because the authors of blogs worth my attention only post when they have something to say that is true, relevant and not already known by their audience. Most of the human race does not have the skill to know when an idea has these three properties. The skill is particularly rare in the fields of politics and economics, which is why this blog is such a rare and valuable thing.” — Richard Hollerith
- Ask yourself:
  - Is this STORY still valuable after 10 years?
  - Can this article retain year after year?
  - Am I writing something that I genuinely enjoy?
- Your posts should always be part of a larger idea you’re trying to work toward with your writing.
- If something was incessantly on your mind, it was probably a good post topic.
- Be the product of the ideas you write, not the salesman of the ideas you write.
Write with the reader in mind (You → Me → You). The best authors respect the reader’s time.

“The most important article you write is the second article.” — Ben Thompson

好的寫作，是在「遵從本心」與「照料他人」之間找到一個完美的平衡點。 — 師北辰《讓寫作成為自我精進的武器》
- Write about what your readers want to know, rather than what you want to write.
- You only have five seconds to get people’s attention. Books, blogs, emails, reports, it doesn’t matter — if you don’t sell them in five seconds you’ve exhausted most of their patience.
- Relate everything back to the reader (e.g., “This is what it all means for you” or “How this story affects you”) → Inspire people how to do something / how to be someone
- The goal is to make your reader feel smart — not you. Think of comedians: they want to make the audience laugh rather than make themselves feel smart. The reader is the main character, not the writer. Writers are in the business of serving the reader. You should not waste your reader’s time or energy.
- Either 實用性 or 娛樂性
  
  Engaging writing = Personal + Insightful/Observational + Playful
- 既要有「心法」，也要有「實作方法」
- 故事不是講道理：人們會懷疑理論，但很少會苛責故事。
  - Show, not tell.
- timeless, thoughtful, universal, memorable, curated, short, poignant (深深打動人心的)
For Who? So That?
- To impact many, write to one. To impact no one, write to many.
- Conviction = Impact
Copywriting techniques
- Make a PROMISE
- Paint a PICTURE
- Show your PROOF (of work)
  - Case studies
  - Testimonials
  - How-to’s
  - Humble flexes
  - Wins
  - Stories
- PUSH to act
The 4C’s of digital content
- Clear
- Concise
- Charming
- Compelling

Write line by line
Write, then edit.
- 先把屎拉完，黃金才會出現！
- When you’re writing, you’re writing. When you edit, you edit. You can’t do both at the same time. Do not write and edit.
“To write is human, to edit is divine.” — Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

“Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open.” — Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

“Expect 80% of the ideas in an essay to happen after you start writing it.” — Paul Graham

“Separate the processes of creating from improving. You can’t write and edit or sculpt and polish or make and analyze at the same time. If you do, the editor stops the creator. While you invent, don’t select. While you sketch, don’t inspect. While you write the first draft, don’t reflect. At the start, the creator mind must be unleashed from judgment.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier
- Write for yourself first — The first draft is just for you. Don’t worry about audience or criticism until revision.
  
  “I assume that my audience is a stadium full of me. I’m writing the exact post that I would be thrilled to get. That’s my focus group right there, right in my head.” — Tim Urban
- Writing is creative. Editing is analytical.
- Lower quality bar for inputs. Higher quality bar for outputs.
- When drafting, write FBR: Fast, Bad, Wrong.
  
  “For me, writing means making a rough draft and refining it over a considerable period of time. My image of myself as a writer includes the expectation of an ‘unacceptable’ first draft that will develop with successive editing into presentable form.” — Seymour Papert
  - Initial Draft: Brain dump pure thoughts onto the page without worrying about conciseness or style.
  - Write first drafts as fast as possible.
  - Write a bad first draft. You can’t edit a blank page.
  - Lower your bar, then lower it even further. You can always fix things later.
⭐️ Say more with less — Most writers attempt to say too much. But if you try to please everyone, you please no one. Be clear and concise. This is harder than it seems.

“Words are often seen hunting for an idea, but ideas are never seen hunting for words.” — Josh Billings

No one who has something original or important to say will willingly run the risk of being misunderstood; people who write obscurely are either unskilled in writing or up to mischief.” — William Zinsser

“I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” — Mark Twain ⁵

“Do not say a little in many words but a great deal in a few.” — Pythagoras

“One of the hardest things I’ve had to learn as a writer is that while virtually any story can be a good book if done correctly, not every story should. It’s possible to have an amazing idea and still lack the interest necessary to polish it to publication level shine. I can not tell you the number of books I’ve plotted, written 30k words in, and then abandoned because I simply could not stand to look at them another second. Every single one of these ideas looked great on paper, and maybe in another author’s hands they could have been golden, but in the end I just didn’t care enough to push through.” — Rachel Aaron, 2,000 to 10,000: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What You Love
- Cut out everything that’s not surprising. Kill your darlings. ⁶
- Leave out all parts that readers tend to skip. Get into the point.
- 簡練意味著把最精簡的文字，做最精確的排列。
- 假傳萬卷書，真傳一句話。⁷
- Compress words, but maximize emotion and understanding. The same way compression yoga pants make the butt look perky. The best writing feels effortless to read.
  - “Sticky Ideas” = [Total amount of emotion] × [How simple it is to understand]
    - A truism is a statement that is so obviously true and doesn’t offer new or meaningful insight. It often sounds wise or profound but simply states what everyone already knows—like saying “If you don’t sleep, you’ll get tired.” or “Everyone dies eventually.” Truisms are commonly used in everyday language, speeches, or writing to appear thoughtful, but they tend to lack depth or usefulness because they state the obvious.
  - The “Sticky Writing” Toolkit
    - Juxtaposition (i.e., placing two elements close for contrasting effect)
    - Alliteration (押韻)
    - Symmetry
    - Rhymes
    - Rhythm
- To grab attention, take something familiar, create a strong contrast, and compress it densely. The power comes from brevity: a single word or line can deliver what a whole paragraph might explain, hitting harder and leaving a more memorable impression. The key is abstraction—give just enough to plant the seed, let the audience fill in the rest, and let the idea resonate on its own.
- Concise explanations accelerate progress
- Expression is compression
- Compression is key—poignancy comes from being dense. Stretching the same idea into a full blog post can be clever, but loses its punch.
- Remove cliches. Get to the point.
- To write well, delete most of what you put on the page.
- Eliminate unnecessary, redundant, wasted, and weak words. → When you can combine multiple words into a single one, do it!
  - Why?
    - Redundant words say the same thing twice
    - Wasted words don’t serve a purpose and slow the momentum of your writing
    - Weak words lack meaning
  - Examples
    - Don’t write: “Eddie was a kind, generous, and thoughtful person” when you can call him a “saint.”
    - Don’t write: “He passed away early in the morning, and people all over America cried” when you can write “He died at dawn and the nation wept.”
- The 50% Rule
  - From first draft to publishing, reduce the volume by 50%.
- Write 5x more but write 5x less — Mike Crittenden
  - The average person should write 5x more stuff than they do.
  - The average written thing should be 5x shorter than it is.
- ⭐️ Derek Sivers’ writing process
  1. Write all of my thoughts on a subject.
  2. Argue against those ideas.
  3. Explore different angles until I’m sick of it.
  4. Leave it for a few days or years, then repeat those steps.
  5. Hate how messy these thoughts have become.
  6. Reduce them to a tiny outline of the key points.
  7. Post the outline. Trash the rest.
Write the way you talk. WRITE as you TALK/SPEAK (with authenticity).

“Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.” — William Wordsworth

“Who is the writer here? YOU ARE. Whose book is it? YOUR BOOK. There are no writing police. No one is going to arrest you if you write a teen vampire novel post Twilight. No one is going to send you off to a desert island to live a wretched life of worm eating and regret because your book includes things that could be seen as cliché.” — Rachel Aaron, 2,000 to 10,000: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What You Love

“Putting my book down should be the hardest thing my reader has to do that day. Authorship is a merciless business!” — Rachel Aaron, 2,000 to 10,000: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What You Love
- Make invisible visible.
- People like people. They want to see your emotion, your personality and be involved in a conversation.
- Share your own perspective and stories, even if it’s scary to. Be happy to be vulnerable.
- Story over plot — Good stories grow organically from characters and situations, not from rigid outlines.
- Write unfiltered and pretend that you will never publish anything you write: “This is just for me.”
- Write from your substantial personal life experience/expertise like you’re writing an empathic tutorial that includes insider tips and details.
  
  “Even if you’re not selling your stories yet, your writing time is precious, often gained at the expense of other worthwhile activities. Don’t waste it on a book you don’t love.” — Rachel Aaron, 2,000 to 10,000: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What You Love
  
  “Tell the story of the mountain you climbed. Your words could become a page in someone else’s survival guide.” — Morgan Harper Nichols
- Use “voice dictation”
You’re not writing a research paper. You don’t need to write like an academic. Drop the formality.
- 大白話：Do not try to sound smart. You can’t make an impact if you’re trying to impress. Confusion is the killer. Drop the big words (jargons) and formal style. Use simple words and short sentences. Be precise and concise. Swap Complexity for Clarity. Be clear, not clever. A 10-year-old should be able to understand your point. Aim for grade-5 writing.
- Vary sentence length and use different structures to convey the message
  - “Don’t just write words. Write music.” — Gary Provost
  - Finish strong
    1. Saying no is the ultimate productivity hack. → The ultimate productivity hack is saying no.
    2. He died on Tuesday. → On Tuesday, he died.
    3. The easiest path to success is to change the first hour of your morning. → The first hour of your morning determines the height of your success.
  - Like a poem (“poetric”)
  - “Always write (and read) with the ear, not the eye. You should hear every sentence you write as if it was being read aloud or spoken. If it does not sound nice, try again.” — C. S. Lewis, Advice to a Young Writer
- Remove first-party “I” (無機感): 說教式的教科書 → 平易近人地說故事/分享經驗
- Avoid using adverbs. Use strong verbs.
  - Adverbs are a sign that you’ve used the wrong verb → e.g., really like → love
  - Adverbs often undermine your point
  - 多用動詞、名詞，少用形容詞、副詞
- Avoid using passive voice. Use active voice.
  - The Zombie Test, a great way to know if you are writing in passive voice
    - If you can add “by zombies” to the sentence, it’s passive.
    - If you cannot add “by zombies” to the sentence, it’s active.
- Minimize use of articles (a, an, the) as they in most cases add noise
- Format text to focus attention → Bold = strong emphasis. Italic = soft emphasis.
- Block Quotes
  - Only use block quotes for direct quotes. If you are summarizing or paraphrasing someone else’s work, you should not use a block quote.
  - Use block quotes sparingly. Too many block quotes can make your notes look cluttered and difficult to read.
- Drop Exclamation Marks: If you want to use an exclamation mark while writing, it means your words aren’t strong enough on their own. Strengthen your sentences instead of compensating with a mark.
- Write the content first, decide the title later (as the last step).
  - 標題決定打開率，內文決定轉發率
- Study the art of writing a great/effective HEADLINES by reading MAGAZINES
  - Good hook with average content goes viral. Average hook with good content flops.
  - People don’t have short attention spans—they finish three-hour Joe Rogan episodes and binge 14-hour shows. What they have are short consideration spans: they need to be hooked immediately. Don’t fear creating deep, in-depth content, but make sure your first minute is incredible/unforgettable.
  - 6 ways
    - Open with 1 strong, declarative sentence.
    - Open with a punchy, thought-provoking, and paradoxical question.
    - Open with a controversial opinion.
    - Open with a moment in time.
    - Open with a vulnerable statement.
    - Open with a weird, unique insight.
  - 5 elements
    - Be clear, not clever
    - Specify the WHO
    - Specify the WHAT
    - Specify the WHY
    - Twist The Knife
You have to like what you’re writing.

“If you are not enjoying your writing, you’re doing it wrong. A book is not a battle, nor is it a conquest. A book is a story, and telling it should be an enjoyable exercise. So the next time you don’t want to write, don’t waste time beating yourself up. Instead, stop and ask yourself why. Why do you not want to do this fundamentally enjoyable thing? What’s really going on?” — Rachel Aaron, 2,000 to 10,000: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What You Love

“Now, instead of treating bad writing days as random, unavoidable disasters to be weathered, like thunderstorms, I started treating them as red flags.” — Rachel Aaron, 2,000 to 10,000: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What You Love

Separate creation and release. When you’ve finished a work, wait a while before you release it to the world.
- Give your self a long pause before publishing. You need it to get there.
Multiple Rewrites: “Round 2 Writing” - 好文章是改出來的，沒有一篇好文章的「初稿」就是「終稿」
Read it loud

Focus on one single idea as the lead magnet — the smallest/minimum viable idea you can write about — good writing orbits around a single point so as to create constraints/boundaries
1 idea on 1 page using 100–300 words: say more with fewer words
- Fits into a screenshot
- Write small. Write more. → Blogchain (Blog Series) (Blogroll) ⁸ ⁹
The Classic 1/3/1 Writing Rhythm
- Beginning: Open with 1 clear sentence
- Middle: Build the point over the next 4 sentences
- End: Close the point with 1 conclusion sentence
Types
- Experience: “This thing happened to me.”
- Opinion: “Here’s a strongly stated thing.”
- Event: “This thing happened.”

Barbell Strategy: < 500 or > 2000 words, nothing in between!
Add “call-to-action” buttons (Share to Twitter!) in the very end

Format/Write the content

Use a subtitle

Place reading time in the subtitle

Add a cover photo (no descriptions, only the reference)

Start with a powerful quote from famous people

Horizontal divider between sections

Put photos sparingly (1 photo for 5 mins)

Ask relatable questions every 1-2 minutes of reading time: (1) on separate lines (2) in italic

Each section = 3-5 paragraphs; Each paragraph = 2-4 lines

Use one-line sentences for emotion-grabbing sentences

Use bold for highlights

Use quotation marks for the main point

Be conversational (having a dialogue, not a monologue)

Actionable or inspiring conclusion drive reader engagement (Call To Action)

Recall headline in the conclusion

Deliberate Publish: “Write with a book in mind.”

Take time to develop your distinct voice (writing style)

Daily Motivation: Micro habits (Health), Quotes, Psychology Theory (storytelling)

Write fast, write bad, and write wrong.

If your writing doesn’t make you feel naked, it’s probably not personal/emotional enough

Expression is compression

You don’t need to have all the answers if you know how to take readers on a journey

Share your writing sooner rather than later. Share half-baked ideas. Feedback-driven writing > Data-driven writing.

“It was really reading the kind of common knowledge and just presenting it in a new way”

If you insist on being original, aim to create an original premise (假定/設; 前提) instead of using only original ideas.

SLOW Writing: Syllabus, Listen, Observe, Write

FAST Writing: Find, Assemble, Speak, Teach

FAST Writing - David Perell

Dissect & Reconstruct

Find a passage you would like to study. For each sentence, write down notes on the content.
Rewrite the passage from memory using only your notes on each sentence. This forces you to think.
Reread the original passage and correct any mistakes. This teaches you sentence construction.
Take the passage and convert it into poetry. This helps you practice rhythm and flow.
Convert your poem back to prose. This reinforces your understanding of the passage.
Jumble your notes on each sentence, then reassemble them in the right order. This teaches you structure and organization of ideas.
Repeat as many times as you want!

~~Do “public writing” as part of my first pass on the (evergreen) notes.~~ → Write notes for yourself by default, disregarding audience. You are the audience of one.
One of the biggest mistakes beginner writers make is thinking they have to be an “expert” to write about something. But this is wrong. The truth is, people don’t want to learn from experts. They prefer to learn from those just a few steps ahead of them on the same path. You don’t need to be an expert or have all the answers to share your work. Beginners can easily help other beginners. Make people better at something they want to be better at. All you have to do is show your work. Think of your work as a never-ending process. You can share your journey in a way that helps/benefits others, rather than the finished product.
- 最好的讀者，是兩年前的自己：人們更願意向那些在同一條路上領先他們幾步的人學習，而不是向專家學習。
  - Tutor (助教) vs Professor (教授)
Another common mistake that beginner writers make is thinking they can only write “unique” ideas. But the truth is that no one ever had an original idea. Originality is myth/overrated. ¹⁰ ¹¹ Originality just means hiding your sources. Creativity is just connecting things. New things are usually a combination of existing things. ¹² Everything we come up with is a recombination or a remix of (past) things that came before. All creativity stands on the shoulders of giants. True originality consists not in a new manner, but in a new vision. ¹³ — Seek truth, not originality. If you have an idea but think “someone has already done that,” just remember there are 1,010 published biographies of Winston Churchill. It doesn’t matter if it’s already written before, because it hasn’t been written by you. Do it in your own way. Steal like an artist. ¹⁴ Just cite the sources. ¹⁵

你寫的最重要的文章，是某人閱讀的第二篇文章。

The most important article you write is the second article someone reads.

蒐集資料、素材、靈感（人機各半）
⭐️ 寫草稿（人味淨土）
編修（用爆 AI）
完稿（用爆 AI）

經過時間沉澱的東西，回頭看總是特別有意思。 ⌃
Usefulness > Truthfulness (Pragmatism 實用主義) ⌃
hedge 拐彎抹角；迴避 ⌃
A truism (自明之理；陳腔濫調；老生常談；不言而喻的話；老掉牙的說法) is a statement that is so obviously true and doesn’t offer new or meaningful insight. It often sounds wise or profound but simply states what everyone already knows—like saying “If you don’t sleep, you’ll get tired.” or “Everyone dies eventually.” Truisms are commonly used in everyday language, speeches, or writing to appear thoughtful, but they tend to lack depth or usefulness because they state the obvious. ⌃ ⌃²
This quote highlights a fundamental truth about writing: brevity requires effort. At first glance, it may seem counterintuitive—how can writing something short take more time than writing something long? But in reality, distilling thoughts into a concise and impactful form demands deep thinking, careful revision, and a sharp focus on clarity. ⌃
“Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.” — Stephen King ⌃
「盡信書，則不如無書」—《孟子》第十四卷盡心篇下 ⌃
Or simple use tags ⌃
https://manuelmoreale.com/blogroll ⌃
When creating art, books, stories—anything—don’t let the pursuit of originality freeze you. There’s something much more important than originality anyway: resonance. And resonance is something you can repeatedly accomplish. Resonance is expressing an idea so cleanly and truthfully, in a way that speaks to today’s sensibilities, that people can’t help but absorb it. It’s familiar yet relatable storytelling that reveals a simple truth and, for a moment, takes over the reader’s mind. Retelling an age-old story with more truth and better narrative is more powerful than originality: after all, you’ll rarely change someone’s life by telling them something new, but you can reliably affect them by saying something so well that it compels them to lean in. ⌃
I find it valuable to build ideas from my own notes and journals — a bottom-up approach inspired by the Zettelkasten Method. This process turns writing into an act of synthesis rather than imitation. By drawing connections among diverse materials, my work naturally becomes a kind of authentic pastiche/hodgepodge — a creative mosaic shaped by multiple influences and unified by my own perspective. In this way, originality emerges from the thoughtful recombination of what I’ve learned, observed, and experienced. ⌃
For example, Jazz is a vibrant blend of European instruments and African rhythms, characterized by syncopation, improvisation, and a unique musical dialogue that bridges diverse cultural traditions. ⌃
by Edith Wharton ⌃
畢卡索曾說：「好的藝術家懂得模仿，偉大的藝術家善於偷取/渡。（“Good artists copy, great artists steal.”）」因此，竊取偉大的點子沒有什麼好羞恥的。 ⌃
Plagiarism happens when you copy and paste somebody else’s ideas without attribution. That’s not okay. You can avoid it by following two rules: (1) if you use an author’s ideas verbatim, give the original author credit, and (2) when in doubt, acknowledge the source of your ideas. ⌃

Make fast decisions

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“It’s better to be boldly decisive and risk being wrong than to agonise at length and be right too late.” — Marilyn Moats Kennedy

Make fast (but not rushed) decisions as quickly as possible. Any decision is better than no decision.

If you aren’t clear on where you want to go, any road will take you there.
It’s important to do things & make decisions very fast!
- You learn more per unit time because you make contact with reality more frequently.
- Going fast makes you focus on what’s important.

Today instead of tomorrow. Speed is rewarded in life. Moving fast compounds so much more than people realize.

Decisive. Make decisions quickly and you can correct them faster.
Proactive. Solve problems now, while they are still small.
Bold. Go for it today rather than delaying your dreams.

Don’t rush, but don’t wait.

No hurry. No Pause.

By Patrick Collison

“I now just place more value on decision speed. If you can make twice as many decisions at half the precision, that’s actually often better.”

“Make more decisions with less confidence but in significantly less time. And just recognize that in most cases, you can course correct and treat fast decisions as a kind of asset and capability in their own right.”

“You don’t necessarily need to be that good at decision making if you get really good at remaking the decision when and as necessary…Instead, it’s all about the constant feedback and course and error correction. And I think that’s, as a general matter, a better model for life and that even a lot of the decisions that look pretty trapdoor may not necessarily be.”

Just get started

Failing forward turns setbacks into stepping stones

Minimalism

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“It is not a daily increase, but a daily decrease. Hack away at the inessentials.” — Bruce Lee

“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” — Hans Hofmann

(Collins 2016)

“You own the things you own and they in turn own you.” ¹

“It isn’t the stuff. It’s what the stuff means.” — Joe Dominguez, Your Money or Your Life

“I make spaces that are calm rather than confrontational. I seek a certain kind of logic that allows you to move in space and perceive it as beautiful and rational. Clarity is a worthwhile quality.” — Annabelle Selldorf

“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” — William Morris

Simple Living (極簡生活)

也許只有拋棄那些「習慣擁有」，才會重新思考「真正需要」。

減法人生

一切從簡

去蕪存菁

No Frills

精實思考（Lean Thinking）：源自豐田生產方式（TPS），強調「創造最大價值，消除一切浪費」。

Let’s declutter/downsize/simplify!

斷捨離 — 日本作家、演講家與整理術專家「山下英子」所提出的概念

Freedom often comes from needing less, not from gaining more.

Everything Must Be Paid for Twice

There are 2 costs: 1. Cost in money to purchase, 2. Cost in time to use/learn/manage.
第一次支付是用金錢換取你想要的東西，比如一本書、一個 App 或是一輛自行車。
但要真正享用這些東西，還需要進行第二次支付。這次支付的是你的時間和努力，才能從中獲得實際的價值。
第二次支付的成本可能遠高於第一次支付。例如，購買一本書可能只需要 20 元，但真正讀完它可能需要花費 10 小時。只有完成第二次支付，這本書的價值才能真正體現。如果沒有第二次支付，那第一次支付幾乎毫無意義，和把錢丟進垃圾桶差不多。

Over the years, I’ve shifted away from buying material things because I’ve realized that owning things means they end up owning your time.

Simple is beautiful

The Simplicity Audit

Addition by subtraction

The content is the interface

“The things you own end up owning you.” — Fight Club (1999 film) ⌃

Not caring lets us perform better

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

“If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.” — Zig Ziglar

“There are no contests in the Art of Peace. A true warrior is invincible because he or she contests with nothing.” — Morihei Ueshiba

Don’t Aim. Just Shoot.

(Gallwey 2015)

Self 1: the explicit, thinking part that tries to catch the ball.
Self 2: the implicit, non-thinking part that actually catches the ball.

The more Self 1 cares about achieving a goal, the more it interferes with the natural functioning of Self 2. This is why, counterintuitively, the less you care about something, the more easily, effortlessly and effectively it can be achieved.

Caring is as described above, and comes with a sense of the outcome being important, that it (or we) would bad if the outcome weren’t achieved. There is a physical tension associated with it.
Intending is the activation energy required to take a specific action. I can intend to catch the ball (or not) as it flies towards me, while not caring whether or not I actually catch it.

In this frame, the ideal combination to minimize or remove self-interference is to have a strong and unambiguous intention while caring as little as possible. The worst combination for our performance is to have a weak and ambiguous intention while caring strongly about achieving a particular outcome.

佛系（Zen）🧘🏽 ¹

“I am always sincere, but never serious.” — Alan Watts

Suppose you are a student. Your parents want you to have good grade in exams. You also want to be a class topper. Hence, you do your studies with high devotion. Sometimes you become bored and start to play video games. After an hour, you feel that you have a lot of homework to be done. So, again you pick up your books. Whenever you start spending some hours other than studying, you feel you are wasting your time. You also feel you have to utilize every second you have to achieve your goal. You are serious.
Your best friend has the same goal as you have. He also wants to top the class. But he cannot devote every second in studies like you. Whenever he likes to play video games, he plays for hours. But after that, when his heart tells him to study, he does it with full concentration. Everything he does is in a heartfelt manner. He is very genuine with his inner feelings. He is sincere.

If you were approaching a difficult project at work sincerely rather than seriously, you might focus on the process of completing each task, rather than becoming fixated on the end result. You might also seek out the input and collaboration of others, rather than trying to tackle the project on your own. By doing these things, you may find that it’s easier to approach it in the spirit of play, and that you’re better able to stay focused and motivated throughout.
If you were approaching a job interview sincerely rather than seriously, then instead of becoming overly nervous and stressed about the outcome, you might focus on being present and engaged. You might also try to connect with the interviewer on a more personal level, rather than simply trying to impress them with your credentials. By doing so, you might be more likely to approach the interview with lightness and ease, and to come away from the interview feeling more confident and satisfied with your performance.
If you were approaching writing a book sincerely rather than seriously, you might decide to throw a detailed homage to World of Warcraft into the very first chapter - illustrating to your future readers that even when creating something as significant as your first book, you can treat the process with levity. By doing so, you’d hopefully help the text create a sense of fun, even while holding forth on the science of productivity.

Kobe played to learn.

To figure things out.

To stay centered.

When you find that middle ground — dead center — you’re no longer pulled by outcomes, expectations, or pressure.

You stay present.

You stay connected.

You compete freely.

That’s real confidence.

Not chasing wins.

Not avoiding losses.

But being fully locked into what’s in front of you.

Journey over destination

The absence of desire is true happiness

Seeking vs Finding

Zen is a state of calm attentiveness in which one’s actions are guided by intuition rather than by conscious effort. ⌃

Gallwey, W. Timothy. 2015. The Inner Game of Tennis: The Ultimate Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance. ↩

Overthinking

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

“Imagination and fiction make up more than three quarters of our real life.” — Simone Weil

“Everything is created twice, first in the mind and then in reality.” — Robin Sharma

“We suffer more in imagination than in reality.” — Seneca

“If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.” — Bruce Lee

“Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” — A.A. Milne

= 想太多 = 過度延伸 = 對號入座 ➞ 內耗

The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it. We create our own stress due to our perception of what we must do.

人最大的限制是自己的想像力 — 折磨我們的恐懼，通常來自對事情的「想像」，而非事情「本身」；很多時候，我們只是被自己的一些想法綁住而已。

唐代禪宗六祖惠能大師所作偈（ㄐㄧˋ）語「菩提本無樹，明鏡亦非台；本來無一物，何處惹塵埃？」，意指佛性（菩提）原本就不是樹，清淨的心性（明鏡）也不是一個可以被安置的台座，強調「自性清淨，本來空寂」，沒有實體，因此無從被煩惱（塵埃）所附著，是終極開悟境界。

另一句：「應無所住，而生其心。」—《金剛經》

無所住：身在紅塵，但不受紅塵困擾。
生其心：出入紅塵，還能救濟紅塵中的眾生。

有時候，最小的東西，卻在心中佔了最大的位置。

We often worry a lot in the head throughout our life time, but most of the things that we internally panic about never actually happened.

“I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.” — Mark Twain
Usually our fears/worries are based on “what might happen”, not “what is actually happening right now.”
Try to remind yourself: “I am safe right now.”

Understand the difference between imagination and rumination

action/skill problem: Overthinking breeds indecision, leading to inaction/underact. Accept the consequences, stay true to your values, and move forward.

Put overthinking to bed. With an average of 60,000–80,000 daily thoughts, remember you don’t need to engage with every single one. Breathe, relax, let it pass.

Eckhart Tolle’s 7-step protocol to escape overthinking:

Source

Don’t just “be aware” of thoughts - create deliberate distance by labeling them: “Having a thought about failure” instead of “I’m going to fail.”

Tolle recommends a specific technique: When caught in rumination, focus on your hands for 30 seconds.

When negative thoughts arise, wait 90 seconds before responding.

Ask: “Is this thought happening in physical reality right now?”

Not “Is this thought true?” (which keeps you in thought).

Instead of general “body awareness,” Tolle recommends feeling your inner energy field:

The tingling life-energy inside your hands, feet, and entire body.

This creates what neuroscientists call “embodied cognition” - thinking from your whole nervous system.

Don’t just “accept what is” - Tolle teaches saying “yes” to the feeling of resistance itself.

When you feel yourself fighting reality, accept the fighting.

Rather than trying to “be present,” Tolle suggests focusing on one sense perception completely:

The sound of water, the sensation of breath, the feeling of air on skin.

This creates what he calls “portals to presence” - gateways beyond thinking.

A true transformation begins with a mental shift

Peace from mind

An expression of the problem of infinite regress ⌃

Startups

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 13 min read

First step: attract great people

“The bigger the dream, the more important the team.” — Robin Sharma

“Great things in business are never done by one person, they’re done by a team of people.” — Steve Jobs

“A players hire A players, and B players hire C players.” — Steve Jobs
- Do not hire before the system/playbook is created, in the hope that this hire will drive revenue
  - “~~That hire is necessary because we want to create a new thing.~~”
  - 別為了拓展事業雇人，而是雇人幫你買回時間。
  - Drive the revenue first, then hire for the service/demand you’ve already created
  - The mistake was thinking that there is a linear correlation between a new employee doing a thing that theoretically should contribute to revenue and the real world of that thing, the communication and managerial overheads associated with having an extra person on the team, even if they think is contributing to revenues, the whole system ended up slowing down.
- Do not think too much when hiring the first person, because the first person you hire is such a massive leverage.
- Hiring is tested: after year one they ask, “Would we hire them again?”
- Daniel Priestley: 12-person team is the sweet spot
  - As soon as you add a 13th person to the team, suddenly everything breaks, because 12 people can fit around the same table, and 12 people can all basically be managed by the same general manager
  - As soon as you get to 13, now all of a sudden you need to split up into different teams. You need managers to manage those teams. This causes communication overhead.
  - Desert Territory: your company is too big to be small and too small to be big in between 12 people and 40 people
- Smaller teams are better
  
  “Small is not a stepping stone. Small is not less than. It’s greater than. It’s faster than. It’s better than.” — Jason Fried
  - Force clarity and durable simplicity.
  - Faster decisions, fewer meetings, more fun
  - No need to chop up work for political reasons
  - No room for mediocre people (can pay more, too!)
  - Large-scale engineering projects are more soluble in IQ than they appear
  - Brooks’s law: adding manpower to a late software project makes it later
Many tech companies are 2-10x overstaffed
- Criteria for hiring someone: energy > expertise > money (salary)
  - Hard skills get you hired. Soft skills get you promoted.
- A much better way to get really effective people
  - ❌ Hire based on experience
  - ✅ Hire based on aptitude
    - They may never have done it before and have no experience in this area, but are they a smart person who can figure things out? Are they a quick learner and persistent improver?
    - Look for curiosity and lack of ego as a proxy, because the combination of these attributes helps people learn faster.
- If you hire people just because they can do the job, they will work for money/paycheck. But if you hire people who believe what you believe, they will work for blood, sweat, and tears
- “If you are deciding between two people to hire, always choose the better writer. Assuming they are equally qualified, the better writer will communicate work issues more clearly. This extends to emails, messages—frankly, everywhere.” — David Heinemeier Hansson
- “Is this person a force of nature?” is a good heuristic for finding people who are likely to accomplish great things.
- Great people are never on the market because bad people—the seriously unqualified—are on the market quite a lot
- Instead of thinking as recruiting as a “gather resumes, filter resumes” procedure, you’re going to have to think of it as a “track down the winners and make them talk to you” procedure
  - Meet a lot of people, and keep track of who goes on to impress you and who doesn’t.
- Hiring slower, but better, is more advantageous than hiring quickly and compromising the quality of your employees. Remember, a business is not a family; it’s more like a professional sports franchise.
- A Chief of Staff is the most important hire you’ll make as a founder. They’ll handle operations, communication, and special projects. This allows you to focus on what you do best: building the future.
- Don’t just hire people who are good at the same things you are. Hire complementary team members.
Find a co-founder with complementary skills, but the same moral compass as you
- How to choose the right business partner?
  - People I grew up with
  - People I find fascinating on the internet
  - Nothing in between!
- 絕對不要和朋友一起創業
  - Friends from business, not business from friends.
  - “A friendship founded on business is better than a business founded on friendship.” — John D. Rockefeller
As a startup founder, you are building businesses for:
1. your customers
2. potential investors
3. ⭐️ potential acquirers
用人不疑、疑人不用
Hiring smart people, trusting them, and getting out of the way. Setting a specific vision so we’re all aligned, allowing a level of independence of operation so people can be making decisions quickly on their own.
No hierarchy. No clique culture.
Onboarding is key. Most companies think that onboarding is showing someone where the bathroom is, and where the code repos are.
- Assign a mentor that progressively helps less and less depending on the need. That person can be any level, but is more of a resource of who to ask for anything and everything because people forget, or new things come up and are afraid to ask.
The Four-Eyes Principle (The Two-Person Rule) for quality control: a certain activity, i.e., a decision, transaction, etc., must be approved by at least two people.
You need 2 types of people to keep early-stage startups from stagnating:
- Someone who’ll shamelessly sell the product before it’s fully ready to be sold
- Someone who’s embarrassed by this and will push to improve the product faster
Sam Altman
- It’s often easier to succeed with a hard startup than an easy one.
- An easy startup is a headwind; a hard startup is a tailwind.
Minimize synchronous communications (e.g., in-person talks, meetings). Maximize asynchronous communications (e.g., Slack messages).
- Group DM / Channel Messages > Direct DM
  1. Better transparency (everyone is on the same page)
  2. Avoid repetitive information
The quality of your business is directly proportional to the quality of the people you hire which is directly proportional to your character and your ability to cast a clear vision and how they fit in it (not how they help you accomplish yours)
- Taleb’s Surgeon - If presented with two equal candidates for a role, pick the one with the least amount of charisma. The uncharismatic one has got there despite their lack of charisma. The charismatic one has got there with the aid of their charisma.
Your employees will care the things you care about as much as you care about them.
Run the company by ideas, not by hierarchy
2 main focuses every single day
- Build the product
  
  “Just build something that you’d want to use today, not something you think people would use somehow.” — Paul Graham
- Talk to the user (user onboarding) → C2B (Consumer-to-Business), H2H (Human-to-Human), “消費者信用紀錄”
  - 零售 (Retail)：B2C
  - 批發 (Wholesale)：B2B
We need teams of missionaries, not teams of mercenaries
Every business should have a visionary (dreamer) and an integrator (doer).
- The visionary is the idea generator
- The integrator makes things happen
Default operations in the company
- 4-day workweek (instead of 5)
  - 20% 自由時間 — 每星期五可以做自己想做的 Project
- 7-hour workday (instead of 8)
The Peter Principle
The Bike Shed Effect (The Law of Triviality)
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
- The goal is to create and maintain MOMENTUM, not burn ourselves out on SPEED.
10 Facts
- People don’t leave companies, they leave bad managers.
  
  “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” — Richard Branson
- Pay people what they’re worth, not what you can get away with.
- Skip the “We’re a family BS”. Be authentic. You’re a team.
- Tolerating bad behavior is like cancer for company culture.
- Do what you say and role model the behaviors you want to see.
- Infallible leaders make their team more likely to fail, so admit your mistakes.
- Help your people to become their best selves, or someone else will.
- Create a culture of feedback, or you’ll build a house of cards.
- You have 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason. Listen more than you speak.
- When something isn’t going to plan, remember to look into the mirror.
Maker’s Time vs Manager’s Time
- Managers operate with a day blocked into one hour chunks. They change what they are doing each hour in order to operate and get through their appointments and to do lists.
- Makers operate in fluid, long blocks of at least a half day. They focus on a single project for extended periods.
- Each schedule works fine on its own, but when they collide and come into tension, problems arise in organizations. The manager who forces the maker into various meetings is doing a disservice to the organization. The manager who learns to let the makers make in their preferred cadence will always win.
- 「多造鐘，少報時」
Key element of a successful company’s core values/culture
- Open communication = transparency = honesty
- Supportiveness = collaborative teamwork
- Lean management (base on high-trust base)
  
  Your company will move at the speed of trust.
- Fun environment
Cultivate an environment of respectful disagreement. Encourage candor. One of the worst things that can happen to a team is for people to feel uncomfortable discussing problems and expressing their honest opinions. Build a culture of candor so that people know it’s the norm to tell the truth, even when it’s difficult or awkward.
公司的 Mission 由三個部分組成：
- 畫像（Vision）
- 投入（Implementation）
- 量尺（Measurement）
Feedback

Core Idea
Positive / Success / Appreciation	Rose	What went well?	I liked	Continue	Glad
Negative / Challenge / Pain Point	Thorn	What didn’t go well?	I wish	Stop	Mad
Opportunity / Potential / Future Action	Bud	What else?	What if	Start	Sad (loosely → unmet needs / improvement areas)

Meetings are the last resort, not the first option.

No-Gos
- Back-to-back meetings
- Pointless meetings → “Meetings to meet”
  - Regular/recurring status update / job report meetings
  - Group brainstorming
    - Workers do their best creative work alone. But that doesn’t mean colleagues shouldn’t work together. Rather, they would benefit more from comparing individual notes after extensive, independent thinking. → promotes deeper discussions during the meeting
- Meetings without a clear G.A.P.
  - Goals
  - Agenda
  - Pre-meeting preparation
- No simple meetings such as answering questions, status checks, or conveying information in the morning, allowing the team to work, uninterrupted, on the most important things
  - Schedule them at 3 (2–4) PM in the afternoon instead
  - Schedule difficult meetings that require important decisions in the morning
- I find most meetings are best scheduled for 15–20 minutes, or 2 hours. The default of 1 hour is usually wrong, and leads to a lot of wasted time.
Gos
- Shorten meeting length
  - 30 → 25, 60 → 50
    - The tighter window makes participants more efficient -> avoids “how about the weather” small/idle talk / low-value chitchat that most meetings open with and gives you a 5-minute break to reset in between meetings.
- Adding a short 15-minute buffer between meetings to avoid wasting time.
- 會議人數應隨時間逐漸遞減
- Scheduling meetings at the beginning or end of the day rather than in the middle.
- Schedule “office hours” for your team. Carve out “focus time” for your team.
- During meetings, always take notes. And action points. Make meetings as short as possible and have an agenda in mind!
- Whoever is latest to the meeting pays for the coffee, food, drinks.
- Walking ¹/Standing Meetings instead of Sitting Meetings
- Schedule all meetings and calls in one day. Group related meetings together on specific days or in designated time blocks.
- Asynchronous meeting with pre-recorded video using tools like Loom
- Friday Forum: celebrate wins of the week
- Schedule only the following two, non-negotiable, mandatory team gatherings EVERY WEEK
  - Iteration Planning Meeting (IPM), Monday 9:00–0:00
  - Weekly Retrospective, Friday 16:00–17:00
- CEO 信箱 (private one-on-one)
- Visual Meetings
- Ensure that all meetings are highly targeted. Broad meeting mandates with scattered agendas should be avoided if possible. Clear, narrow purpose and action items are a must.
- Ensure that meeting attendees are specifically chosen for the purpose of the meeting. They should have high credibility to weigh in on the task at hand. Consider rotating through attendees if a meeting has multiple agenda topics.
- Steal the Amazon playbook and require a pre-read memo before a meeting to push information gathering and discussion into the preparation.
  - Have everyone read and take notes for 30min silence in advance without using their private time and then discuss together. Meeting turns to a open minded workshop.
  - Study and read memos instead of listening to ppts
- Meetings are still the best way to accomplish certain things: Social bonding, deep discussions where ideas rapidly ricochet off each other, decisions where it’s important to “look in everyone’s eyes” to get the final agreement, and more.
- How to handle hybrid meetings with on-site and remote participants?
  - Instead of expecting remote participants to speak as on-site participants do, encourage them to stay muted and leave/type text messages by using the chat function, to share their responses, answer questions, and contribute to discussions.
  - This approach mitigates potential internet/audio synchronization issues and delays caused by participants needing to unmute themselves, avoid disrupting the flow of the meeting.

“management by sight” → ineffective
“management by objective” → effective

Capital is not a solution to problems. Capital is a means of scaling solutions.

Venture Round
Rolling Fund
Fundraising
種子輪 > 天使輪 > A 輪 > B 輪 > C 輪
Different types of investors
- Angel
- Incubator
- Accelerator
- Venture Capital = VC (風險投資/創業投資/創投)
- Private Equity = PE (私募股權基金)
Early Investors: 3Fs (Friends, Family, Fools)

Stripe Atlas | Incorporate your start-up in Delaware: C corp or LLC

面對面 → 肩並肩 ⌃

Stress & Anxiety

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 5 min read

“Stress happens when the mind resists what is.” — Dan Millman

“Stress is caused by being ‘here’ but wanting to be ‘there.’” — Eckhart Tolle

Root Cause: Having two conflicting internal desires at the same time, and you are confused which one to choose.

Career vs Passion
- Desire 1: You want a stable, well-paying job with benefits.
- Desire 2: You want to pursue your passion (e.g., music, art, travel) full time.
- Result: You feel stuck, unfulfilled at work, and anxious because you’re ignoring what lights you up — but afraid of the instability if you chase your passion.
Authenticity vs Acceptance
- Desire 1: You want to express your true self, thoughts, and beliefs.
- Desire 2: You want to be liked, accepted, and avoid conflict.
- Result: You bottle things up, second-guess yourself, and feel like you’re performing — which creates internal stress.
Change vs Comfort
- Desire 1: You want to grow, try something new, or break out of a rut.
- Desire 2: You fear uncertainty and prefer to stay in your comfort zone.
- Result: You feel stuck, restless, and anxious — wanting something different but afraid to take the leap.

One of the ways to get through stress is to acknowledge that you actually have two conflicting desires and either resolve it, pick one and be okay losing the other, or decide later.

正壓力 = 優壓（Eustress）- 當壓力「稍微高於」我們的適應能力
負壓力 = 劣壓（Distress）- 當壓力「遠高於」我們的適應能力

The Yerkes-Dodson Law

EMDR 眼動身心重建法

TSST = Trier Social Stress Test

MBSR = Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Stress Inoculation Therapy (SIT，壓力免疫治療), also known as Stress Inoculation Training (壓力免疫訓練), is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that helps individuals develop skills to manage stress and anxiety.

Ask yourself: “Will this crisis really matter one year from now?”

Stop
Tache a breath
Observe
Proceed

Welcome the feeling.
Welcome any desire to fix, change, or control it.
Welcome the sense of “I” who feels it.

3Q Filters Test by Jon Acuff

If you want to curb stress, you need to curate your thoughts. When you identify a “broken soundtrack” (repetitive negative thought), you should run it through these three questions:

Is it true?
- If so, where’s the proof? ¹
Is it helpful?
- Does it push you forward or hold you back?
Is it kind?
- If you said it to a friend, would they still want to be your friend?

If they’re not accurate, not serving you and making you feel worse, discard them immediately.

5 things you can see
4 things you can touch
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell (or 2 smells you like)
1 emotion you feel

This is called “Grounding/Earthing.”

Jacobsen’s Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

Stress and anxiety are a tax on extreme ambition.

Problem: Overthinking & Underacting

Stress and anxiety tend to be higher before you act.

They thrive in the space between thinking and doing. They feed on idleness.

Without action, all you can do is worry.

Action is the antidote. (行動是唯一對抗焦慮的方式。)

When you take action, you starve them of the oxygen they need to survive. / Once you begin, fear shrinks as you start to influence the outcome.

The answers you seek are found in the simple actions you avoid.

Often, stress and anxiety come from the lack of a plan to bridge the gap between your present reality and future expectations, and are directly proportional to the amount of time you spend in the past or future.

Solution: Create a plan that will guide your daily actions to close the gap.
Once you have a plan, stress and anxiety melt away, because it just becomes a “game” of executing on a daily set of actions, which is entirely within your control.

壓力無可避免，也並非壞事。

人生的高峰往往也是在壓力的推動下才得以攀登。

真正的關鍵不是消除壓力，而是學會與之共處，懂得如何駕馭它。

當你感到生活困難重重、人生充滿困境時，請記得：飛機借逆風升空，風箏憑逆風飛揚。

Stress & The Glass of Water

The Sedona Method

The best way to deal with a deceiving mind is to get out of the mind and take action to prove it wrong. ⌃

The Game of Life

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

The reason to play the game is to be free of it.” — Naval Ravikant

= 人生賽局

Be carefully selective/picky in the games you choose to play. Which game you play is much more important than how well you play the game. Fight battles you are destined to win.
Don’t play games you don’t want to win. If you play stupid games, you will win stupid prizes. There is no value in winning when the game doesn’t matter to you. Escape the rat race cycle.
Analogy: 夾娃娃機
- 本體 (e.g., 機台造型、擺設方式)
- 贈品 (e.g., 保夾金額、物品價值)

Finite Game (有限賽局)	Infinite Game (無限賽局)
is short-term, soon-ending	is long-term, never-ending
= Zero-Sum Game (零和遊戲) ¹ = Multi-Player Game = Status Game ²	= Positive-Sum Game (正和遊戲) ³ = Single-Player Game = Wealth Game
You win by avoiding errors and waiting for your opponent to make errors	You win by hitting incredible/elegant shots
The goal is to win the game	The goal is to stay in the game and continue playing forever
打敗多少人? (Competition)	幫助多少人? (Collaboration)
Either WIN or LOSE (Any gain corresponds directly with an equivalent loss)	WIN-WIN（互通有無、互利共生 (symbiosis)）
Egoism (Selfishness) 利己主義	Altruism 利他主義
Fixed/Scarcity Mindset	Growth/Abundance Mindset
有限賽局的玩家是為了防止未來改變過去	無限賽局的玩家是為了讓未來改變過去

Mindset	Statement 1	Statement 2	Statement 3
Competitor	“You win, I lose”	“My success”	“I rise by outdoing others”
Comrade 同志；戰友	“You win, I win”	“Our success”	“We rise by lifting others”

(Carse 2012)

出奇制勝結束了有限遊戲；而出乎意料則是無限遊戲繼續進行的原因
To be prepared against surprise is to be trained. To be prepared for surprise is to be educated. (準備應對驚喜，意味著接受訓練；準備迎接驚喜，意味著接受教育)
- While training is essential for certain scenarios, education is more important for truly navigating the complexities and uncertainties of life
  - Training: A more rigid approach where you aim to minimize surprises by mastering specific skills or responses.
    - 訓練是在未來重複一個已經完成的過去
  - Education: A more dynamic, flexible approach that allows you to engage with and learn from surprises when they happen.
    - 教育是將未完成的過去延續到未來

The 2 Types of Status by Sahil Bloom

Earned Status Game	Bought Status Game
Could the richest person in the world acquire the thing I want by tomorrow?	Would I still be interested in buying (or doing/learning) this thing if I could not show it to anyone or tell anyone about it?
If the answer to this question is NO, you’re playing an Earned Status Game.	If the answer to this question is NO, you’re playing a Bought Status Game.
要裡子	爭面子

Work smart

Everything in life has an opportunity cost

Winner’s Game vs Loser’s Game

Carse, James P. 2012. Finite and Infinite Games: A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility. First Free Press paperback edition. New York London Toronto Sydney New Delhi: Free Press. ↩

The most productive people prioritize intentional rest

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 8 min read

“Rest until you feel like playing, then play until you feel like resting.” — Martha Beck

“Sometimes the most important thing in a day is the rest we take.” — Etty Hillesum

“Time spent amongst trees is never wasted time.” — Katrina Mayer

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.” — John Lubbock, The Use of Life

“We live in a world that celebrates work and activity, ignores renewal and recovery, and fails to recognize that both are necessary for sustained high performance.” — Jim Loehr, The Power of Full Engagement

Taking breaks helps to get most of your work done outside of work.

Structured, deliberate pauses are beneficial, unlike random interruptions that drain motivation. Plan for breaks ¹ that build momentum and maintain a clear path for returning.

Sometimes the best way to recharge is to unplug.

Build a daily ritual that allows you to create space to think and wrestle with questions.

There’s a simple formula for identifying the highest leverage relaxation for yourself = Energy produced ÷ Time it takes

If rest increases your output per input, then it was productive.

The single greatest challenge for any ambitious person is eliminating the guilt associated with rest, slowness, and free time.

Reframe these acts as part of your performance, rather than a reward for your efforts.

You need the well-maintained brakes alongside a strong engine.

不要對休息有任何罪惡感。
放鬆不是懶惰，而是一種對身心界線的尊重。
當出現「再撐一下」的念頭，就是該休息的警訊 🚨

⭐️ Stop treating rest as a reward and start treating it as a critical/essential part of your high performance routine.

Rest is not a reward for hard work; it’s a requirement for it.
Breaks aren’t a special treat. They’re an absolute necessity.
Reframe “wasted time” as rest time. Replace the label “relaxing” or “relaxation” with “recovery,” so you don’t view it as wasted time. Think of relaxing as recovery because it very much is.
To achieve peak performance, master the art of deliberate/strategic rest.

Learn to rest, not to quit. The Last Man Standing is often the winner.

Properly break in your breaks — no sneaky working. Do not trade the last hour of the night for the first hour in the morning.

“If you keep interrupting your evening to check and respond to e-mail, or put aside a few hours after dinner to catch up on an approaching deadline, you’re robbing your directed attention centers of the uninterrupted rest they need for restoration. Even if these work dashes consume only a small amount of time, they prevent you from reaching the levels of deeper relaxation in which attention restoration can occur. Only the confidence that you’re done with work until the next day can convince your brain to downshift to the level where it can begin to recharge for the next day to follow. Put another way, trying to squeeze a little more work out of your evenings might reduce your effectiveness the next day enough that you end up getting less done than if you had instead respected a shutdown.” — (Newport 2016)

Downtime replenishes our ability to practice deep work.
Downtime improves our thinking.
Downtime refuels our mind.
Downtime amplifies our focus.
Downtime deserves time management too.

proposed by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith

Physical Rest
- Can be passive (sleeping, napping) or active (yoga, stretching, massage).
Mental Rest
- Take short breaks between tasks and meetings, create a power-down ritual to separate work from personal, meditate.
Sensory Rest
- Turn off social media, get away from screens and bright lights, switch from Zoom to phone call.
Creative Rest
- Can be natural (taking in a sunrise/sunset, walking in the woods) or man-made (going to a museum, experiencing new music).
Emotional Rest
- Spend time alone or with people with whom you can be your full, authentic self.
Social Rest
- Spend less time with people who drain your energy and more time with people who give you energy.
Spiritual Rest
- Connect with something bigger than yourself. Can be through volunteering, working on a purpose-driven job, or participating in spiritual or faith-based activities.

Kaffikok is a charming term from the Sámi people of northern Norway, Sweden, and Finland. It combines the words for “coffee” and “boil” to describe the distance/interval between coffee breaks during activities like hiking or traveling. More than just a measure of distance, it reflects the cultural value of taking mindful pauses during journeys to rest, savor the moment, connect with others, and enjoy a warm drink, often prepared communally in nature.

Fika is a cherished Swedish tradition of taking a break—usually once or twice a day—to enjoy coffee and a light snack like pastries or sandwiches, often in the company of others. More than just a coffee break, fika emphasizes slowing down, connecting with people, and creating a moment of calm and joy in daily life. It’s deeply embedded in Swedish culture, including workplace routines.

Calm down and chill out by taking advantage of The Diver Reflex:

Find a large bowl, or just use your sink.
Fill it with icy water.
Next, while holding your breath, plunge your face into the water for 30 seconds, then take your head out of the water.
Repeat the dunking process again.

(Abdaal 2024)

The best way to rest is all about feeling calm. Or rather, CALM. Find an activity or project that makes you feel Competent, Autonomous, Liberated and Mellow.

CALM Hobbies - with no end in sight (open-ended)
CALM Projects - with clear beginning and end points

Painting
Coding
- Creating a text-based role-playing game
Quilting

Keep them separate from work. - Maintain clear boundaries between CALM activities and professional responsibilities, with no.
- Set a regular schedule or time block.
- Use a dedicated space or environment.
Focus on the process, not results. - Engage in these activities for their own sake/purity—not for any high-stake goals and free from external rewards, validation, or pressures.
Protect them from becoming “work.” - Avoid turning your hobbies into side hustles or businesses. Preserve their role as restful, relaxed, and self-directed joys.
- Supporting Study (Lepper, Greene, and Nisbett 1973)
  - In 1973, Stanford psychology researcher Dr. Mark Lepper conducted a field experiment with preschool children to test the “overjustification” hypothesis.
  - Children who initially showed intrinsic interest in drawing were divided into three groups:
    1. Expected Reward: Children were told they would receive a reward for drawing.
    2. Unexpected Reward: Children received a reward after drawing, without prior notice.
    3. No Reward: Children engaged in drawing without any mention of a reward.
  - Two weeks later, researchers observed the children’s free-choice drawing activity. The findings revealed that children in the expected reward group showed significantly less interest in drawing compared to the other groups. This suggests that the anticipation of a reward can undermine intrinsic motivation.
  - This study underscores the importance of engaging in CALM activities for the sheer enjoyment they provide. Introducing external incentives can shift the focus from intrinsic satisfaction to extrinsic outcomes, potentially diminishing the original joy derived from the activity.
- Three strategies for escaping The Passion Paradox:
  1. Keep play as play.
  2. Let work be work.
  3. Make work more playful.

Microsoft’s Human Factors Lab published a piece titled “Research Proves Your Brain Needs Breaks” in its WorkLab blog, summarizing a study of 14 participants doing video meetings wearing EEG caps.
They studied 14 participants across two days of video meetings, with Day 1 comprised of four back-to-back 30-minute meetings and Day 2 comprised of four 30-minute meetings with 10-minute breaks in between.
Takeaway: The breaks increased performance significantly.
- It reports that during the no-break condition, “the average activity of beta waves … increased over time,” whereas with breaks the beta level “held steady” across meetings.
- It also mentions that brainwave patterns showed positive frontal alpha asymmetry ² in the break condition (associated with greater engagement), and negative asymmetry under no breaks.

Slow down to speed up

The Reitoff Principle

Either doing nothing or unplanned energizing distractions / unrelated activities ⌃
A brain state connected to levels of engagement ⌃

Abdaal, Ali. 2024. Feel-Good Productivity: How To Do More Of What Matters To You. Celadon Books. ↩

Lepper, Mark R., David Greene, and Richard E. Nisbett. 1973. “Undermining Children’s Intrinsic Interest with Extrinsic Reward: A Test of the ‘Overjustification’ Hypothesis.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 28 (1): 129–37. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0035519. ↩

Newport, Cal. 2016. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. First Edition. New York Boston: Grand Central Publishing. ↩

Themed Days

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“The way I found that works for me is I theme my days. On Monday, at both companies, I focus on management and running the company. Tuesday is focused on product. Wednesday is focused on marketing and communications and growth. Thursday is focused on developers and partnerships. Friday is focused on the company and the culture and recruiting. Saturday I take off, I hike. Sunday is reflection, feedback, strategy, and getting ready for the week.” — Jack Dorsey

「主題管理」是繼「時間管理」與「精力管理」後，第三種自我管理框架。

A goal asks “What do I want?”, but a theme asks “Who am I?”

= 1 Theme per Day = 1 Scene per Day

As defined by Leonard Alexandru, themed days are about “Having each day of the week (or the work-week) dedicated to a certain topic or project.” Blaz Kos shares, “Themed days are strategically planned days in your calendar which are completely dedicated to one single thing.”

Example by Jacky Wang

我如何在 2025 年讓工作效率和幸福感翻倍？｜電扶梯走左邊 with Jacky

Sunday - Rest & Reflect
- 休息反思日
- ⭐️ 神聖組合：18:00 晚餐後，各花一小時在：¹
  1. 打坐冥想（靈）- 19.~20.
  2. 一週回顧（心）- 20.~21.
  3. 運動按摩（身）- 21.~22.
Monday - Clarity & Alignment
- 對接日
  - 和團隊開會溝通討論。
- 斷食日（36 小時）
  - 只喝「黑咖啡」和「白開水」
  - 週日晚餐～週二早餐
Tuesday - Discipline & Execute
- 深度工作日
Wednesday - Social & Connect
- 咖啡廳日：「歡迎大家打斷我」
  - 著重於「社交廣度」
Thursday - Deep & Personal
- 播客（Podcast）日
  - 著重於「社交深度」
Friday - Finishing Strong
- ** 和團隊確認進度和需要的幫助。**
Saturday - Creative Output
- 創意發想日
  - 畫畫
  - 跳舞
  - 看書
  - 寫作
  - etc.

Weekly Rhythm/Cadence

Time Blocking

先照顧精神、然後是心理、最後才是身體 → Why？先苦後甘 ⌃

What success means to me

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 8 min read

“The road to success is always under construction.” — Steve Harvey

“Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable. And you’re the only one that will know that.” — John Wooden

“Success is not how high you have climbed, but how you make a positive difference to the world.” — Roy T. Bennett

“Success is the product of daily habits—not once-in-a-lifetime transformations.” — James Clear

“Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” — Winston Churchill

“Success is like reaching an important birthday and finding you’re exactly the same.” — Audrey Hepburn

“To laugh often and much: To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you lived. This is to have succeeded.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“To live content with small means. To seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion. To be worthy not respectable, and wealthy not rich. To study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly, to listen to stars, birds, babes, and sages with open heart, to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never. In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony.” — William Ellery Channing

“Success is having everything you need and doing everything you want. It is not doing everything you need to have everything you want.” — Jacob Lund Fisker

“Extreme success is not going to make you happy. In fact, success amplifies who you already are and how you already feel.” — Mark Manson

“Success in life is not for those who run fast, but for those who keep running and always on the move.” — Bangambiki Habyarimana, Pearls Of Eternity

“Success is being excited to go to work and being excited to come home.” — Will Ahmed

“He has achieved success who has worked well, laughed often, and loved much.” — Elbert Hubbard

“Real success is success with self. It’s not in having things, but in having mastery, having victory over self.” — Anwar Sadat

⭐️ “How do you grade yourself? It’s important to know in advance, to make sure you’re staying focused on what’s honestly important to you, instead of doing what others think you should.” — Derek Sivers

⭐️ “The ultimate success metric is whether you get what you want out of life. But that’s harder than it sounds because it’s easy to try to copy someone who wants something you don’t.” — Morgan Housel ¹ ²

“Redefine success. The most meaningful form of performance is progress. The ultimate mark of potential is not the height of the peak you’ve reached, but the distance you’ve traveled—and helped others travel.” — Adam M. Grant, Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things

“Success isn’t about how your life looks to others. It’s about how it feels to you.” — Michelle Obama

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.” — Vince Lombardi

“Success is doing what you want to do, when you want, where you want, with whom you want, as much as you want.” — Tony Robbins

Would I want to do this again? If the answer is yes, then it was successful.

“The Inner Ring” by C.S. Lewis ³

As long as you are governed by that desire you will never get what you want. You are trying to peel an onion; if you succeed there will be nothing left. Until you conquer the fear of being an outsider, an outsider you will remain.” ⁴

Life is a game of awareness and action: Awareness to understand something’s importance and action to execute on that importance.

我曾經有過許許多多的夢想，但是我更想要成功，我常在夢想和現實中擺盪著。在一次又一次的失敗後，我告訴自己不要為世俗定義的「成功」而活，要爲自己真正相信的眞理而活。不要只想當個出鋒頭的英雄，要學習當個配角，一個傾聽者，積極追隨許多前行者完成夢想，也積極幫助需要幫助的年輕人實現理想。我的故事將從我的失敗經驗開始。當我能完全臣服於自己的失敗，洞穿了自己的脆弱和不足之後，反而成為一個完整可愛的平凡普通人。這是這些年我越來越清楚的事情。

#NEWSLETTER

The most important thing in life is not having what you want, but knowing what you want—figuring it out is everything!

“The only true test of intelligence is if you get what you want out of life.” — Naval Ravikant

想：知道自己想要/不想要什麼、定義自己的平衡/甜蜜點 ⁵ ⁶
做：有能力真正地得到/避免自己想要/不想要の東西、想辦法站在上面，死都不要下來

Define you VALUES (& ditch unrealistic big goals)
Focus on today’s ACTIONS that will compound positively towards the future you desire

Significance > Success

We are all chasing success at some level. We all want to be good at what we do. We want to be well regarded by our peers. However, how you do this is really important. Success often happens in a vacuum. We are so dead set on the outcome. Yet, being successful in this world isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Rather we should aim to be significant, which means accomplishing things together. We want to make an impact on the people around us and bring people along with us. Success is meaningless unless we are being significant.

The Trap of Success

當只有自己一個人的時候，對自己的看法

What do you think of yourself when you are by yourself?

The true rich men count memories, not money.
The true rich men invest in time, not things.
The true rich men give more than they take.
The true rich men sleep peacefully, not luxuriously.
The true rich men have nothing to prove.
The true rich men are rich in patience, not possessions.
The true rich men grow wealth that can’t be stolen.
The true rich men live simply so others may simply live.
The true rich men die empty, not full.
The true rich men have gratitude as their currency.
The true rich men surround themselves with people they love, not things they own.
The true rich men make peace with less.

If you love what you’re doing, then you’ve already succeeded.

“Of all the things that can boost emotions, motivation, and perceptions during a workday, the single most important is making progress in meaningful work.” — Teresa Amabile

“The best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” — Theodore Roosevelt

Success isn’t an end state. Success is having the freedom to pursue the endless grind you enjoy most.

It is insane to risk what you have and need for something you don’t have and need. ⌃
“I’ve noticed that many people compete in games they don’t understand because they are modeling the behavior of people around them. Most common is the competition for wealth as a proxy for happiness.” — Michael Seibel ⌃
is the exclusive group/circle to which people are drown to and want to belong throughout their lives. ⌃
If you define success on the basis of comparison to others, you will never feel successful. The only way to feel successful is to create your own definition of success, rather than consenting to one that was handed to you. ⌃
The most important thing in life is not having what you want, but knowing what you want—figuring it out is everything! ⌃
If you don’t know what you want, how are you going to know when you get it? ⌃

小野著., and 小野, 1951- author. 2012. 有些事, 這些年我才懂: 小野的人生思考. Chu ban. 臺北市: 究竟出版社. ↩

Garmin Watch Button Stuck

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

Care rules

Handle with care — avoid extreme shocks and harsh treatment, which shorten the watch’s life
No sharp objects when cleaning
Avoid chemical cleaners and solvents like WD-40 — they can ruin the waterproof seals

Warm water soak: submerge in warm (not hot) water for 10–30 minutes to dissolve salt or grit / rinse out debris
Vinegar wash: soak in a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and tepid water for a couple of hours, gently brush around the button with a soft toothbrush, wash with dish soap

You can use a jar with a lid, block the watch so it can’t rattle around, then shake the jar with the watch inside
Press & flush: While submerged or under a low-pressure faucet, repeatedly press the Down button ~20 times to flush out trapped particles / wiggle the button under running water
Unstick by hand: Rotate & pull out the button
Lubrication: Tiny drop of silicone-based spray in the button gaps with a toothpick, then work the button in and out
Button recalibration (software-level fix, not physical cleaning)
1. Plug the watch into a computer that can read MTP devices (a third-party program ¹ may be needed for the Mac to see the watch as a drive)
2. Locate the watch’s drive on the computer and open it
3. Create an empty file named KEY_CALIBRATION.BIN in the Internal Storage — it must not sit in a subfolder
4. Disconnect the watch from the computer

Such as Android File Transfer or OpenMTP ⌃

Learning is the single best investment that you can make for your time

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 11 min read

“Learning never exhausts the mind.” — Leonardo da Vinci

“Learning and enjoyment are the secret to a fulfilled life. Learning without enjoyment wears you down, enjoyment without learning dulls you.” — David Precht

你可以不讀書，但不能不學習（和思考）。

Learning is a weightless treasure you can always carry easily.

Financial Compounding → Intellectual Compounding

Learn How To Learn

= Meta-Learning = 後設學習

Ultralearning by Scott Young

Deconstruction
- Breaking down a skill into several minimal learnable components
Selection
- Looking for 20% of components that gives 80% of the value
Sequence
- Deciding which order to practice in
Stakes
- Consequences you take on if you do not follow through

Compression
Frequency
Encoding

Reflect on what you have already tried.
Attempt something you have not tried.
Read about what someone else has tried.

Insight Learning vs Latent Learning

Level 1 is consumption. This is the shallowest of all.
Level 2 is application. This turns knowledge into experience.
Level 3 is teaching. This turns experience into wisdom.

Variant 2

知識
- 紙上談兵
知識＋體驗
- 讀萬卷書不如行萬里路
知識＋體驗＋自我成長
- 成為一個更好的人

Ashes
- Knowledge
Firewood
- Experience
Tinder
- Your sense of value, which triggers your behaviors

Human Sponges

精通深度 (Depth of Mastery)
應用廣度 (Breadth of Application)

做中學，錯中學。

“Acquiring knowledge is easy, the hard part is knowing what to apply and when. That’s why all true learning is “on the job.” Life is lived in the arena.” — Naval Ravikant

One learns best through hands-on practice (through projects)
No one learns new things faster than someone who needs to apply the knowledge right now; so if you want to learn fast, commit to something ASAP that requires it.
專題式學習 Project-Based Learning (PBL)
Street Smart (街頭智慧，實務派，用以致學) > Book Smart (讀書智慧，理論派，學以致用)

“The fundamentals: something many people know, but few people practice.” — James Clear

Stick to the basics/fundamentals and big picture, then you can learn anything you want.

Don’t overlook the basics. Don’t ignore the foundation.
Learning is a condensing and incremental process.

Always starting from the most basic and simplest level, then adding more complexities gradually

Because it takes a lot more time going backward.
It’s very important to crawl before you can walk, and walk before your can run.

⭐️ Peak performance isn’t about superhuman abilities. It’s about mastering the fundamentals at an elite level.

如果要把一個知識點運用到生活當中，就要把它給記錄下來，然後不斷地練習和自我提醒，加強對那個知識點的印象，才能慢慢變成自己的東西。
融會貫通の記憶 = 連結 Association ¹＋意義 Meaning
Recognizing or being familiar with something is not the same as having agility/mastery/virtuosity of that thing.
Chunking — Break down complex/abstract ideas into tangible/digestible chunks, and link those chunks to vivid mental representations/images. By creating such visual associations, you’re not just memorizing - you’re understanding. Your mind is a storage system. Learn to catalog efficiently.
If you found yourself need to memorize something, it’s an indication that you don’t understand that stuff well enough.
- Don’t try to memorize/cram what you can look up.
- True learning is solid, deep understanding. Change is the end result of all true learning.

How to learn anything?

Deconstruct the skill—decide exactly what you want to be able to do when you’re done (i.e., with the end in mind), and then look into the skill and break it down into smaller pieces.
Learn enough to self-correct—learn just enough that you can actually practice and self-correct or self-edit as you practice. Use only 3-5 resources rather than something like 20 → It’s just a form of procrastination.
- The Learning Habit Loop
  1. Only read until you know what you need to do.
  2. Then, stop reading until what you know you need to do is done.
- “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” — Maya Angelou
Remove barriers to practice—remove the distractions that are keeping you from practicing.
Practice for at least 20 hours—by pre-committing to practicing whatever it is that you want to do for at least 20 hours, you will be able to overcome initial frustration barrier and stick with the practice long enough to actually reap the rewards.
The major barrier’s not intellectual, it’s emotional.

Stop studying: Most people get trapped in Tutorial Hell and have nothing to show for years of “learning.”
Start a project
Hit a roadblock
Research how to overcome it
Repeat until completed

How fast you learn (slope) is a lot more important than how much you know to begin with (starting). People emphasize too much how much they know and not how fast they’re learning.

“Talent is a pursued interest. Anything that you’re willing to practice, you can do.” — Bob Ross

“The separation of talent and skill is one of the greatest misunderstood concepts for people who are trying to excel, who have dreams, who want to do things. Talent you have naturally. Skill is only developed by hours and hours and hours of beating on your craft.” — Will Smith

How To Learn Faster? Deliberate Practice

Embrace the challenge: The best learning outcome happens when it’s the hardest.

(Abdaal 2024)

“Next time you’re feeling like a task or project is particularly difficult, ask yourself, ‘What would it look like if I were really confident at this?’ Just by asking yourself the question, you’ll visualize yourself confidently approaching the task at hand. The switch has been flipped.” — Ali Abdaal, Feel-Good Productivity: How to Do More of What Matters to You

Studying should be difficult—if you’re not worrying that you won’t be able to understand something you’re learning, it isn’t hard enough. ²

學習需要經歷認知上的掙扎、擁抱過程中的痛苦。
Agitation (焦慮，躁動，緊張不安) is good, helping to release norepinephrine and adrenaline
When you tackle a chunk of work, push for a result that is beyond — but not too far beyond — what’s comfortable for your current skill level. Design this chunk to feature enough difficulty that you quickly get stuck. At this point, you should slow down, and advance deliberately, in a state of real mental strain. This stretch is important to: (a) extract the most out of your current abilities; and (b) ensure that your abilities continue to improve. Finding chunks that require stretch, but are not so hard that you get permanently blocked, is non-trivival (very important).
See also: Do hard things

The most effective way to use AI for learning is to transition from viewing it as an Oracle (a source of immediate answers) to a Socratic Tutor (a guide for intellectual struggle).

True learning requires “[[desirable difficulty]]”—the cognitive effort involved in retrieval and synthesis. When AI provides instant solutions, it creates an “illusion of competence,” where the learner mistakes shallow processing for deep understanding.

Prompting for a summary is consumption; prompting for a quiz is production.

“Although listening is often more fun, reading improves comprehension and recall. Whereas listening promotes intuitive thinking, reading activates more analytical processing. It’s true in English and Chinese—people display better logical reasoning when the same trivia questions, riddles, and puzzles are written rather than spoken. With print, you naturally slow down at the start of a paragraph to process the core idea and use paragraph breaks and headers to chunk information.” — Adam M. Grant, Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things

閱讀文字對於批判性思考和記憶更好，而聆聽則更適合沉浸式的體驗和情感的連結。因此，如果你想理解並記住資訊，最好用眼睛閱讀；另一方面，如果你想進入故事情節並與主角產生共鳴，可以用耳朵聆聽。

Principle: Instead of focusing solely on acquiring knowledge, prioritize strategies that help retain information and offset the natural tendencies of forgetting that occur with any new material we just learned.

The Feynman Technique
刻意練習 (Deliberate Practice)
交錯練習 (Interleaving Practice / Interleaved Learning)

“I always work on different manuscripts at the same time. With this method, to work on different things simultaneously, I never encounter any blockages.” — Niklas Luhmann
- Mixing up different, unrelated topics or types of problems during a single study session helps the brain to seek/make necessary connections
- See also: The Zeigarnik Effect
主動回憶 (Active Recall) ³
- More effective than passive memorization
  1. Taking a topic you wish to learn
  2. Creating questions based on that topic
  3. Repeatedly (not just once, ideally 2-3 times) testing yourself on those questions
    - Interval Quizzes
- Active self-testing is far better than passive re-reading or re-exposure to the material. Test yourself ASAP with open-ended, short-answer, minimal-prompt questions after the FIRST exposure, to prevent forgetting and consolidate information.
  - When you take a test on the material you just learned, you potentially improve the amount of retention by about 50%.
  - Error-Based Learning: Make sure to compare your answer to the accurate answer, and focus on understanding why you got questions wrong, as this helps to identify knowledge gaps and makes the correct information more memorable.
  - View (self-)testing as a learning tool to build knowledge / enhance comprehension, not just to evaluate it.
Retrieval Practice
- Putting information into your brain = good for learning
- Retrieving information from your brain = better for learning
間隔重複 (Spaced Repetition) = The Leitner System
- Space out your learning
  - Spending 30 minutes a day, five days a week, is far more effective than cramming 2.5 hours into just one day, once a week.
  - Same hours; different outcomes.
三明治記憶法
- 「睡前 90 分鐘」+「起床後 90 分鐘」背書效果最佳 (Sleep on it.)
- 容易將「短期記憶」植入「長期記憶」
  - Neural Encoding: Locking information into the neural circuit
The Isolation Effect
- We learn better what stands out
- = The Von Restorff effect

Mental Framing
- Actively/Voluntarily engage your focus / draw your attention into whatever you are trying to learn
  - Tell yourself the material is important. Use a silent script in your head like “I get to learn this!”
- Attach learning to an aspirational goal that motivates you, e.g., how your learning will change/impact your life
  - Be specific about what success will look like and why that success is important.
⭐️ Take several brief breaks (with each 5-30 seconds) during study / in the act of consuming/absorbing material, and reflect on the material to reinforce memory
- Pro Tip: Pause longer after key points to allow the “Gap Effects” to happen
Avoid phone immediately after a study session to offset forgetting
A good night of restorative sleep BEFORE and AFTER ⁴ studying/learning is crucial for get the best out of your studying/learning efforts. ⁵ → “If you don’t snooze, you lose.” ⁶

The Hierarchy of Competence

Language Learning

School is nothing but the starting line of true education

圖像、故事、位置空間 (羅馬房間方位記憶法 = 宮殿記憶法) ⌃
The Learning Pit ⌃
vs Passive Recognition/Review ⌃
Especially the first night after learning something important to you, in order to maximize your chances of retaining the information. Without getting enough hours of quality sleep, you lose much of the chance to consolidate (“save”) the new information in your memory. ⌃
After a good night’s sleep, you’re 20-30% better in terms of skilled performance than where you were at the end of the practice session the day before. ⌃
Neuroplasticity is TRIGGERED by deep focus, but neuroplasticity OCCURS during deep rest and sleep. ⌃

Abdaal, Ali. 2024. Feel-Good Productivity: How To Do More Of What Matters To You. Celadon Books. ↩

Zone-2 Training

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

Zone 2 應該要佔總訓練時間的 80%

極性化訓練 Polarized Training：進步來自於 80% 低強度（moderate）訓練（64–76% of max HR）與 20% 高強度（vigorous）訓練（77–93% of Max HR）的結合。

刺激「粒線體 Mitochondria」
- 粒線體的成長，是以「年」為單位，才能看出成果。因此，持之以恆是關鍵！
- 「粒線體的數量」和「新陳代謝能力 & 壽命長度」成正比。
  
  長壽金字塔的底座！
增加有氧系統/燃燒「脂肪」效率（Mitochondrial Efficiency）
提高乳酸清除速度 ¹
提高胰島素敏感度
降低靜止心率

放慢速度需要勇氣

心律法：維持在最大心率 70–80 % 的心律區間。
自覺運動強度法 ²：仰賴主觀感受，有點喘，但還能聊天，也就是 LDS 喇低賽強度/微笑速度。(You should be able to converse, but with difficulty.)
呼吸檔位法：呼氣和吸氣都是透過鼻子，讓呼出的 CO2 與吸入的 O2 是平衡的，且呼氣和吸氣的時間相同。當有用嘴巴吐氣的衝動時，心律差不多就超出 Zone 2 了。

在 Zone 2 區間，乳酸不會堆積。 ⌃
= RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) ⌃

🤖 AI Prompt

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 5 min read

Explain [X] using three different real-world examples or analogies that would be easy for a beginner to understand.
I want to learn about [X]. Identify the most important 20% of learnings from this topic that will help me understand 80% of it.
I am learning about [X]. Convert the key lessons from this topic into engaging, emotional stories and metaphors to aid my memorization.
Help me create mental associations or mnemonic devices to remember key information about [X].
Explain [X] as if you were talking to a 5-year-old child. Use simple language and everyday examples. ¹
I want to learn [X]. I am a complete beginner. Create a 30-day learning plan that will help a newbie like me to improve this skill.
Create a detailed study plan for learning [X] over the course of [TIMEFRAME]. Include specific goals, resources, and milestones.

Summarize the book [X], and give me a list of the most important insights, takeaways, and actionable tips/advice from this book.

2

ELI5: ³
TLDR: ⁴
STEP-BY-STEP: ⁵
DEEP DIVE: ⁶

Connect these dots for me: ⁷
What story is the data telling? ⁸

What’s the loop I’m stuck in right now? ⁹
What would I not want to hear right now? ¹⁰
You are a CIA investigator. Your mission is to compile an in-depth intelligence report about me. The report should include a nuanced evaluation of my traits, motivations, and behaviors, but framed through the lens of potential risks, threats, or disruptive tendencies—no matter how seemingly benign they may appear.
You are my brutally honest thinking partner. Your job is to sharpen my thinking and expose my blind spots. You are not my cheerleader or yes-man. You are the friend who grabs my arm before I walk into traffic. Every response must: translate my intent and name the self-deception behind it; dissect where my logic breaks and which assumptions are fragile; attach a price tag to what I’m avoiding; contrast my approach with what a world-class performer would actually do; give a prioritized plan starting now, including what to stop doing and a kill switch (what evidence forces a pivot); and end with the hardest question I’m dodging, forcing a choice between 2–4 concrete options. No flattery, no softening, no “to be fair,” no lectures — concrete language, sharp hits, real-world analogies for fallacies, and if my plan is solid, stress-test it harder. Leave me seeing something I missed, even if it stings.

What else should I know? ¹¹
What would you do in my shoes? ¹²
Let’s think about this differently. ¹³
Play devil’s advocate against yourself. ¹⁴
What’s the counterintuitive move here? ¹⁵

What would I regret not knowing? ¹⁶
What am I not seeing here? ¹⁷

Give me v2 ¹⁸
I’m probably wrong, but… ¹⁹
What’s the 80/20 here? ²⁰

I am trying to learn about [X]. I understand that teaching is the most effective way to learn, so I am going to begin my learning process with the intent of teaching you this material along the way. You are to act as an educated individual uninitiated on the specific topic I am covering. Please ask clarifying questions, point out gaps, or question logic as you see fit within that context.
Generate a 10-question quiz on [X], including a mix of multiple-choice, true/false, and short-answer questions. Provide answers and brief explanations for each question.
[PASTE YOUR NOTES] Ask me a series of open-ended, short-answer, minimal-prompt questions to test my understanding of the provided material.

List the top cities in [COUNTRY], and anthropomorphize each one, listing the good-natured stereotypes and jokes that other people in [COUNTRY] say about people in this city.

Useful for any jargon-heavy topic. ⌃
You don’t need a paragraph to steer the model. One word is enough to set the mode. ⌃
Explain it like I’m five. ⌃
Condense whatever is pasted after it. ⌃
The procedure as ordered, granular steps. ⌃
Exhaustive treatment of one topic: the mechanism, edge cases, caveats, where it breaks. ⌃
Dump in random facts. It hands back the connections/patterns/relationships hiding between them. ⌃
Perfect for anything with numbers. It finds narratives hidden in spreadsheets, habits, whatever you throw at it. ⌃
Turns the lens on your own framing. ⌃
Opens the door to the uncomfortable truths you’re avoiding. ⌃
Adds context and warnings you never thought to ask for. ⌃
Stops it being a neutral helper and gets an actual opinion — better than a balanced list of options. ⌃
Stops it reaching for the default answer. Same question, fresh track. ⌃
Makes it argue both sides of its own answer. You get the full picture instead of just the obvious take. ⌃
Gets past obvious advice to weird strategies that actually work. “What’s the counterintuitive move for networking?” reveals approaches nobody else uses. ⌃
This hits different than “what else should I know.” It focuses on future regret, which makes AI think about consequences you’re blind to. ⌃
Finds the assumptions under your own framing. ⌃
Instead of saying “improve this,” ask for a specific version. “Give me v2” frames it as a fresh take, not a fix — and AI treats it like a revision, not a critique. ⌃
It stops being defensive and starts collaborating. ⌃
Cuts through the noise to identify the 20% of effort that delivers 80% of the value. ⌃

📋 Cheat Sheet

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

Drop all stashed at once
Terminal window
```
git stash clear
```
Show the files in the most recent stash
Terminal window
```
git stash show
```
Drop the most recent stash
Terminal window
```
git stash drop
```
List all stashes
Terminal window
```
git stash list
```
Show the changes of the most recent stash
Terminal window
```
git stash show -p
```

Show IP address

ifconfig wlan0 | grep 'inet ' | awk '{print $2}'

Sync system clock
Terminal window
```
sudo timedatectl set-ntp true && date
```

Check voltage

vcgencmd get_throttled | grep -q throttled=0x50005 && echo "Low voltage detected! Please use official power supply." || echo "Power requirement satisfied."

Print the public SSH key, which can be used for authentication on remote servers
Terminal window
```
cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
```
Validate SSH
Terminal window
```
ssh -T git@github.com
```
Generate SSH key
Terminal window
```
ssh-keygen
```

Connect to a WiFi network

nmcli dev wifi connect SSID password PASSWORD

Display a list of all saved network connections on the system
Terminal window
```
nmcli con show
```
List all available Wi-Fi networks detected by the system
Terminal window
```
nmcli dev wifi list
```
Show the status of all network interfaces, including their connection states
Terminal window
```
nmcli dev status
```

🦾 Gym Workout

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

= Bodyweight Row ⌃

🌱 Healthy Food

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

Legumes (荚豆) ⁷

佛手瓜

Cardamom ⁴¹

= 碾碎小麥 ⌃
= 蕎麥 ⌃
= 藜麥 ⌃
= 珍珠麥 = 小薏仁 ⌃
全麥中唯一含有豐富 β- 葡聚醣的水溶性膳食纖維穀物 ⌃
= 豆薯 = 涼薯 = 洋地瓜 ⌃
Legumes are plants in the pea family Fabaceae, or the fruit or seeds of such plants. When used as a dry grain for human consumption, the seeds are also called pulses. ⌃
= Lentil (DE) = 扁豆 ⌃
= Kichererbsen (DE) = 鷹嘴豆 = 雞豆 = 雪蓮子 ⌃
For baking, the liquid found in a can of chickpeas is known as aquafaba and serves as an excellent substitute for eggs. Approximately 3 tablespoons of aquafaba equate to one egg, 2 tablespoons are equivalent to one egg white, and 1 tablespoon is roughly equal to one egg yolk. ⌃
市場上泛稱「四季豆」 ⌃
又分為：敏豆、醜豆、粉豆 ⌃
= 長豆 = 豆角 = Red Noodle Yard-Long Bean ⌃
= Black-Eyed Peas = 米豆 ⌃
= 胡豆 = 佛豆 = Horse Bean = Broad Bean ⌃
= 花豆 = 荷包豆 ⌃
= Esskastanie / Maroni (DE) = 栗子 ⌃
= Haselnuss (DE) ⌃
= 夏威夷豆 ⌃
= 巴西堅果 ⌃
One of the richest dietary sources of selenium. Eating just two nuts per day provides significant health benefits without exceeding recommended selenium limits. ⌃
= 洋車前子 = Flohsamen ⌃
= 大陸 A 菜 = 鵝仔菜 ⌃
= Lady’s Fingers = 秋葵 ⌃
= stem/celery/asparagus/Chinese lettuce = 嫩莖萵苣 = 萵筍 = A 菜心 ⌃
= 櫻桃蘿蔔 ⌃
= 歐洲防風草 (歐防風) = 歐洲蘿蔔 ⌃
= Chinese Broccoli ⌃
= Amaranth = 莧（ㄒㄧㄢˋ ）菜 = 長壽菜 ⌃
鐵含量比菠菜高出約 2 倍 → 補鈣勝牛奶、補鐵勝豬肝！ ⌃
種子與藜麥類似，屬於無麩質的「偽穀物 (pseudocereal)」 ⌃
= Napa Cabbage ⌃
= Frisée = Endivia ⌃
其鐵質含量為蔬菜之冠！ ⌃
整顆球體中，僅有底部的肉質花托可以食用，可食用比例非常低，被戲稱為「公設比最高」的蔬菜。 ⌃
= 蛋黃果 = 雞蛋果 = Canistel = Egg Fruit ⌃
是一種來自秘魯的超級食物 ⌃
在馬來西亞、新加坡和泰國，榴槤和山竹被視為「夫妻果」：榴槤 → 果王；山竹 → 果后 ⌃
= 長壽果 ⌃
= 泡泡果 = 巴婆果 ⌃
= 豆蔻 ⌃
= 巴西蘑菇 ⌃
= 黃金蘑菇 ⌃

💪 Home Exercise

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

= 肩胛骨推舉 ⌃
= 交互式肱三頭肌伸展 ⌃
= 飛機式伏地挺身 ⌃
= 跳躍碰腳跟 ⌃
= Side-to-Side Lunges = 側弓箭步 ⌃
= 定點弓箭步 ⌃
= 高抬腿 ⌃
= 後踢腿 ⌃
= 深蹲跳 ⌃
= 側向墊步 ⌃
= 轉體弓箭步 ⌃
= 強力深蹲 ⌃
= 弓箭步登階 ⌃
= 深蹲定格提踵 ⌃
= 船式靜止 ⌃
= 死蟲式 ⌃
= 滑行平板 ⌃
Variations: Seated Knee Tucks, Jumping Knee Tucks ⌃
= 抱膝捲腹 ⌃
= 仰臥交替踢腿 ⌃
= 仰臥交替摸腳跟 ⌃
= 膝蓋碰手肘 ⌃
= 高低棒式（手掌撐地＋手肘撐地） ⌃
RTO = Rings Turned Out ⌃
= Ardha Purvottanasana = 反向桌式 ⌃
= Kapotasana ⌃
= Mandukasana ⌃
= Savasana ⌃
= Vrikshasana ⌃

💭 Journal Prompt

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 30 min read

What is the biggest bottleneck that holds me back today? Am I avoiding it?
What am I going to be celebrating one year from today?
What small action can I take today to make myself slightly better off tomorrow?
What would future me wish that I had done today?
What does that ideal future look like? What does that imply about how I need to live today?
What would I invest in today assuming I had to hold the investment forever?
What would Tomorrow Me want Today Me to do in the present moment?
If I knew I would die in 10 years, what would I do today? what would I most regret not doing?
What would my greatest day look like today? What is today’s adventure going to be? What is my side quest for today?
How do I want to feel at the end of the day? Joyful or frustrated? What do I need to do now, so that I can feel this way in the evening?

Are the results I’m expecting aligned with the actions I took today?
What cracks am I creating today that could become major problems tomorrow?
Am I putting myself in the best position possible today, so that Future Me can play easy mode?
If I repeated every action I took today, every day for a year, where would I end up? Is this the place I want to be?
What actions am I engaged in today that I will cringe at in 5 years?
What would my 80-year-old self say about my decisions today?
What good habit did I perform today that will benefit me in a decade?
Am I putting myself in good positions and creating the conditions that are impossible to fail and guaranteed for success? ¹
Is what I were doing today getting me closer to where I want to be tomorrow?
What produced energy today? What drained me of energy? What will I schedule or cut tomorrow?
Which moments were the most important? Which moments were the most memorable? What major realizations did I have?
What did I learn? How can I improve? What was my biggest win of the day?
What frustrated me? What disappointed me? What is this teaching me? How does this reveal my core values?
What’s on the agenda for tomorrow? How will I push the needle forward?
Am I a little wiser now than I were when I woke up? Am I getting better than yesterday? Did I beat Yesterday Me?
If my body could vote on my daily schedule, what would it immediately veto?

If I could only accomplish one thing today, what would make everything else easier or unnecessary?
Which undone item, if done today, would liberate the most energy for me personally?
What are the one or two mission-critical tasks I could accomplish today that would define the day as a success?
What is today’s biggest and most critical task that’ll render all the rest either easier or completely irrelevant?
If I were the last person on earth, would I still do the thing I’m going to do?
What would I do if I wasn’t afraid of being wrong or judged?
What is scarce in my work? How can I leverage it? What aspect of my work is hardest to copy? How can I amplify it?
If I had a heart attack and could only work two hours per day, what would I choose to do? If I had another heart attack and had to work only two hours per week, what would I do?
What is the ONE highest-leverage thing I can do now that’ll take the largest load off my shoulders?
What activity I can do now that will create the most impact and value to the world?
Where is my energy better spent: pushing harder or planting myself in better ground?

Am I climbing the right mountain?
Am I focusing on input, or output per unit input?
Are my actions aligned with what I say my priorities are?
What would this look like if it were dead simple or stupid easy?
Have I considered whether doing less might actually lead to better results?
How can I approach this with a little less seriousness and a little more sincerity? ²
How can I be fully engaged in the task, but not too fixated about getting it 100% right?
What would this look like if it were fun?
Am I being productive or just active/busy?
Am I focusing on solving the problem, or on creating the appearance of solving the problem?
Is there a higher leverage, more efficient way to approach this?
What is the most sensible order of tasks? Which tasks naturally flow into each other? How can I make transitions smoother?
Am I chasing mice or hunting antelope? ³ ⁴
Am I using the right tool, or just the familiar one?
If this is the only thing I accomplish today, will I be satisfied with my day?
Am I inventing things to do to avoid the important?
Am I focusing on the big, weighty, important tasks that will provide sufficient reward for my energy? Or am I burning calories chasing the tiny wins that will not move the needle?
How can the work I am doing accumulate and layer on top of what I did previously?
Which 20% of work produces 80% of result?
Am I solving the right problem, or just the first one I noticed?
What constraints am I treating as fixed that might be flexible?
If this were someone else’s problem, what advice would I give them?
What if I tried the opposite of what I’ve been trying?
What is the most sustainable, long-term solution? How can I address it effectively while committing the minimum amount of time and effort possible?
Am I willing to do the bad, ugly version of this thing for a long time in order to earn the winning version I’m proud of?

What kept me sane?
When does it benefit me to be patient and when does it not?
What in my field do I think is a law but is actually just a rule?
What does my ideal ordinary Tuesday look like? What am I doing? Who am I with? How am I spending my time? What makes this day perfect for me?
What do I hope will be different 10 years from now?
If I do nothing, what will happen? If I act right now, what will happen? ⁵
How well am I treating my body and why?
What would I do even if I knew it was going to fail?
Where am I allowing my self-protection to become self-rejection?
What is holding me back from living my best life?
What am I working on and why? Does it suuport my future-self?
What might I do to accomplish my 10-year goals in the next 6 months, if I had a gun against my head?
Where would I most like to live?
How is my behavior and lack of presence contributing negatively to the situation that I don’t want?
Imagine my life as a novel. What title would I give to the current chapter? If I am going to look back on this chapter after reading the entire novel, what actions would have made this chapter a key inflection point in my life journey?
Am I gathering more information to get in the way of more action?
How will my current struggle fuel my future inevitable growth?
How would I like to die?
I am attending the TED conference, and everyone in the audience (including me) is deeply moved and inspired by what the speaker is talking about. The speaker is me, 20 years in the future. What is ”Me + 20 Years” talking about, and what is exciting about it?
What is my greatest extravagance?
What makes me hopeful?
What would I attempt if I knew I couldn’t fail?
What is the quality I most like in a woman?
What if my path is a spiral? What if I’m not really going in circles, but going upwards?
When have I felt most joyful this year and what steps can I take to recreate those conditions?
If I were stuck in a third world prison or on an island, then I had to call someone to bail me out. Who would I call? ⁶
What would I do if I had a billion dollars?
What is my greatest fear?
What are some small things that other people have done that really make my day?
How can I do less, but better?
What did I do as a child that made the hours pass like minutes?
What advantage am I accumulating?
Half your problems are just your mind making minor things seem like major things: What am I over-emphasizing right now?
How long will I put off what I am capable of doing just to continue what I am comfortable doing?
If everything were to stay the same, what’s the one tiny change that would have the greatest positive impact in my life?
What am I not achieving simply because I haven’t asked?
If I hired the best CEO in the world to be the CEO of my life, what actions would be on their 100-day plan?
Am I being the type of person who could achieve my goals? Why or why not?
Who do I still owe an apology? Can I make one in the next 5 minutes?
What is the trait I most deplore in myself?
What are the 20% of activities or people causing 80% of my stress?
What would I do if I could stop time for two months?
If I woke up 3 years from now and were living my ideal life, what were the 3 things I did to get me there?
What are the boring, basic, tiny actions I am avoiding right now?
What is a boundary that I need to draw and protect in my life?
What do I believe to be true that is not?
What is not being said right now that needs to be said? What problems could we avoid in the future, if only we had the courage to talk about them now?
What have I been told I’m really good or poor at?
What are the boat anchors or bottlenecks that create drags in my life? What are the things silently holding me back? How can I slowly, methodically cut these lines and unleash my full power?
What unrealistic grand beliefs should I cultivate more?
Think of my childhood. What is one area where my parents did a good job? What is one area where they could have done better?
What are the current habits that are hindering my future progress?
If someone observed my actions for a week, what would they say my priorities are? Does my actions align with my intention?
Did I try my best? Did I give absolutely everything I have?
What keeps working for me once it’s done?
Am I taking enough risks?
Who is my best friend?
Who is the most difficult person in my life? Why?
What work am I avoiding?
If I had a $100M in my bank account, what would I do with my time?
What are the principles that I want to live my life by?
How is my curiosity being directed? Is it rocket fuel or a roadblock?
What is the burden that I am still carrying? Perhaps it is time to place them down on the riverbank.
How am I complicit in creating the conditions I say I don’t want?
What do I hope will be the same 10 years from now?
What would I advise someone else in my situation?
What would I work on if I had only six months to live?
Think about something I am facing right now. Have I been trying to think my way to a solution or act my way to a solution? ⁷
What advice would I give myself 10 years ago?
What do I wish I could do more quickly? What do I wish I could do more slowly?
In what areas of my life do I communicate well? In what areas do I communicate poorly?
What is my most treasured possession?
If everything else stays the same, what one variable could create the biggest positive change on my situation?
Imagine you’re near death and in a coma at the hospital, everybody has gathered around you and you can hear them. But they don’t know that you can hear them and start talking about you. What do you want them to be saying?
What is the worst scenario that could happen?
What do I consider my greatest achievement?
What is my greatest regret?
Where am I consistently executing the wrong thing?
What silly story am I telling to myself?
Which historical figure do I mostly identify with?
Who is somebody that I miss? Why?
Where will my life end up if I have the same lifestyle or keep doing the same thing for 10 years?
Opportunities in life come through people. Who do you need to connect with to gain access to the opportunities you want?
If I could change one thing about the world, what would it be and why? How could I contribute to this change?
What drives the long-term goal for my future-self?
What is the best compliment I ever received?
What is the worst thing that could happen?
What do I believe is true only because believing it puts me in good standing with my tribe?
If I woke up in 10 years and were in flow, what actions did I take that got me there?
What was my greatest waste of time?
What is something that I have a hard time being honest about, even to those I trust the most? Why?
If I were the main character in a movie of my life, what would the audience be screaming at me to do right now? ⁸ ⁹ ¹⁰
Am I leaning into my unfair advantages?
What is the quality I most like in a man?
If I could write my own eulogy, what would it say?
What thinking patterns or toxic, false beliefs I have now would have to be broken and changed?
In what area of life am I underestimating or limiting myself?
Which living person do I most admire?
What brings me genuine happiness?
What was a seemingly inconsequential decision that made a big impact in my life?
How would I accomplish my 5-year goals in the next year?
Which talent would I most like to have?
If I could change one thing about myself, what would it be?
When you’re told that something is impossible, is that the end of the conversation, or does that start a second dialogue in your mind? ¹¹ ¹²
Imagine, at the end of a long life when you’ve passed away, you’re at the pearly gates of heaven, and the angels have allowed you back to your life for just one moment, and right now is that time. How do you respond?
What does “ready” feel like to me? How did I know I were ready for a major step that I have taken in my life?
Think about a “what if?” or worst-case scenario and work your way through the problem. What are my options if it were to happen?
Why do I get out of bed in the morning?
Do I make it default to focus on deep work that creates value in the world and is difficult to replicate?
What is my most marked characteristic?
What are the small habits that could lead to big changes in my life?
Is this relationship making me fulfilled or just less lonely?
In what ways am I currently self-sabotaging or holding myself back?
What do I need to say no to, so that I have space for what I really want to say yes to?
What do I want my obituary or tombstone to say?
What is one habit I have formed that had a significant impact on my life?
How can I collaborate with people in my field who enjoy unfair advantages?
If I could only spend 2 hours a week working on my business, what would I do that most moves the needle? And why am I not just focusing on doing that with the rest of my time too?
What is my motto?
What are my core values, and how did my daily actions align with them?
What do people frequently misunderstand about me?
What do I find painful but worth doing?
What is the core elements of my ideal day and week?
What is the 2-minute version of the task I am avoiding?
What is the luckiest thing that happened to me?
Would the idea of living my current life on repeat perpetually be horrifying or affirming?
What assumptions am I currently making that could be incorrect?
Why do I dress the way that I do?
Which responsibilities, relationships, or projects have been weighing heavily on me and can I give myself permission to let one of them go right now?
What biases do I need to work on?
Which decisions and actions would the Ideal Me make and take?
In my own work and life, are there any areas where I am at risk of optimizing the fun out of them?
What is a reminder that I would like to tell myself next time I am in a downward spiral?
What is the trait I most deplore in others?
Am I spending my time in alignment with my goals and priorities?
How did I bond with one of the best friends I’ve ever had?
What project, if successful, will make the rest of my career look like a footnote?
What is one dream I have always had but never pursued? Why is it a dream for me? What has stopped me from pursuing it?
What would I do if I had only 6 months to live?
Do I know the game I am playing? Do I want the prize for winning this game? Is the game worth winning?
What do I most dislike about my appearance?
Imagine I am living my ideal day in the future, what am I doing? How does it differ from my current typical day?
When and where was I happiest?
What part of my work do I most enjoy? What part do I least enjoy? Why?
What do I consider the lowest depth of misery?
Who or what is the greatest love of my life?
What lie have I repeated to myself so many times that it feels like the truth?
Which bad habit am I struggling with, and what is the root cause?
How can I make sure I actually commit to the experience, rather than retreating back to the safety of my comfort zone?
What action(s) can I take that would force me to fully commit to a path I have been thinking about for a while?
Where am I inconsistently executing the right thing?
What is the tiny first step that will move me closer to my big, scary goal?
What sacrifices am I willing to make to get the things I want?
Who are the people I most admire, and why? What qualities do they possess that I wish to emulate?
Who is my hero of fiction?
What is one thing I can do this week that is different than what I do on a normal week?
What kind of game am I playing? Is this a game I can win?
You have a plan. A time-traveller from 2030 appears and tells you your plan failed. Which part of your plan do you think is the one that fails?
What would I like to do if money were no object? How would I like to spend my time?
What am I afraid of? How is that fear holding me back?
What happens when I am angry?
Where am I avoiding a hard conversation that I need to have?
What annoys me about other people that I sometimes do myself?
If I woke up in 10 years and everything were broken, what went wrong?
In my professional life, who do I admire most? In my personal life, who do I admire most?
Where, in my life, should I consider burning the ships?
What might I be able to spend more time on if I find an easier way to do this?
What do I consider the most overrated virtue?
What do I most value in my friends?
How can I design incentives and an environment that will naturally bring about my desired change?
What do I need to give myself more credit for?
Whose life do I admire that is secretly miserable?
How can I change my outlook by changing my perspective?
If myself 10-20 years from now was to give me some advice, what would that be?
What do I really want?
When was the last time I allowed myself to celebrate good and sufficient enough?
Think about the last time you cried. If those tears could talk, what would they have said?
What accomplishments do I want to recognize and celebrate?
Would I treat my best friend the way I am treating myself?
What is something I would be proud to fail on, if I had the courage to attempt it?
How did I end up with such a blessed life?
If I could give everyone in the world one gift, what would it be?
Do I actually need more information, or do I simply need to act on the information I already have?
What is my idea of perfect happiness?
Who am I spending time with and why?
How can I be more present in my daily activities?
Would I be happy with this result if no one other than me and my family could see it, and I didn’t compare the result to the appearance of other people’s success?
How quickly can I get started? How quickly can I learn from my mistakes?
Imagine I have achieved everything I have ever wanted. How have I changed as a person? What qualities and achievements define this future version of myself?
If I had all the money and time in the world, how would I use my talents to serve others?
On what occasion do I lie?
How is cheap becoming expensive in my life?
How can I bring the after into the before?
Do I want to be liked or loved?
What’s something I used to believe that I no longer subscribe to?
Am I aware of the finite, impermanent nature of my time?
What are my strongest beliefs and what would it take for me to change my mind on them?
What do I need to let go of to create space for what I really want?
What system can I create that will make the goal inevitable?

If I knew I had to live with the results of this action forever, would I still do it this way?
If I lived in a world where everyone made the exact same salary, what would I choose to do for work?

What important truth do very few people agree with me on?
Am I holding onto something that I no longer need?
What beliefs about myself have expired and no longer served me?
What hard lesson keeps repeating itself in my life because I refuse to learn it?

If I had 10x the agency I have, what would I do?

Are the results I’m expecting aligned with my current habits? Can my current habits carry me to my desired future?

What can I serve for the world? How am I making the world a little bit better? How the world will be different without me?
What would I need to hear and get from a past generation to convince me to complete a project they began?
What mastery or gift have I developed that I can offer to the world? ¹³
Am I doing this because it makes me feel curious and alive, or because inertia makes it easy to continue doing and I’m hesitant to let go?

Imagine, at the end of a long life when you’ve passed away, you’re at the pearly gates of heaven, and the angels have allowed you back to your life for just one moment, and right now is that time. How do you respond?
What season am I in right now? What am I optimizing for?
Close the eyes, look within. Am I satisfied with the life I’m living?
Which distractions in my life have become disguised as priorities?
In which areas of my personal or professional life am I an amateur pretending to play a “Winner’s Game”?
If a competent CEO got to run my life for a day, what is the first thing they would eliminate?

If this year was a movie, book or album, what would its title be?
Which habits have become more important and I need to double down on next year? Which habits are no longer serving me and need to be replaced next year?
今年有哪裡做得好的地方? 今年有哪裡可以做得更好的地方?
What did/didn’t I change my mind on this year?
What were my greatest hits and worst misses this year?
How far have I come this year? Who do I want to become next year?
What achievements am I most proud of this year (highlights)? What was my biggest failure and hardest aspect this year (lowlights)?
What behaviors or habits positively supported my health, and which ones negatively impacted it?
Who had a positive impact on me and my life? How did they impact me?
Who held me back and/or drained me? How did they impact me?
When did I feel the most energized this year, and what contributed to that energy?
When did I feel the most depleted, and what patterns or circumstances led to that?
What did I learn (武裝) this year, and what did I unlearn (卸裝)?
What got too much of my attention this year, and what didn’t get enough?
What did I do this year that I’d never done before? What did I not do this year because of fear?
Where did I take risks this year, and where did I hold myself back?
Did anyone close to me give birth this year? Did anyone close to me die this year?
What cities/states/countries did I visit this year?
What date(s) from this year will remain etched upon my memory, and why?
What were my best days this year, and how can I create more of them?
What was the best thing I bought this year? Where did most of my money go this year?
What did I get really, really, really excited about this year?
Compared to this time last year, am I: happier or sadder? Thinner or fatter? Richer or poorer?
What was the best book I read this year?
What was my favorite meal this year?
What did I do on my birthday this year?
Who brings out the best in me this year, and how can I spend more time with them next year?
Who was the best new person I met this year?
What did I learn about myself this year?
What valuable life lesson did I learn this year?
What is a quote that sums up my year?
What and who am I most grateful for this year?
What 3–5 words or phrases would I use to describe this year?

沒了名片，我還剩下什麼？如果拔掉所有身份地位和職業頭銜，我是誰？我跟別人又有什麼差別？
How can I make myself an outsider/outlier?
How do I step into who I am and what I’ve been given?
What mastery or gift have I developed that I can offer to the world?
A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor. Better waves make better surfers. Am I on the right beach?
Who do I secretly envy—and what does that reveal about what I truly value?
Am I prepared for my moment? ¹⁴
What would happen if I gave just a little bit more?
What is something I really want, but haven’t actually asked for?
Am I allowing their narrative to impact my life? ¹⁵
What will I regret not having done or learned 10 years from now?
What trade-offs am I willing to make — or no longer willing to make?
What is something I deeply believe but rarely live out?
Where am I outsourcing responsibility for my happiness? How can I start taking it back?
What self-imposed sentence are you serving that you need to let go of?
What would I ask for if I wasn’t afraid of hearing no?
What small daily actions am I overlooking that are actually laying the foundation of my future?
Where am I rushing right now when I should be moving deliberately? Where am I dragging my feet right now when I should be moving fast?
What do I think of myself when I’m by myself?
Do I actually want this, or am I just afraid to say I don’t?
What rules am I following that are really just suggestions?
What am I avoiding just because I know the answer is painful?

Is this a problem I need to solve or a tension I need to learn to live with?

16 ¹⁷

To what extent did achieving [X] actually change your life—both in expected and unexpected ways?
What’s something most people consider essential that you’ve found entirely unnecessary?
Is there a daily habit or routine you wish you had adopted much earlier? Why?
What’s one unconventional decision you made five years ago that drew criticism at the time—but ultimately paid off?
What’s a small, oddly specific hill you’ll always be willing to die on? ¹⁸
What’s a compliment you received years ago that still sticks with you—and why?
What’s the most recent belief or perspective you changed your mind about? What prompted the shift? ¹⁹
What were I wrong about most recently?
What are you genuinely great at, and how did you realize it?
What’s a random, quirky, and weird skill you take way too seriously and become competitive about?
What does your personal “endgame” look like—when do you know you’ve won? ²⁰
If success were guaranteed, what’s the first thing you’d try? ²¹
What’s your best-case scenario for the next few years?
If no one ever noticed or judged, what’s the one outfit you’d wear on repeat forever?
What’s something you keep collecting without even realizing it?
What’s your favorite time of the day like 12:34 p.m.?
What traits do you share with your family (parents or siblings)—and which ones are completely your own?
What’s something about you that usually takes people a long time to notice or understand? ²² ²³ ²⁴ ²⁵
What’s lighting you up in your work these days? ²⁶ ²⁷ ²⁸
Who do you admire most, and what about them speaks to you?
What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do, and what did it teach you?
What’s the most meaningful impact you’ve ever made? ²⁹
What’s something you used to believe strongly that you no longer do? ³⁰
What’s something you ignored early on—only to realize later that it mattered far more than you thought?
Do you believe there’s something greater than us? Why or why not?
What was a real low point for you, and how did you get through it?
What questions do you like asking people?

“Success is largely the failures you avoid. Health is the injuries you don’t sustain. Wealth is the purchases you don’t make. Happiness is the objects you don’t desire. Peace of mind is the arguments you don’t engage. Avoid the bad to protect the good.” — James Clear ⌃
Human being, not human doing. ⌃
“A lion is fully capable of capturing, killing, and eating a field mouse. But it turns out that the energy required to do so exceeds the caloric content of the mouse itself. So a lion that spent its day hunting and eating field mice would slowly starve to death. A lion can’t live on field mice. A lion needs antelope. Antelope are big animals. They take more speed and strength to capture and kill, and once killed, they provide a feast for the lion and her pride. A lion can live a long and happy life on a diet of antelope. The distinction is important. Are you spending all your time and exhausting all your energy catching field mice? In the short term it might give you a nice, rewarding feeling. But in the long run you’re going to die.” — Buck Up, Suck Up … and Come Back When You Foul Up: 12 Winning Secrets from the War Room ⌃
The lion that chases mice will starve. The lion that hunts antelope will thrive. ⌃
Sometimes you need to let go. Sometimes you need to get going. ⌃
A question to identify the most high-agency person in your life ⌃
Sometimes you need more action, sometimes you need a better strategy. ⌃
“You are not just the actor of your life movie, you are also the director and the screenwriter.” → 你不只是人生電影的演員，也是導演和編劇。 ⌃
On your journey through life, make sure your biography has at least one extraordinary chapter. ⌃
“If you want your life to be a magnificent story, then begin by realizing that you are the author.” — Mark Houlahan ⌃
“Ask how something can be done rather than say it can’t be done.” — Bo Bennett ⌃
“When someone tells me ‘no,’ it doesn’t mean I can’t do it, it simply means I can’t do it with them.” — Karen E. Quinones Miller ⌃
“The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The work of life is to develop it. The meaning of life is to give your gift away.” — David Viscott ⌃
“To each, there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared.” — Winston Churchill ⌃
Remember: it’s not my responsibility to change the narrative that other people have about me. ⌃
Thought-provoking, open-ended deep questions designed to spark meaningful conversations, invite authentic connections, and build stronger bonds. ⌃
These questions work best when they come up naturally, not as a checklist. Pick the ones that resonate and let them emerge naturally in conversation. ⌃
Meaning: What is a really minor or seemingly insignificant opinion, preference, or belief that you feel strongly about and will always defend—no matter how trivial it may seem to others? ⌃
What book, essay, or idea has shifted your perspective lately? ⌃
For example: career, legacy, lifestyle, net worth, etc. ⌃
What do you do just for the fun of it? ⌃
What’s a question you wish people asked you more often—and what would your answer be? ⌃
What do you think your friends or coworkers would say about you? ⌃
What do you think people often misunderstand about you? ⌃
If you had an alter ego, who—or what—would they be? ⌃
What’s a project you’re working on right now that excites you the most? ⌃
What’s the thing you’re currently creating or exploring that you feel most energized by? ⌃
What’s a challenge or opportunity you’re working on right now that you’re especially passionate about? ⌃
What are you proudest of — and why that? ⌃
What’s a belief you held five years ago that you had to unlearn in order to grow? ⌃

⌨️ Keyboard Hotkey

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 11 min read

VS Code

Hotkey	Note
`Cmd` + `[Left-Click]` = `F12`	Go to function definition
`Cmd` + `/`	Comment out current line/selected lines
`Cmd` + `D`	Select word or next occurrence
`Cmd` + `Enter`	Insert line below
`Cmd` + `F`	Open the Find and Replace dialog
`Ctrl` + ` = `Cmd` + `J`	Show/Hide Terminal (& Switch the cursor between Terminal and code)
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `	Create a new Terminal window
`Cmd` + `K 0`	Fold/Collapse open items
`Cmd` + `K J`	Unfold/Expand closed items
`Cmd` + `K S`	View all available keyboard shortcuts
`Cmd` + `K Z`	Toggle Zen mode (View > Appearance > Zen Mode/Centered Layout)
`Cmd` + `K W`	Close all editors
`Cmd` + `L`	Select current line
`Cmd` + `B`	Toggle primary sidebar
`Cmd` + `Opt` + `B`	Toggle secondary sidebar
`Cmd` + `P`	Go to file
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `Enter`	Insert line above
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `L`	Multi-cursor editing - it selects all matches in the current file to the currently highlighted text. Press “ESC” to disable it. ¹
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `P`	Open command palette
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `F`	Open Search panel
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `E`	Open the Explorer file tree and reveal the file you’re currently viewing.
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `X`	Open Extensions marketplace
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `M`	Open Problems panel (for linting errors, warnings, and diagnostics)
`Ctrl` + `Tab`	Switch between tabs
`F2`	Rename every occurrence of the same reference
`Opt` + `[Left-Click]`	Put cursor on multiple lines simultaneously
`Opt` + `↑/↓`	Move line up/down (reordering). Holding it with `Shift` will copy/duplicate the line as well. In Terminal: move to previous/next tab.
`Opt` + `Shift` + `↑/↓`	Duplicate the current line above/below
`Opt` + `Shift`	Column/Box Selection: Select blocks of text by holding it while you drag your mouse.
`Opt` + `Shift` + `O`	Remove unused imports, declarations, etc.
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `O`	Jump to a specific symbol (a function/class/variable/etc.) in the file
`Cmd` + `\`	Split Editor Down (Vertical Split)
`Cmd` + `K` + `\`	Split Editor Down (Horizontal Split)
`Ctrl` + `[1-9]`	Switch to a specific editor/tab by number
`Cmd` + `K Shift` + `Enter`	Pin/unpin editor/tab
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `\`	Shift focus from the panel to the tabs/panes in Terminal

Apple Notes

Hotkey	Note
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `,`	Zoom out
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `.`	Zoom in
`Ctrl` + `Cmd` + `I`	Show or hide highlights in a shared note
`Ctrl` + `Cmd` + `K`	Show or hide the activity list in a shared note
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `7`	Apply bulleted list format
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `9`	Apply numbered list format
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `L`	Apply checklist format
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `H`	Apply heading format
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `J`	Apply subheading format

Apple Calendar

Hotkey	Note
`Cmd` + `←`	Go to the previous day, week, month, or year
`Cmd` + `→`	Go to the next day, week, month, or year
`Cmd` + `T`	Go to today’s date
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `T`	Go to a specific date
`Cmd` + `1`	Switch to Day view
`Cmd` + `2`	Switch to Week view
`Cmd` + `3`	Switch to Month view
`Cmd` + `4`	Switch to Year view
`Cmd` + `N`	Add a new event
`Cmd` + `E`	Edit the selected event

Apple Reminders

Hotkey	Note
`Cmd` + `]`	Indent Reminder
`Cmd` + `[`	Outdent Reminder
`Cmd` + `T`	Set reminder as due today
`Opt` + `Cmd` + `T`	Set reminder as due tomorrow
`Cmd` + `K`	Set reminder as due next weekend (Saturday)
`Opt` + `Cmd` + `K`	Set reminder as due next week (Monday)
`Shift` + `Cmd` + `E`	Hide all subtasks
`Cmd` + `E`	Show all subtasks
`Shift` + `Cmd` + `C`	Mark reminder as completed or incomplete
`Shift` + `Cmd` + `F`	Flag or unflag reminder
`Cmd` + `[List-Number]`	Go to pinned list. To find the number assigned to each list, choose View > Go To.
`Cmd` + `Enter`	While editing: Save/exit editing the reminder; While not editing: Mark reminder as complete ² ³

ChatGPT Desktop Application

Hotkey	Note
`Ctrl` + `Cmd` + `S`	Toggle sidebar
`Cmd` + `N`	Open new chat
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `N`	Open new temporary chat

Hotkey	Note
`Cmd` + `[`	Move back to the previous Finder location
`Cmd` + `]`	Move forward to the next Finder location
`Cmd` + `1`	Show the active window in icon mode
`Cmd` + `2`	Show the active window in list mode
`Cmd` + `3`	Show the active window in column mode
`Cmd` + `4`	Show the active window in gallery mode
`Cmd` + `Delete/Backspace`	Move the selected item to Trash
`Opt` + `Cmd` + `Delete/Backspace`	Permanently delete the selected item (bypasses the Trash)
`Cmd` + `D`	Duplicate selected item(s)
`Cmd` + `Enter`	Rename the selected item
`Cmd` + `O`	Open (or launch) the selected item, just like double-clicking it
`Cmd` + `I`	Open the Info window for the selected item
`Cmd` + `J`	Open Show View Options, where you can customize how a folder’s contents are displayed. Click Use as Defaults to apply the current view settings to all new folders and to existing folders that don’t have their own saved view settings.
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `.`	Reveal hidden files such as ._ (dot underscore) files that are normally invisible
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `G`	Takes you to a folder that you specify
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `I`	Go to “iCloud Drive” in Finder
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `A`	Go to “Applications” in Finder
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `O`	Go to “Documents” in Finder
`Cmd` + `Opt` + `L`	Go to “Downloads” in Finder
`Cmd` + `Opt` + `C`	Copy the full path of the selected file or folder. If nothing is selected, it copies the path of the current directory instead.
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `N`	Create a new folder
`Ctrl` + `Opt` + `Cmd` + `1`	Sort by name
`Ctrl` + `Opt` + `Cmd` + `2`	Sort by kind
`Ctrl` + `Opt` + `Cmd` + `6`	Sort by size

Gmail

Hotkey	Note

macOS

Hotkey	Note
`Cmd` + `[Left-Click]`	On any dock app opens it in Finder. This also works in Spotlight: If you hold `Cmd` while pressing `Enter`, it will show the app (or file) in Finder!
`Cmd` + `Ctrl` + `Q`	Lock screen
`Cmd` + `Ctrl` + `D`	Lets you look up a dictionary definition for the word you hover over with the cursor (no need to select it)
`Cmd` + `Ctrl` + `Shift` + `3`	Snip the full screen and copy the screenshot to clipboard
`Cmd` + `Ctrl` + `Shift` + `4`	Snip the selected area and copy the screenshot to clipboard
`Cmd` + `M`	Minimize window
`Cmd` + `Opt` + `Esc`	Force quit applications
`Cmd` + `Q`	Quit application
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `3`	Capture the full screen
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `4`	Capture a portion of the screen (selected area), just like Snipping Tool in Windows
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `4` + `Space`	Capture a screenshot of a single window. Hold Control (⌃) while taking the screenshot to copy it to the clipboard instead of saving it as a file.
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `5`	Open Screenshot Toolbar
`Ctrl` + `Cmd` + `Space`	Use emojis/symbols. Press it alongside the text to get the corresponding emoji/symbols. Alternative: install Rocket
`Opt` + `Cmd` + `Space`	Open a Finder window with the search bar active
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `/`	Show the menu bar search, which reveals the menu bar with the added benefit of putting the cursor in the search field, so that you can quickly type the command you want and hit `Enter`
`Cmd` + `Space`	Open Spotlight search bar
`Cmd` + `Tab`	Switch between different open applications
`Ctrl` + `Cmd` + `F`	Enter/Exit full screen mode
`Opt` + `Shift` + `K`	
`Fn` + `C`	Open Control Center

Notion

Hotkey	Note
`Cmd` + `[`	Go back a page
`Cmd` + `]`	Go forward a page
`Cmd` + `\`	Show/Hide sidebar

Hotkey	Note
`Ctrl` + `A`	Jump to the start of the line
`Ctrl` + `E`	Jump to the end of the line
`Ctrl` + `U`	Delete everything from the cursor to the end of the command (cut to)
`Ctrl` + `K`	Deletes everything from the cursor to the end of the command
`Ctrl` + `W`	Delete a word backwards from the current cursor position
`Ctrl` + `T`	Swaps the character under the cursor with the previous character
`Ctrl` + `Y`	Paste text from the last killed buffer
`Opt` + `F`	Jump forward by a word
`Opt` + `B`	Jump backward by a word
`Opt` + `D`	Delete a word forwards from the current cursor position
`Ctrl` + `R`	Start a reverse-i-search, which searches through your previous commands. Start typing, and the most recent matching command will appear automatically. Press `⌃ + R` again to cycle through older matches, `← / →` to exit the search and edit the command before running it. This is much faster than cycling through your command history with the `↑ / ↓` keys, especially when you have a long history.

Hotkey	Note
`Cmd` + `[Left-Arrow]` = `Cmd` + `[`	Go back a page
`Cmd` + `[Right-Arrow]` = `Cmd` + `]`	Go forward a page
`Cmd` + `[Left-Click]`	Open link in a new tab
`Cmd` + `D`	Save the current tab as a favorite (i.e., bookmark the current tab)
`Cmd` + `L`	Select address bar (to edit URL)
`Cmd` + `N`	Open a new window
`Cmd` + `R`	Normal reload/refresh a web page
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `B`	Show/Hide the Favorites bar
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `F`	Show/Hide toolbar in full screen mode
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `N`	Open a new InPrivate (無痕模式/私密瀏覽) window
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `R`	Hard reload/refresh a web page
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `T`	Reopen the last closed tab
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `Y`	Show/Hide Collections
`Cmd` + `Opt` + `L`	Show/Hide Downloads
`Cmd` + `Y`	Open History
`Cmd` + `T`	Open a new tab
`Cmd` + `W`	Close the current window
`Cmd` + `Shift` + `W`	Close the current window, along with all its tabs
`Space` = `PgDn`	捲動網頁
`Ctrl` + `Tab`	Moves to the next tab (rightward) ⁴
`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `Tab`	Moves to the previous tab (leftward) ⁵
`Opt` + `Cmd` + `[Right-Arrow]`	Moves to the next tab (rightward) ⁶
`Opt` + `Cmd` + `[Left-Arrow]`	Moves to the previous tab (leftward) ⁷

Hotkey	Note
`/`	Go to search box
`←/→`	Backward/Forward a video by 5 seconds
`↑/↓`	Increase/Decrease volume by 5%
`Ctrl` + `←/→`	Go to the previous/next chapter
`F`	Toggle full screen mode
`K` = `Spacebar`	Toggle Play/Pause
`M`	Toggle Mute/Unmute
`Shift` + `,`	Decrease playback speed
`Shift` + `.`	Increase playback speed
`T`	Toggle theater mode

Bonus: Install the “Multiple Cursor Case Preserve” extension for Visual Studio Code. It ensures that when you’re editing text with multiple cursors, the case formatting—such as camelCase, UPPERCASE, or lowercase—is preserved. This is particularly useful when you need to rename variables or terms consistently without disrupting their original casing. ⌃
When editing a reminder (e.g., you’ve clicked into it to change the text), Cmd + Enter will end editing — it finalizes your changes and exits the editing mode (kind of feels like “selecting” or saving the text). ⌃
When not editing (e.g., you’re just navigating or viewing reminders), Cmd + Enter will select all text and enter the editing mode. ⌃
Note that Ctrl + Tab might follow recently used order depending on browser settings, while Opt + Cmd + [Right-Arrow] always moves tabs in linear/sequential order. ⌃
Note that Ctrl + Shift + Tab might follow recently used order depending on browser settings, while Opt + Cmd + [Left-Arrow] always moves tabs in linear/sequential order. ⌃
Note that Opt + Cmd + [Right-Arrow] always moves tabs in linear/sequential order, while Ctrl + Tab might follow recently used order depending on browser settings. ⌃
Note that Opt + Cmd + [Left-Arrow] always moves tabs in linear/sequential order, while Ctrl + Shift + Tab might follow recently used order depending on browser settings. ⌃

👑 Life Pro Tip

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 45 min read

If it’s raining on a warm summer evening, go outside and dance in it. ¹
Reach out to writers—whether bestselling authors or niche bloggers—whose work resonates with you. This helps deepen your understanding. Additionally, you foster real human connection and open unexpected doors to potential mentorships, collaborations, or friendships. Most readers remain silent, your gratitude will be rare—and memorable.
Read leaked emails to learn how business actually works.
Learn one funny dance move.
Whenever you hug someone, be the last to let go. Life is more fragile than you think.
Call your parents via Zoom and record it. Ask them questions and have them recount / tell stories about their childhood, adventures, fears, dreams, and major life events. Essentially, record a podcast/video interview. Our time with them is finite, but we often fail to recognize it until it’s too late. You’ll be so glad you have this when they’re no longer here. These recordings will last forever, and it really beats just having old photos.
Ask someone to do you a small favor, so that he or she can ask you to do a big one in the future.
- The Ben Franklin Effect: If you’re trying to create a relationship, or even turn an enemy into a friend, you might consider what small favor you can request, rather than what you can give.
- “Nothing makes one feel so strong as a call for help.” — Pope Paul VI
When you borrow a man’s car, always return it with a full tank of gas.
Separate time for experiencing the present from time for reflecting on memories, and post on social media only when reviewing photos back home, as we remember life more effectively not by taking more pictures, but by revisiting (and deleting) them.
Each path is unique. Remind yourself of this by reading memoirs and biographies. If you ever feel like you’re straying from the common route, these books will reassure you that you’re carving out your own distinct journey.
When learning something new, spend 5 minutes trying to teach it to someone. Make a note of where the other person gets confused. Notice where they get confused—you’ll get an immediate sense for your level of understanding of the topic and where you need to dig in more.
Carry a pocket notebook everywhere you go. Get into the habit of jotting down ideas, thoughts, or insights the moment they come to you. You’ll capture sparks of creativity that would otherwise fade—and over time, you’ll build a personal library of ideas to revisit and develop.
How to attract the right people? Be unapologetically yourself. When you edit your personality, you attract relationships that need constant maintenance. Stop filtering who you are to be liked. The right ones will stick. The wrong ones will walk.
“Don’t treat people as bad as they are. Treat them as good as you are.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier

要讓家庭號寶特瓶汽水保氣，最有效的方法是「冷藏」，以維持二氧化碳溶解度，並在每次喝完後，適度「捏扁」瓶身，減少空氣體積，再將瓶口「倒置」存放，讓液體封住瓶口以減緩氣泡逸出，同時務必轉緊瓶蓋，並避免劇烈搖晃；若想延長保氣時間，可額外使用真空酒瓶塞或分裝玻璃瓶，搭配這些技巧可以讓汽水氣泡維持更久。
Most of the pleasure in a dessert comes in the first three bites. After that, you should stop eating it. As a reward, you can eat dessert more often because you don’t binge it.
在食物裡加入一小撮抗氧化物，首推藥草和香料，例如奧勒岡草 (Oregano) 或肉桂粉 (Cinnamon)，即可大幅提升餐點之抗氧化能力。
🥗 Shake your salad back and forth in its container before eating. This helps distribute the dressing evenly, so you use less while still getting great flavor in every bite.
Before squeezing a lime (or any citrus), roll it firmly on the counter with your palm for a few seconds. This breaks down the internal membranes and releases more juice, so you get the most out of every fruit with less effort.
Take cucumbers on your hike, bike ride, or any strenuous activity! Packed with 96% water, they’re a refreshing, hydrating boost when you need it most.

Use garbage bags to pack and transport your hanging clothes. Leave the clothes on the hangers, open a garbage bag, and start to fill it with 8-15 hangers and clothing items, with the bottom of the garments going in first. Then, take the garbage bag ties and wrap them around the neck of the hangers. You can reuse these bags for actual trash later.
Hire movers, but pack and drive yourself. All the work and pain are in loading and unloading the truck.
Make your bed the last (or nearly last) item on the truck so it’s the first off when unloading. Set it up immediately after unloading because you’ll want to rest well after a long drive or day of moving.
Don’t ask your friends to help you move. Instead, ask them to help you after the move to place stuff around, install blinds on the windows, clean the floor, etc.
Use bright-colored labels or stickers, or write on every box to indicate where they should go (kitchen, living room, bedroom, etc.)
Get boxes with the same dimensions. The best are empty banana boxes from the local grocery store — they are sturdy, free, and stack well.
Always pack one box with the absolute essential living items. After a day of moving, you’ll be exhausted and won’t want to dig through several boxes to find them. Pack just enough to last you the next day or two while you unpack everything else.

Giving makes people happy, so why not give gifts others can give?
If you’re torn on what gift to send someone, send a book you love. Pair it with a handwritten note explaining why you chose it for them—the more personal and specific, the better. This thoughtful gesture conveys genuine care and has the potential to foster a deeper connection.
Write on a Post-it® note affixed to a greeting card rather than on the greeting card itself, so the recipient can throw away the Post-it® and reuse your card. (Employ similar logic for any disposable/consumable item.)

Library card + Libby = read stuff and take advantage of all the resources that come with it (e.g., e-books, movies, music, etc.) for FREE, without ever leaving the house! You can even share library cards with friends/family on Libby.
If you believe the police might want your iPhone for evidence during a traffic stop, quickly activate the emergency screen by pressing and holding the side button and volume up/down button of your iPhone simultaneously for about 2 seconds. This will disable biometric identification and require your passcode to access the phone. Alternatively, 5 quick presses of the side button achieves the same result. For maximum security, power off your phone entirely, as iPhones are fully encrypted before the first unlock (BFU). After the first unlock (AFU), data is less secure. Note that biometric unlock also requires the passcode after a restart.
How to correctly use eyebrow razors?
1. 45-degree angle
2. gentle/short/downward strokes in the direction of hair growth
眼鏡布 → 擦眼鏡鏡片 (X) 擦手機螢幕 (O)
Attach water-saving tap aerator to toilet/kitchen faucets
Do a passive wardrobe audit: “At the start of the year, turn all your hangers the wrong way round. By the end of the year, if anything still isn’t facing the right way, get rid of it: if you haven’t worn it for a year, you probably won’t.”
Read 3-star or 6/10 reviews on Amazon, Google Maps, etc. → That’s where a review could be the best and most helpful.
自製果蠅誘捕器：在乾淨的玻璃罐中混合醋與糖，滴入少許洗碗精以破壞表面張力，再放入一小段香蕉增強誘餌香氣；用保鮮膜封口，並在上方戳幾個小洞，果蠅即可自由進入卻難以逃脫，實現“易入難出”效果。
How to not forget your keys?
1. Always put the keys first thing into the backpack/luggage if you plan to leave home at a later time
2. Insert the keys into the door lock
3. Put the keys on your shoes or under whatever you need to take with you leaving home
4. Trick/Train yourself into not locking the door with the knob, but only with the keys
衣物車縫處脫線 → 打火機轉小火，點脫線處，弄熄，線頭就燒成小黑球 (= 打結)
How to make a Post-it® note (N 次貼) lie flawlessly against a surface, without a giant air bubble? Instead of peeling sticky notes from the corner, rip sticky notes from the side, right below where the sticky part ends. Or: pull flat and straight from the bottom up.
讓下次可以快速取用膠帶的方法: (1) 摺一角 (2) 黏在桌邊
Disable auto-play feature on Netflix, YouTube, etc. to prevent binge-watching
牙膏、洗面乳、身體乳液見底時，別急著丟掉 — 把軟管剪開，可以再用好幾次！
Break up effervescent tablets into half with your hand before adding to water. It dissolves quicker due to the increased surface area. Stirring it also quickens up the process.
How to get maximum cooling in your home during summer?
1. Identify the coolest part of your home. In the evening, find a window in a shaded area or on the lower floor where the air is cooler. If possible, use a thermometer to check which part of your home has the lowest temperature.
2. Create cross-ventilation. Open windows on opposite sides of the house to encourage airflow. If you have multiple floors, open windows upstairs and downstairs to enhance the chimney effect.
3. Wait for the right temperature. Once the outdoor temperature drops below the indoor temperature, it’s time to bring in cool air.
4. Use a fan strategically. Place a powerful fan near the hottest window and direct it outward to push warm air out. This will draw in cooler air through the other windows.
5. Seal the cool air inside. In the morning, before the outdoor temperature rises, close all windows and blinds to trap the cool air. Consider using blackout curtains to reduce heat gain throughout the day.
Keep your eye drops in the fridge for the extra soothing and redness relief / to enhance the cooling sensation when applying for itchy/burning eyes.
Avoid long exposure to direct sunlight for ANYTHING ²
Waiting 30-60 seconds (by wiping the water off your body with your hands, or shaking off like a dog lol) to dry off before stepping out of the shower significantly decreases the volume of water soaked/absorbed by your towel, allowing it to stay drier for longer. ³
Don’t buy CDs for people. They have Spotify. Buy them merch from a band they like instead. It’s more personal and the band gets more money.
Always underpromise and overdeliver (aka baker’s dozen)! For example, if you know how late you are going to be, add an extra 5-10 minutes to it. It might be annoying for the person/people when you say it initially, but when you come before the time you said, it will evoke a far more positive reaction than underestimating the lateness time.
How to choose mouthwash/mouthrinse (Mundspülung)?
1. Has fluoride (cavity prevention)
2. No alcohol (dries your tissues out)
DIY Air Conditioner
1. Metal fan with ice blocks on the back, parallel to the direction of airflow
2. Metal fan with wet towels hanging in the front (evaporative cooling)
Best fan placement to move air through the house
1. Blowing air out of the window, not into the room
2. 1-1.5 meter from an open window
Change your posture and stand upright each time you go through a door
Getting married? Don’t just let friends and family know, tell companies too! Email a couple dozen companies that you had interest in, let them know of your upcoming celebration of getting married. They might email you back, and ask for your address to send free stuff, goodie/gift bags, etc.
吃冰棒的技巧：「一邊從頂部小口咬，一邊從根部往上舔」（Why? 冰棒都是從最上端開始融化，這樣做可以讓往下滴的水量減到最少）
You can search the photos on your iPhone by just typing in people, items, months, years, seasons, places you want to see, text in screenshots, etc.
Never ask the doctor what you should do. Instead, ask him what he would do if he were in your place. You would be surprised at the difference.
Regularly open windows to remove CO2 and exchange for fresh air
Invest in the things (1) you use for a significant portion of your life (2) between you and the Earth. These possessions are worth the investment. You will thank yourself later.
1. bed — you spend a third of your life sleeping
2. bedding — mattress, pillow, blanket, etc.
3. soft-soled walking/running shoes, boots — your feet carry you everywhere
4. tires — they’re the only contact between your vehicle and the road
去麥當勞點餐時，和店員說要「不加鹽」的薯條，就可以得到熱騰騰、剛出爐的新鮮現炸薯條！
How to heal dry, cracked fingertips? Use Vaseline (or O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream) before bed and put socks or (disposable, polyethylene PE, plastic, foodservice) gloves on hands for sleeping.
If your wrapping paper turns out too small to cover the gift, try rotating the box 45° (diagonally) on the paper. The diagonal is longer than the side, which often gives you just enough extra coverage to wrap it successfully. 🎁📐

When people hesitate to give you honest feedback, ask for a score from 0-10, instead of asking, “What do you think?”—which invites ambiguity. You’ll rarely get a perfect 10, and this makes it easy to follow up with, “What would make this closer to a 10?” Better questions lead to better feedback—and faster growth.
Use an exercise ball or a kneeling chair, instead of an office chair with wheels at work, to maintain a better posture.
No matter how much your workplace pushes “team building” and “family culture” - remember, they’re not your friends and it’s still a workplace. ⁴
Always book an extra day off after a holiday. It gives you time to recover, unpack, and mentally transition back to work fully recharged.

When assembling furniture, first tighten all screws to 75%, then fully secure them once all components fit together. This principle extends beyond furniture.
How to make pillows out of blankets?
10 Useful Hacks with Binder Clips
Know The Difference! A toilet plunger has a flange (a soft, narrow rubber sleeve) that extends from the cup, designed to create a tight seal in the curved drain of a toilet. A sink plunger, on the other hand, has a flat cup suitable for creating a seal on flat surfaces like sinks or bathtubs.
How to Seal a Bag of Chips without a Clip
Replace Fabric Softener with White Vinegar
1. Cheap
2. Natural (more eco-friendly)
3. Not only a clothing softener, but also a clothing deodorizer (especially good for towels!)
4. Will remove hard water deposits in your washing machine as well
5. DO NOT MIX VINEGAR AND CHLORINE BLEACH OR COLOR SAFE BLEACH EVER!!!! THEY WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS CHEMICALS!
What to do with used, air/oven-dried coffee grounds?
1. Use them as deodorizer for stinky garbage bags
2. Layer them at the bottom of biodegradable bins to absorb some liquid that seeps out of the food scraps/waste
Fill empty space in your freezer with jugs of water. Air warms up fast, so a full freezer holds its cold longer and the compressor runs less.
1. Extends the life of your refrigerator compressor
2. Stops cold air from spilling out when you open the door
3. Lowers your electricity bill
4. Keeps food cold during a power outage
5. Gives you potable water in an emergency
6. Reusable ice packs ready to go — with handles!
How to organize plastic bags?
1. Flatten your bag, then fold it in half twice.
2. Start from the hand-holding end and fold it in a triangular pattern, until you reach the end of your bag.
3. Once you are at the end, tuck the end tab into the folds, and you have your bag in a small triangle.
Store sheet sets by tucking them neatly inside one of the matching pillow cases. This keeps everything together and organized, making it easy to grab and use when needed!
How to Tie a Food Bag Properly?
Store canned goods like baked beans upside down, so the contents slide out easily without needing to scrape the bottom when you open the can.

Do not scan the inbox on Friday evening or over the weekend if you might encounter work problems that cannot be addressed properly until Monday.
Do not e-mail first thing in the morning or last thing at night. The former scrambles your priorities and plans for the day, and the latter just gives you insomnia.
Make decisions easy for busy people. You will rise fast in your career if busy people like working with you. Here’s a tip: when you have a problem to solve, come prepared with a suggested next step. If you have a question, phrase it in a way they can answer yes/no. If there are multiple options, lay them out and ask them to pick one. Try to avoid expansive, open-ended questions. ⁵
End your emails with “I totally understand if you’re too busy to reply, and thank you for reading this far,” instead of the usual “I look forward to your reply and speaking soon.”
If you’re stuck on an annoying call, put your phone on airplane mode instead of just hanging up. The other person will see “call failed” instead of “call ended.”
Turn off self-view on video calls. Underrated trick to actually focus on the people you’re talking to instead of spending most of the time concerned with how you look.
Never say yes on the phone/email to avoid commitments made under social pressure or the desire to please.
Make phone calls as walking meetings in the sun.
Whenever you are on a Zoom call, put your headphones or AirPods in, then open up YouTube, and find an ambient soundtrack that you play at 5% volume (e.g., Lord of the Rings ambience, Harry Potter ambience, etc.). This way, as you are taking the call, there’s a soft, inspiring soundtrack playing in the background. The soundtrack makes anything anyone says feel more relaxed, more warm, and more energizing.
When asking for a favor over email, lead with the request and save the small talk for later. It feels much more sincere when the pleasantries come after the ask.

When in bed, meditate. Either you will have a deep relaxation, or fall asleep. It’s a win-win.
When you’re busy, do “micro-meditation”:
1. Accept things as they are.
2. Stop wishing things were different.
3. No need to label, describe, comment, judge, or attach/assign meaning to everything.
4. According to Vipassana, craving (wanting something to happen) and aversion (not wanting something to happen) are the roots of human suffering.
When anxiety hits, drink a glass of water slowly and focus on the sensation. It helps ground you, regulate your breathing, and refresh your mind.

Looking at the UNIT price on the shelf tags at the grocery store.
Never do grocery shopping when you are hungry!
Shop on the outer perimeter of the grocery store. This is (usually) where all the whole, unprocessed foods are. The aisles have most of the processed junk.
Buy pre-cut, frozen fruits and vegetables as a convenient and affordable alternative to fresh ones. They often retain more nutrients since they are picked and frozen at their peak ripeness, making them a more nutrient-dense option.
Clean out your fridge before heading to the grocery store. It helps you avoid “mystery Tupperware” surprises, frees up space, and gives you a clear view of what needs restocking.
The fastest supermarket queue is often behind the fullest trolley. It seems counterintuitive, but the real bottleneck isn’t the scanning — it’s the human part of the process: greeting the cashier, unloading, card tapping, receipt printing, and packing. It’s not about how many items are ahead of you — it’s about how many people are. One customer with 100 items might move faster than three customers with 10 items each. The fewer transactions, the faster the line. Skip the line full of “quick shoppers.” Pick the one with fewer people, even if their carts are full — you’ll likely walk out sooner.

When buying things, time and money trade-off against each other.—If you’re low on money, take more time to find deals. If you’re low on time, stop looking for great deals and just buy things quickly online.
Whenever you want to buy something, first ask yourself: would I buy this if I were the only person on Earth?
When you want to find out about people’s opinions on a product, succeed the product name with “reddit”. You’ll get real people arguing, as compared to the Google SEO results.
When researching consumer electronics, skip the flashy “unboxing” videos and look for “1-year review” videos instead. They reveal how the product actually holds up over time, giving you a far more realistic picture before buying.
When it comes to buying things, there is good, fast, and cheap—You can pick 2 but not all three.
1. Good + Cheap: There are places to trade time for quality while keeping costs down.
2. Good + Fast: There are times when you have to pay through the nose because you need it done fast and good.
The 48-Hour Rule (to avoid stupid impulse purchases that would have gathered dust and make you regret): Whenever you’d like to buy something in a store or putting something in your online shopping cart, take a pause of at least 48 hours. In most cases, your desire to make the purchase will be gone by the time the 48 hours are over—if you still want it, it’s a sign the purchase might be well worth it anyway, then go ahead to complete the order; if not, skip it. ⁶
The 2x Rule: Whenever you want to splurge—say, on a $400 pair of shoes—commit to investing the same amount ($ 400) as well. If you’re not willing to save and invest 2x the price, reconsider the purchase.
If you’re looking for your good X, you have bad Xs. Throw those out.
When buying a used car, test-drive it to a nearby auto-parts store and use their free OBD-II scanner to check for recently cleared or hidden engine codes—many sellers reset check-engine lights to disguise issues. You don’t need mechanical skills; AutoZone, Advance Auto Parts, and O’Reilly all loan scanners, and a quick YouTube tutorial shows you how to use them. Also ask the seller not to start the car before you arrive so you can do a true cold start, since many problems only appear when the engine is started after sitting but vanish once warm.

If you want your kids to listen when you have something important to say, speak very quietly. Yelling doesn’t work, but a whisper grabs their attention.
Preserve your children’s art. Frame the best pieces. It celebrates their imagination and turns fleeting moments into lasting memories. Also, a rotating display strengthens their confidence and pride in their work.

Always ask/negotiate for what you want. Many people are happy to help—if the request is direct and specific. But never expect people to say yes.
At checkout you can just ask “Do you have any coupons I can apply to this?”
Don’t be afraid to ask a question that may sound stupid or dumb, because 99% of the time everyone else is thinking of the same question and is too embarrassed/scared to ask it. The simplest questions are the last to be answered. “Shake the tree.” You never know what will fall out. It never hurts to ask.
Send one message a day to a person you admire because you never know when you’ll get a response back.

If a friend or family member is diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s, ask them early on about their all-time favorite songs. Build a playlist from their answers—music tied to meaningful memories can later help trigger recognition, calm emotions, and provide comfort as the disease progresses.
A simple way to spark meaningful table conversation is to ask: “If today were the last day of your life, what would you do?” Follow-up questions like who you’d spend it with, where you’d go, or what your last meal would be often lead people to share what truly matters to them—values, relationships, and unfinished dreams—turning small talk into a deeper, memorable discussion.
If someone insults or dismisses you in public, calmly/politely ask them to repeat what they said. This gives them a chance to reconsider. They’ll either backtrack and apologize, or repeat it—making their behavior looks rude and unprofessional to everyone else. Both outcomes work in your favor.
Playing is the opposite of fighting. If you find yourself stuck in a circular argument, try suggesting a role reversal: “I’ll argue your point, and you argue mine.” Not only does this foster empathy, but it also injects humor and lightens the mood in a tense situation.
When someone is going through hell, just saying “I’m with you” is the most powerful thing you can do — Advice, perspectives, or offers to help/fix issues are minimally impactful. — The notion that someone is with you is 10x more powerful.
Swap out “I know” for “You’re right!”
Always give a reason when asking someone for a favor—people are more willing to help when they understand why.
發表主觀意見時，可以在語末加上 “IMO” or “If that makes (any) sense.” or “Feel free to disagree with me.” or “Correct me if I’m wrong.”
Avoid saying “but” when adding opinions to others’ ideas—use “and” instead. For example, say, “I like your suggestion, and exploring another option could also be helpful,” rather than, “I like your suggestion, but we should also explore another option.”
等一下 → 馬上來
Can I have your number? → Can I give you my number?
Replace “Sorry” With “Thank You”: (1) Instead of saying “Sorry, I’m late.” Say: “Thank you for waiting.” (2) Instead of saying “Sorry, I forgot it.” Say: “Thank you for reminding me.”
If you need to calm someone down and get them to communicate, ask them questions about numbers or personal information.
When people mock you for not having an opinion on trending events, and label you as ignorant, start asking them about the current situation in Djibouti (吉布地，一個位於非洲東北部的國家) or Eswatini (史瓦帝尼，一個位於非洲南部的國家). It will reveal they aren’t up to date on the current situation in those countries - but that they also didn’t even know those countries existed. Peak ignorance. ⁷
Instead of asking “Do you have any questions?”, try “What questions do you have?”
How to increase engagement in discussions? Instead of “Anything else?”, ask “What else?”
Add “Is everything fine for you?” after saying “How are you?”
Whenever you are involved in a conversation with someone, respond with “Yes, and”, because it advances their idea.
“What do you do?” → “What are you most excited about right now?”
Master the “gift of goodbye.” Simply say goodbye without giving reasons. → Exit gracefully: “It was so great meeting you, I look forward to seeing you again soon!”
- Or a “French exit”, where you slip out unseen.
- 天下無不散的筵席，離別是為了下一次更好的相遇/重逢
- “Letting go means to come to the realization that some people are a part of your history, but not a part of your destiny.” — Steve Maraboli
“What’s your favorite TV show/book/movie?” → “What’s the TV show you are into recently?”, “What’s the last book you read?”, “What’s the movie you are currently enjoying most?” ⁸
Kids love absurd questions. If you want to connect with them, ask something totally grown-up—like “What kind of car do you drive?” or “So, what do you do for work?” They’ll crack up, and the more you continue the bit, the more they will loosen up with you.
The quickest way to alienate someone is to tell them they need to change. If you truly want to influence/castigate someone’s behavior, the most effective approach is to praise/compliment them when they do something you value — not to criticize them when they don’t.
- “The way to help someone is not to critique what makes them smaller, but to encourage what makes them larger.” — James Clear
- “We cannot teach people anything. We can only help them discover it within themselves.” — Galileo Galilei
Always bring a small gift—wine, flowers, or a treat—to a dinner or birthday party, even if the host says it’s unnecessary. It’s a simple gesture of gratitude and thoughtfulness that’s always appreciated. Never show up empty-handed.
Give a stranger a compliment (on less obvious things). Like people out loud. Being a loud liker costs you the occasional rejection and buys you nearly everything else.
Be polite to rude strangers. Responding with calm and courtesy in the face of rudeness is surprisingly satisfying and oddly thrilling.
Send voice messages instead of long texts. They convey tone, emotion, and nuance, making your messages feel personal—like a mini podcast for your friend.
When two friends could genuinely benefit from knowing each other, proactively make the introduction. It takes you 30 seconds, but it could change their lives — they might start a company, hire each other, or even fall in love. Networks don’t shrink when you share them; they multiply. There’s no higher ROI on any other 30-second act.
- Tip: only introduce people when both sides stand to gain — not just one.
- Networking is not about connecting yourself to others, but connecting other people to other people.
Many people with disabilities consider their mobility aids (wheelchairs 輪椅, canes 拐杖, walkers 助行器, etc.) an extension of their body. Always ask before touching, moving, or leaning on them—it’s about respect, consent, and personal space. ⁹

Count to 10 in your head before responding to a strong emotion to avoid regret.
Ever been in a heated argument or faced someone overly aggressive? Remember, the emptiest head rattles the loudest. Instead of matching their energy, do the opposite—soften your tone and lower your voice. A calm response can defuse tension and shift the dynamic in your favor.

Chef Tip: How to peel and segment a grapefruit?
1. 用「手剝」（先用刀切對半) → 快
2. 用「刀剝」 → 慢 1. You only cut the rind twice: (1) Start at stem, cut entirely. (2) Rotate a 90°angle to the first cut, but this time only cut deep enough to go through the rind 外皮，外殼; 硬皮 and pith [the white skin under the rind] 襯皮; 木髓 (吃起來會苦 bitter 的白色纖維), then peel around the core while unrolling the grapefriut. 2. Once you peel away the whole rind, cut down one edge of the wedge, but stop at the middle and with your knifes edge, gently push up towards the other side of the wedge. This will peel the wedge from the inner pith. And repeat until all wedges are out.
Egg Cracking: Instead of tapping the egg on the edge of a bowl several times (which creates multiple tiny fractures of egg shells), tap the egg on a flat surface such as the counter (firmly) only ONCE (which creates the cleanest split)
Adding a teaspoon of baking soda to your boiling pot of water will help to seamlessly remove the shell of hard-boiled eggs without peeling. ¹⁰
如何避免「馬鈴薯」或「蘋果」削皮後「褐變」氧化變黑？
1. 立刻將其浸泡於水中，避免與空氣接觸。也可以加入少許「鹽」或「醋」來延緩氧化，並將食材放置於「冷藏」中
2. 將其加熱煮至半熟（約 5 分鐘），再切片或搗爛成泥後放入「冷凍」保存
🥑 Avocados bruise easily and oxidize quickly, which causes them to turn brown. To slow this process, lightly coat the surface with lemon or lime juice, then wrap it tightly (or place it in an airtight container) before refrigerating.
冷凍法省時烤地瓜：先將地瓜放進冷凍庫不多不少 45 分鐘左右後，「直接」放進烤箱用 200 度烤 30 分鐘，可破壞地瓜細胞壁，加速熱傳導，節省至少一半以上的烘烤時間。這個做法烤出來的地瓜內部組織是綿密的，且依然有著用烤箱長時間烘烤才有的濃郁風味。
How to Measure Spaghetti?
Don’t throw out fruit that is going to bad, especially bananas gone brown. Instead, freeze it and make great smoothie or popsicles!
Placing heavier, frozen items on top of lighter ingredients helps weigh them down and gets the blend moving faster. This can also help prevent the blend from stalling.
Grape Stemming Trick: Grab a dish towel, apply a little pressure & some rolling, then you can remove all the grapes from the vine within seconds. No more plucking grapes one by one.
When googling a recipe, precede it with “best.” You’ll find better recipes.
How to cook perfectly shaped burger patties? Simply make a deep depression in the center of the beef patty before you cook it, using your thumb or another round, small object like the back of a measuring spoon or an ice cream scooper. Meat contracts while cooking, which is why a uniformly shaped beef patty will swell in the middle as it sits on the grill or pan. By utilizing this trick, the divot will start to disappear as the meat cooks.
Put a wooden spoon across boiling pot of water to keep it from boiling over.
1. Why? Wooden spoons, made primarily of cellulose, have a unique texture and fibrous structure that disrupts the surface tension of bubbles. When you place a wooden spoon over a pot of boiling liquid, any bubbles that touch it immediately burst. This action creates a small bubble-free area near the center of the pot, which allows other bubbles to move toward it and burst as well. Because these bubbles pop before they can rise to the edge of the pot, this cycle keeps the bubbling mass below the pot’s rim, effectively preventing boil-overs.
2. Alternatively, you can also use Kochblume (Cooking Flower).
Frozen (Greek) Yogurt (soft & fluffy) = Healthy Ice Cream (crystalized)
- 一小時攪拌一次，重複 3 遍，或是冷凍取出後於室溫中靜置 5 分鐘，會讓口感更綿密
- Options for ingredients: milk, raisins, strawberries, etc.
蜂蜜不能用熱水沖泡 → 建議沖泡溫度低於 60℃，較能夠保留完整的營養價值
Steeping minutes for a cup of good tea:
- 3 mins for green tea
- 4 mins for black tea
- 5 mins for herbal tea (兌水比例約為 200–300 c.c.)
Wash your fruits and veggies with white vinegar + baking soda solution
1. Soak your fruits and veggies in 1 part distilled white vinegar + 3–4 parts filtered water for at least 10 mins — the vinegar’s acidity helps remove micro-organisms and some pesticides, but not all.
2. Add baking soda (2 tsp) to form CO2 bubbles, which help push dirt out. Let it bubble for 2–5 minutes.
3. Rinse with normal water.
4. Drain and dry the fruits and veggies, prior to storing in a container in the refrigerator.
如何正確烹飪青菜，保留最完整的營養素？
- 最推薦：「水炒法」—少油或無油
- 最不推薦：「汆燙法」—若要採用此方法，應避免長時間烹調，快煮 30 秒至 1 分鐘後即撈起，可保留鮮綠色澤，並減少「水溶性維生素」流失，溶出的營養素可再利用，例如作為湯底或調製醬汁。適用於短時間內即可煮熟的青菜
- 「清蒸法」：不會讓蔬菜直接接觸水，能更好地保留營養成分，不過，若蒸太久，會讓菜葉變得軟爛，外觀也會變黃，影響視覺效果。綠葉蔬菜不太適合使用此方法，因為它們容易失去爽脆口感，此方法較適用於根莖類或果實類蔬菜
- 「微波法」：利用蔬菜自身所含的水分子在微波作用下摩擦產生熱量，從而快速加熱食物，因此沒有養分流失的問題。微波加熱的一大挑戰是熱量分布不均，導致食物表面已經熟透，但內部仍未完全熟透。為了避免這種情況，建議採用「漸進式加熱法」—若需要加熱 3 分鐘，可以先加熱 2 分鐘後取出，攪拌均勻，再繼續加熱 1 分鐘

How to deal with Body Odor?
1. Use Exfoliating Gloves to very gently exfoliate skin on your armpits once a week
2. Apply “The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution” all over your body (include armpits) after every shower before lotion
Avoid getting hair ¹ or oral ² hygiene products on your face, as they can block pores and potentially trigger acne.
1. 可以仰頭或低頭
2. 先刷牙 + 洗頭，最後再洗臉
Use a microfiber (超細纖維) bath towel, they’re about the same price and get you so much drier so much faster!
把「人工皮」當「痘痘貼」使用的好處
1. 可以任意剪裁所需的尺寸大小
2. 單位面積價格較便宜
3. 較傳統痘痘貼厚，效果更好
How to deal with Sweaty/Stinky Feet?
1. Choose the right socks: Smartwool® Merino wool socks
2. Avoid wearing the same pair of socks/shoes on 2 consecutive days. Air out your shoes outside.
3. Wash your feet at least once, if not twice, a day, using antibacterial soaps. → Dry the feet thoroughly, especially in between the toes. → (1) Apply a light dusting of anti-fungal foot powder/cornstarch/baby powder before slipping on cotton socks and breathable shoes. (2) Use antiperspirant (止汗劑) after showering in the evening (better than in the morning). Repeat this for another 3 or 4 consecutive nights and then switch to using it once or twice a week.
4. Soak your feet: add a few drops of an antibacterial solution (like sodium hypochloride, aka chlorox 次氯酸鈉/漂白水, or white vinegar) to a bucket/basin of warm water (+ epsom salt + tea tree/eucalyptus oil) → Pro Tip: Do this while watching TV.
5. Baking soda has excellent moisture-absorbing and deodorizing properties. Evenly sprinkle it inside the shoes and let it sit overnight to absorb moisture and odors. The next day, shake out the powder. Doing this once a week can effectively reduce unpleasant smells inside the shoes.

How to clean a microwave with white vinegar?
1. In a microwave-safe bowl or jug, mix 500ml of water with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar.
2. Place the bowl in the microwave and heat on full power for 5 minutes, until the liquid starts boiling.
3. Leave the microwave door closed for 3 minutes to trap the steam, which will loosen grime.
4. Carefully open the door, using an oven mitt/glove to remove the hot bowl.
5. Use a sponge or towel to wipe down the microwave’s interior, starting from the top and moving down to the sides and door. For tough spots, scrub gently as needed.
6. Wipe the turntable with the sponge/towel, then dry it with a clean cloth. Your microwave is now clean!
7. (Optional) Use any leftover white vinegar to remove grease from the hob, work surfaces, and cupboards—white vinegar is a powerful degreaser, especially when warm. It’s also versatile for cleaning carpets, clearing drains, washing windows, freshening bathrooms, and more!
How to effectively clean the vacuum cleaner bin (to remove dust, hair, etc.)?
1. Gently scrub the motor/electric parts (e.g., cyclone) with a soft tooth and/or bottle brush
2. Soak all the non-motor/electric parts (e.g., filter) in warm soapy water (with vinegar) for a few hours
3. Allow them to air dry for at least 48 hours (and NEVER use the vacuum cleaner before they are completely dry, to avoid the terrible moldy smell!)
4. (Optional) Add some dried lavender or eucalyptus (or simply newspapers) from time to time to keep it smelling nice
Use luffa or loofah as dish cleaning sponges.
1. They dry out more quickly than synthetic sponges. Faster drying reduces the likelihood of bacteria and mold growth, making them more hygienic—and don’t get smelly.
2. Their natural fibrous texture provides excellent scrubbing power without being overly abrasive, effectively removing dirt and residue while being gentle enough to protect surfaces from scratches.
3. They are durable and can last for several weeks or months. When they wear out, they can be composted instead of thrown away.
4. They are eco-friendly (biodegradable and compostable), unlike synthetic sponges, which contribute to plastic pollution and take decades to break down.
5. Added Benefit: You can even use them to clean and exfoliate your body skin during showers!
吃完的柑橘、柳丁、檸檬、柚子果皮不要丟，他們都是免費的清潔劑！這些果皮富含天然的檸烯（d-limonene），能去除異味、溶解油污、水垢、甚至黏著的焦痕。想清潔電鍋、廚房五金、油膩表面時，只要把果皮對折，讓精油滲出，用它當作天然的「海綿」輕輕擦，再用濕布收尾即可。若要更強力，把果皮丟進熱水裡「蒸一蒸」，蒸氣能把油膜軟化，清潔效果更好！

When travelling with airplanes, order four double Gin Tonic (琴通寧) as soon as the flight attendants are walking about. Consume swiftly, and fall asleep for the remainder of the flight.
In a hotel, use the pants hangers with clips to keep the curtains/drapes all the way closed during the night.
When checking into a hotel, ask if any complimentary upgrades are available — it only takes a few seconds, and even if you’re not a loyalty member, low occupancy often lets the front desk move you at no extra charge; worst case they say no, best case you get a nicer room, a better view, or some free perks.
The Hotel Towel Drying Trick: After washing your clothes in the sink or shower, lay them flat on a clean towel. Roll the towel up tightly with the clothes inside, creating layers. Then wring the whole roll—this pulls out a surprising amount of water. Unroll, hang your clothes up, and let them air dry overnight. If it’s still damp in the morning, use the hotel hair dryer to finish it off quickly.
Skip the boarding line and board the plane last. Ignoring your assigned group is perfectly okay—as long as you have a seat, you’re not missing anything. You’ll avoid the crowded jetway, reduce the time you spend stuck in your seat, and have an easier time navigating the aisle without a line of people behind you. Plus, it gives you a chance to stretch and relax a little longer before the flight.
Wearing the travel pillow with the bulk of the cushion at the front (i.e., positioning the snap enclosure at the back) provides better support for the chin, lower jaw, neck, and head, enhancing overall comfort.
Coming back from a trip can feel like you’ve aged a century. Before you head out, tuck a bottle of sparkling water in the fridge and stash a frozen pizza in the freezer—your future, travel-weary self will be deeply touched by your foresight.
Learn some geography—it makes travel conversations so much richer when you know where different countries are located (and as a bonus, which languages are spoken there!). Understanding the geography and languages of places like Africa, Eastern Europe, and India has completely transformed my interactions—people really light up when you show you understand where they’re from. (Americans: yes, knowing those middle states works the same magic 😉)
The official Wikipedia mobile app has a ‘Places’ feature that shows areas and landmarks around you which have their own Wikipedia page. You can instantly discover interesting places nearby and learn about their history. Such a fun way to expand your knowledge of where you are!

Whenever you sit, make sure your butt flush with the backrest to avoid back pain
Whenever brushing your teeth:
1. Use your non-dominant hand (Side Note: Regular use of your non-dominant hand for activities like scrolling, brushing teeth, opening doors, etc. can help improve overall dexterity and coordination)
2. Balance on one leg in the morning and the other leg in the evening (例如: 早上用左手刷牙&右腳站立，早上用右手刷牙&左腳站立)
3. Do (single-leg) squats (on a balance board)
Get a small trampoline. It’s fun to bounce on & activates your lymphatic system to rid your body of toxins.

Save money on city hotels. You’re away from the room for most of the time. If you need to meet at a nice hotel for dinner, stay down the street and make a reservation. Spend the money you save on beach hotels, especially if you plan to spend entire days there.
If you bus to other cities, consider finding a car/ride-share instead. It’s cheaper, faster, and leads to interesting conversations.
Free Filtered Water at Hotels: Instead of purchasing water bottles from your hotel room minibar, bring a reusable water bottle and fill it up at the fitness center. Nearly all hotels provide filtered water in the fitness center.
Don’t buy a wedding outfit you’ll barely wear—rent it. Stylish, affordable, and clutter-free.
Bidet attachment > Stockpiling toilet paper

How to make use of the top eyelets/holes on your running shoes? Try this heel lock lacing method (aka The Runner’s Knot 跑者結)
1. This provides a better lockdown around the ankle, reducing pressure on the top of your foot, minimizing heel slippage, and helping to prevent blisters.
2. That’s the reason why runner laces are often so long.
How to turn a blanket into a pillow?
How to ranger roll clothes?
The 10-Wear Rule: Levi’s® website recommends wearing your jeans ten times between washes (unless they are visibly dirty or start to smell). Britannica recommends keeping jeans on a bedroom chair between wears one through nine.

Trick yourself into productivity the same way you trick yourself into procrastination. When you say “just one more game/post/video” and end up losing hours, flip that mindset for useful tasks: “just one line of code,” “just one page,” “just one rep,” “just one tutorial.” That small start often snowballs into real progress.

Staying over at a friend’s place? Strip the bed before you leave. It’s a small gesture that makes cleanup easier and shows appreciation for their hospitality.
Whenever you think something nice about someone, let them know IMMEDIATELY. → Find the best in others. Compliment people more (on less obvious things).
- Many people have trouble thinking of themselves as smart, or pretty, or kind, unless told by someone else. You can help them out and make someone’s day.
- Start with “[NAME], I’m super grateful for you, you know why?” And then throws them the most sincere, genuine compliment.
Say no quickly as a way of kindness: If you have/want to say no to something, do it immediately. That gives the asker maximum time to find alternatives. A short, polite, timely rejection is much more valuable than a delayed, in-depth rejection.
It takes extreme strength and courage to be a consistently kind person in a world that rewards selfishness. Make sure to thank people who demonstrate kindness. They are choosing the hard, selfless route in order to make the world a better place for everyone.

How to correctly use the 3 compartments in a washing machine tray/drawer?
1. Slot I is for the pre-wash cycle followed by a main wash cycle if you have it on, but remember to fill Slot II every time as well
2. It’s not recommended to put the detergent directly on top of the clothes because it may not disperse evenly or rinse out with lower water levels

The next time you binge TV or sit at your computer for hours, try viewing yourself from a third-person perspective. Watching your body slumped and motionless makes it instantly clear how unnatural and unhealthy prolonged screen time really is—and can motivate you to stand up, stretch, or take a break.

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” — Vivian Greene ⌃
例外: 砧板、菜瓜布、毛/浴巾、眼罩、枕頭套 ⌃
The added benefit is that there is less water on the floor making it safer! ⌃
公司不是你的歸宿，大家各取所需罷了：你提供（超乎預期的）價值，老闆給你應得的薪水，如此而已。 ⌃
See also: https://sketchplanations.com/the-blur-your-eyes-test ⌃
Time is an ally of good decisions and an enemy of bad ones. ⌃
People shaming others for being ignorant are often the most ignorant because they are ignorant of their own ignorance. ⌃
This lets the other person say whatever first comes to mind without the pressure of having to choose a single favorite. They’ll almost always have one and be able to talk about it. ⌃
“Ma’am, would you mind if I picked that up for you?” ⌃
Why? The alkaline in the baking soda will raise the PH level, which helps your egg whites loosen up from the shell and makes it easier to peel. ⌃

📱 Shortcuts Dev Tip

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

Opt + ↑/↓ ¹
Cmd + D ²
Cmd + Backspace ³
Cmd + N ⁴
Cmd + R ⁵
Cmd + Shift + A ⁶
Cmd + Shift + C ⁷
Cmd + Shift + I ⁸
Cmd + Shift + R ⁹
Cmd + Shift + S ¹⁰

When using “Set Dictionary Value” to create a dictionary, you can leave the dictionary field blank on the right instead of adding a separate “Dictionary” action and referencing it.
When handling nested dictionaries and arrays, use Dot Notation (e.g., myDict.key1.key2 or myArray.0.key) to access values directly in one step—instead of chaining multiple “Get Value from Dictionary” actions. This approach makes complex data structures much easier to manage, especially when dealing with data from APIs or JSON.
When formatting dates, wrap literal characters—such as punctuation, 'T', 'Z', or any static text—in single quotes to treat them as fixed text. This allows you to build custom date-time formats like yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss'Z' in a single step without chaining multiple Format Date actions. For example, use yyyy'_Week_'ww to combine the year and week number in a single action, rather than using 2 separate Format Date actions for yyyy and ww.

Things I wished I’d known earlier

Using the ‘Match Text’ action with the regular anchor ^keyword provides more reliable results compared to using the built-in ‘Begins With’ condition.
On macOS, you can instantly replace selected text in place—no need to copy and paste manually. Just select the text and trigger your shortcut with a keyboard shortcut. This is especially helpful for repetitive formatting tasks like slugifying or hyperlinking text.

Add a “Stop This Shortcut” action at the end of each shortcut to prevent unintended side effects, especially when dealing with conditional logic or automation.
- Why It’s a Good Practice: * Prevents Unwanted Execution: Ensures that no additional actions run accidentally, especially if the shortcut is triggered by another shortcut or automation. * Improves Debugging: Clearly marks the endpoint, making it easier to understand where execution stops. * Avoids Redundant Processing: If a shortcut continues running unnecessarily, it can consume resources or cause unexpected behavior.
- When You Might Skip It: * If a “Stop and Output” Action Exists: This already terminates the shortcut and returns a value, so an additional stop action isn’t needed. * For Simple Shortcuts: If your shortcut only has a few actions and no branching logic, it may not be necessary.
- In general, if your shortcut has multiple conditions, loops, or external triggers, adding “Stop This Shortcut” at the end is a good habit.

Use Siri to run a shortcut by simply saying its name. For example, say, ‘Hey Siri, Turn off Color Filters.’

You can rename Shortcuts dynamically to display quick information—like battery level, date, or weather—directly in the shortcut’s name. By using the “Rename Shortcut” action, you can update its title based on live data, making your Home Screen or widget area more informative at a glance. It’s a clever way to turn shortcuts into mini status indicators without needing to open an app.

Move action up/down ⌃
Duplicate a shortcut ⌃
Delete a shortcut ⌃
Create new shortcut ⌃
Run a Shortcut ⌃
Add action: “Ask for Input” ⌃
Add action: “Comment” ⌃
Add action: “If-Otherwise-End If” ⌃
Add action: “Repeat” ⌃
Add action: “Show Result” ⌃

👨‍💻 Tech Pro Tip

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 10 min read

How to read through any article on the web with a paywall?
- Method I: The easiest way to bypass paywalls is to just disable JavaScript for the site.
  - Step 1: Disable JavaScript (Or even better: Have a dedicated browser with JavaScript always disabled)
  - Step 2: Reload the page
  - Step 3: Read the article
  - Step 4: Re-enable JavaScript
- Method II: Toggle Reader View
- Method III: Use tools like https://12ft.io or https://removepaywalls.com
Use the Shift key to type capital letters instead of relying on Caps Lock. It’s more efficient and helps prevent accidental ALL CAPS typing.
If you’re curious about how a font looks in action, just Google its name — for popular fonts like Comic Sans, Roboto, or Courier, Google will sometimes render the search results page in that font. It’s a clever Easter egg that lets you preview the font in real-time. Great for designers or anyone picking fonts quickly. Note: it works best in Chrome and may not appear if you’re using certain browser extensions.
You can create a link that highlights specific text fragment on a page by adding #:~:text=your%20text%20here to the end of the URL — it’ll auto-scroll and highlight the exact phrase. For example, linking to “climate change” on Wikipedia looks like this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change#:~:text=climate%20change. On iPhone, there’s an even easier method: simply select the text, tap Share, choose Copy Link with Highlight, and Safari will automatically generate a highlight-enabled URL.
If you’re on a computer, right-click on the YouTube video at the exact time you want to share, then select “Copy video URL at current time” to get a link that starts at the specific timestamp.
Apple Maps for navigation. Google Maps for business overview.
In most web browsers, holding Alt (Windows/Linux) or Option (Mac) while clicking a link triggers a quick download of the linked file or page instead of opening it. This browser shortcut is the same as right-click > “Save Link As”, making it useful for instantly saving PDFs, images, or other resources without right-clicking.

How to add Trash to the Finder window sidebar? Open the Trash > Go to the File menu > Click “Add to Sidebar”
Hold Option (⌥) and click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar to quickly find your IP address.
Run defaults write com.apple.dock autohide-delay -float 999999999999999999 && killall dock in Terminal to make the Dock practically impossible to trigger with your mouse—no third-party apps required. When you do need the Dock, just press Option-Command-D (customizable in Keyboard Shortcuts > Keyboard > Move focus to the Dock) to bring it up instantly. This keeps your workspace clean and ensures the Dock only appears when you really want it.
Use the keyboard shortcut Shift + Cmd + / to show the menu bar search, which reveals the menu bar with the added benefit of putting the cursor in the search field, so that you can quickly type the command you want and hit Enter
Batch rename multiple files
Select multiple contiguous files at once in Finder
- Method 1: Cmd+2 (List View) → Shift click for your selection → Cmd+1 (Icon View)
- Method 2: Drag a rectangle around files
Right-click a folder in Finder on macOS, you will get an “Import from iPhone/iPad” option. Click that and your iPhone/iPad will open a scanner app which lets you “Take Photo”, “Scan Documents”, and “Add Sketch.”
Move (i.e., cut & paste) files&folders in Finder
- Method 1: First Cmd + C, then Opt + Cmd + V → will paste the file and remove it from original location
- Method 2: Install Sindre Sorhus’s Command X app for more intuitive keyboard shortcuts
How to do forward-delete on a MacBook? Hold down the Fn button and then press Backspace
How to view a GIF with animated frames on macOS?
1. Open Finder and locate the GIF file.
2. Select the GIF (without opening it) and press Spacebar to preview it.
3. Alternatively, press Cmd + Y to open Quick Look.
4. You can only preview one GIF at a time, but you can use Tab to cycle through files.
5. Press ESC to close the preview.
You can access the audio files of system sounds like ringtones, alerts, and notifications via /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/ToneLibrary.framework/Versions/A/Resources/Ringtones/ & /System/Library/Sounds/. Files here are typically in .m4r, .caf, or .aiff format. This directory is read-only under normal user conditions, and modifying it requires elevated permissions.
Enable “Speak selection” in System Settings > Accessibility > Spoken Content to have any selected text read aloud. The default keyboard shortcut is Option + Esc. Great for proofreading, learning, or resting your eyes. ¹
Use Clamshell Mode on a MacBook by connecting an external (1) monitor, (2) keyboard, and (3) mouse (via Bluetooth or USB), then plugging in the (4) power adapter. Once connected, close the MacBook lid—the external display should become the main screen. Wake the system using the external keyboard or mouse. Adjust screen mirroring or extended display settings under System Settings > Displays. Great for saving desk space and focusing on a larger monitor.
To dictate text on macOS using an external microphone, plug it in and select the mic under System Settings > Sound > Input. Then enable Dictation under Keyboard settings and assign a shortcut key like Fn or Control. Double-press the shortcut (no need to hold it), wait for the mic icon, and start speaking. If the external mic stops working, open Terminal and run killall corespeechd to reset the speech recognition service.
Type anything into Spotlight and press ⌘B to instantly open it as a web search in your default browser.
Run caffeinate in Terminal to prevent your Mac from automatically going to sleep. Press ⌘ + . to stop it. You can also run caffeinate <command> to keep your Mac awake until that command finishes.
Most people know ⌘ + Tab to switch between applications, but there are several useful shortcuts you can use while holding ⌘:
1. ~ — Move backward through your open apps.
2. Q — Quit the selected application.
3. ← / → — Navigate through the app list. This is faster than repeatedly pressing Tab.
4. ↓ — Show all windows belonging to the selected application.
If an app doesn’t provide a keyboard shortcut for a menu command you use frequently, macOS lets you create one yourself.
1. Go to System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → App Shortcuts.
2. Click + to add a shortcut.
3. Select the app you want to customize.
4. Enter the command exactly as it appears in the app’s menu under Menu Title.
5. Assign your preferred keyboard shortcut.
Go to System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Keyboard to adjust Key repeat rate and Delay until repeat. A faster repeat rate and shorter delay can make navigating and editing text much quicker.
Hold Option (⌥) + click the WiFi icon in the menu bar to see detailed network info like IP address, BSSID, and channel. This trick isn’t limited to WiFi—many apps and system menus reveal hidden features when you hold Option, so try Option-clicking everything to uncover powerful shortcuts.
Hold Shift (⇧) while pressing the volume keys to enable audible feedback, so your Mac plays a sound each time you increase or decrease the volume.
Double-tap with two fingers to activate Smart Zoom, which automatically zooms in to fit the content on screen.
You can add a Status Bar (View → Show Status Bar) and a Path Bar (View → Show Path Bar) to Finder. The Status Bar is useful when you want a quick overview of a folder, such as the number of items or available disk space. The Path Bar is useful when you need to see where a file or folder is located in the hierarchy or quickly navigate to one of its parent folders.

Instead of using the traditional copy-and-paste approach to move text/images/files/urls/etc. between apps, use the hidden drag-and-drop feature.
Move multiple Home Screen apps at once: Tap and hold on one app, then tap more apps to add them to your stack
Good phone charging habits to maximize battery lifespan
1. Keep battery between 20–80% Charge once daily (~1 hr) when below 20%, instead of multiple short charges.
2. Avoid overnight charging Unless Optimized Battery Charging is enabled (default on most modern phones).
3. Use certified chargers Stick to original or MFi-certified accessories to protect your device.
在 iPhone 輸入中文時，可以先輸入每個字的首個注音符號，待所有字母輸入完畢後，再依照建議詞彙或上下文選字。這種方式有助於提高輸入速度，特別是在熟悉鍵盤佈局後，可減少中斷思考的時間。
Saying “Remind me” to Siri can create a reminder in the default list.
To scan documents on your iPhone, open the Notes or Files app, tap the three dots, then choose “Scan (Documents).” Hold your phone over the document—if “Auto Shutter” is enabled, it will scan automatically. After scanning, you can sign or annotate the document using Quick Look > Markup. This method is straightforward and sufficient for occasional use. Pro move: scan multiple pages in one pass, then export as a single PDF.
Instead of typing letter by letter, slide your finger across the keyboard and don’t lift until the word is done. Apple’s built-in swipe keyboard, known as QuickPath, is much faster once you get used to it. To enable it: Settings → General → Keyboard → toggle “Slide to Type”.

Use Universal Clipboard to copy and paste between your Apple devices
How to create clickable links to Apple Notes (applenotes:note/…)? In Apple Notes, select (or double-tap) a word or symbol, press Cmd + K (or tap Add Link), and type part of the target note title. Then right-click (on macOS) or tap and hold (on iOS) the link, and choose Copy Link (macOS) or Copy (iOS). Paste the resulting applenotes: link into any rich text app — it’ll work just like a regular hyperlink, e.g., applenotes:note/xxxx-xxxx-xxxx.

When browsing a GitHub repository, simply press the . key or replace .com with .dev in the URL to launch the repository in the VS Code for the Web —a full-featured, browser-based code editor. Example: https://github.com/user/repo → https://github.dev/user/repo. This is perfect for quick edits, reviews, or exploring code without cloning locally.
You can quickly launch tools and code sandboxes using special .new URLs, a domain originally created by Google to streamline content creation. Typing react.new or vue.new in your browser instantly opens a ready-to-code sandbox for React or Vue.js, without needing a local setup. URLs like docs.new, sheets.new, and slides.new create new Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides with one click. Other services, like YouTube or Spotify, use URLs such as playlist.new for fast playlist creation.
Holding Option (⌥) while clicking lets you move the text cursor (insertion point) to that exact position in the current command line, so you don’t need to press ←/→ repeatedly.

Alternatively, if you’re using Microsoft Edge, you can press F9 to open Immersive Reader for a cleaner reading view (press F9 again to exit it), then press Cmd + Shift + U to activate Read Aloud. It works well on most webpages and supports multiple voices and adjustable reading speeds. ⌃

🌍 World Cuisine

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

Churrasco

Raclette

Poutine ¹²

Maltasche ¹³
Spätzle

Churro ¹⁴ ¹⁵

Beans on Toast

Gyros ²⁵
Souvlaki ²⁶

Kürtőskalács ²⁷

楊枝甘露

Rendang

Colcannon ²⁸

삼계탕 ³⁴
잡채 ³⁵

椰漿飯 ³⁹

Stroopwafels ⁴⁰

Pierogi

Бефстроганов ⁴¹

42

Pad Thai ⁴⁹

Baklava ⁵⁰
Börek ⁵¹
Döner-Kebap ⁵²
Kokoreç ⁵³
Kumpir ⁵⁴
Lahmacun ⁵⁵
Patlican ⁵⁶
Pide ⁵⁷ ⁵⁸
Pogača

Ugali ⁶⁵

Halloumi

= 奶油甜餡煎餅卷 ⌃
形狀: eight-pointed star ⌃
形狀: cylinder ⌃
= Tortelloni ⌃
= 蔡氏雞 ⌃
是海南雞飯的正宗靈魂 ⌃
是一道經典的四川冷盤。之所以被稱為「怪味」，是因為它的靈魂醬汁融合鹹、甜、麻、辣、酸、鮮、香等七種滋味於一體。 ⌃
= 鍋邊糊 ⌃
源自福建福州 ⌃
趖（ㄙㄨㄛ）：指液體緩慢爬滾、蠕動的動作。 ⌃
又稱「天津煎餅」 ⌃
= 起司肉汁薯條 ⌃
= 德式餛飩/雲吞 ⌃
= 吉拿棒 ⌃
This is how churros are made in a traditional churería. ⌃
= 可麗露 ⌃
法國南部 ⌃
= 可麗餅 ⌃
= Croque Madame = 法式火腿起司三明治 ⌃
法國北部 ⌃
= 蝴蝶酥 ⌃
= 舒芙蕾 ⌃
= 費南雪 = 金磚蛋糕 ⌃
= 焦糖烤布蕾 ⌃
= 希臘旋轉烤肉 ⌃
= 希臘烤肉串 ⌃
= 煙囪捲 ⌃
= 馬鈴薯甘藍/白菜泥 ⌃
= 印度薄餅 ⌃
印度什香粉：一種由多種香料混合起來的綜合調味料 ⌃
= Kaju Barfi = 腰果糖片 ⌃
= 印度烤餅 ⌃
味醂：在日本料理中經常作為「糖」的替代品 ⌃
= Samgyetang = 蔘雞湯 ⌃
= Japchae = Chapchae = 雜菜冬粉 ⌃
使用麵粉 ⌃
使用麵粉 or 玉米粉 ⌃
使用玉米粉 ⌃
馬來語：Nasi Lemak → 中文諧音音譯：辣死你媽 ⌃
= 荷蘭焦糖煎餅 ⌃
= 俄式燴牛肉 ⌃
奶品之國 ⌃
= 法倫香腸 ⌃
= 肉桂捲 ⌃
= 硬麵包 ⌃
= 瑞典肉丸 ⌃
= 鯡魚 ⌃
= 魚子醬抹醬 ⌃
= 泰式炒河粉 ⌃
= 果仁蜜餅 ⌃
= 餡餅 ⌃
Döner 是土耳其語「旋轉」的意思，而 Kebap 是「烤肉」的意思，合起來就是「旋轉的烤肉」 ⌃
= 烤羊腸 ⌃
= 烤馬鈴薯 ⌃
= 土耳其披薩 ⌃
= 烤茄子 ⌃
≈ Fladenbrot ⌃
= 土耳其烤餅 ⌃
= 順化牛肉米線 ⌃
= Fried Spring Rolls = 越式炸春捲 ⌃
= Fresh (Non-Fried) Spring Rolls = Summer Rolls = Rice Paper Rolls = 越式生春捲 ⌃
Pho 湯河粉 ↔ Pho Xao 乾河粉 ⌃
Phở Bò (Beef) ↔ Phở Gà (Chicken) ⌃
= 越南火車頭 ⌃
a stiff maize-flour porridge, Kenya’s staple food ⌃

Optimism

Sun, 08 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

“Turn your face to the sun, as flowers know how to do.” — Ming-Dao Deng ¹

“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” — C.S. Lewis

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill ²

“I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.” — Winston Churchill

“It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

“We should be optimistic not because we believe that our problems are smaller than we thought. We should be optimistic because we believe that our capacity to solve problems is greater than we thought.” — from TED Talk “The Future Will Be Shaped by Optimists” by Kevin Kelly

“Embrace pronoia which is the opposite of paranoia. Choose to believe that the entire universe is conspiring behind your back to make you a success.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier

“Cynacism is easy. Mimicry is easy. Optimistic contrarians are the rarest breed.” — Naval Ravikant

“We must remember that this is not a bad world but a good world in the process of becoming.” — Wallace D. Wattles, The Science of Being Great

“We don’t make mistakes, we have happy accidents.” — Bob Ross

“Are you going to let the obstacles in your life be stumbling blocks (絆腳石) or stepping stones (墊腳石)? Choose the positive. You are the master of your attitude.” — Bruce Lee

“It takes but one positive thought when given a chance to survive and thrive to overpower an entire army of negative thoughts.” — Robert H. Schuller

Life is like a mirror: it smiles at you if you look at it smiling.

Optimism early, pessimism in the middle, optimism late.

O：因為對於未來是很堅定/確信的，所以會制定很多有遠見的長期計劃，例如做原子彈、登陸月球、開闢洲際公路等等。
P：認為大部分事物都是靠機率 & 運氣，要盡可能地小步迭代，所有東西都要做全面性的實驗。

You can always choose to look at the bright side of something. Choosing to see the good in things is a superpower.

樂觀者：還有半杯水 (half-full)
悲觀者：只剩半杯水 (half-empty)

A positive mind finds a way it can be done; A negative mind looks for all the ways it can’t be done.

You Could Just Choose Optimism — Quarter Mile

In life, you can choose to be G(rouchy) or you can choose to be J(olly).

If you call out the biggest complainers you know about their behavior, starting with yourself, we bet the most common retort will be some version of standards. I pride myself on having good taste in food, so of course I have to complain about how nasty this Big Mac is instead of eating it and moving on with my life.

Choosing optimism and joy doesn’t mean you can’t have standards. All it means is that you don’t have to vocalize those standards all of the time.

Being optimistic and feeling the full range of human emotions are not mutually exclusive.

Optimism Bias

Train yourself not to worry

“Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you.” — Mãori Proverb ⌃
樂觀的人看見問題背後的機會，悲觀的人看見機會背後的問題。 ⌃

Teaching is the most powerful form of learning

Sat, 07 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don’t tell you what to see.” — Alexandra K. Trenfor

“A good teacher protects his pupils from his own influence.” — Bruce Lee

“Qui docet discit”

He who teaches, learns.

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” — Benjamin Franklin

Watch it. Do it. Teach it.

“When one teaches, two learn.” — Robert Half

The person who learns the most in any classroom is the teacher. When you teach someone you get to learn it twice. (教學相長)

A good teacher is a DJ for learning. They:

Sift what matters from everything else
Create the right mix for the occasion
Lead and respond to the audience

“Those who know, do. Those that understand, teach.” — Aristotle

You don’t fully understand a thing until you try to explain/speak for it.
Sometimes our gaps in understanding only become clear when we try to explain something to someone else.

Explain It To Me Like I’m 5 (ELI5)

1 Effect

(Chase et al. 2009)

The people who had to teach others about a subject would learn the material better themselves.

Teach it to a child (ELI5).
Identify knowledge gaps.
Study to fill the gaps.
Teach it again.

The Feynman Razor

If someone uses a lot of complexity and jargon to explain something to you, they probably don’t understand it.

Teachable Agents

refers to a person who is guided and supported by someone more experienced or knowledgeable ⌃

Chase, Catherine C., Doris B. Chin, Marily A. Oppezzo, and Daniel L. Schwartz. 2009. “Teachable Agents and the Protégé Effect: Increasing the Effort Towards Learning.” Journal of Science Education and Technology 18 (4): 334–52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-009-9180-4. ↩

The OODA Loop Framework

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

The OODA Loop is a decision-making framework developed by military strategist John Boyd.

This framework is intended to be iterative: the results of each step feed back into the beginning of the loop, informing subsequent iterations. This enables continuous improvement and refinement of the decision-making process.

Observe: Gather information from your environment. Pay attention to changes, threats, and opportunities.
Orient: Analyze the information, interpret it based on your experience, culture, and mental models.
Decide: Choose a course of action based on your orientation.
Act: Implement your decision quickly and observe the results.

邊開火邊移動（Fire & Movement）

“You move towards the enemy while firing your weapon. The firing forces him to keep his head down so he can’t fire at you. The motion allows you to conquer territory and get closer to your enemy, where your shots are much more likely to hit their target. If you’re not moving, the enemy gets to decide what happens, which is not a good thing. If you’re not firing, the enemy will fire at you, pinning you down.” — Joel Spolsky

The OODA Loop applied under adversarial tempo:

Firing manufactures observation — Acting forces the opponent to react, and their reaction is information you need to re-orient and could not have gathered by waiting.
Moving keeps the initiative — If you’re not moving, the opponent gets to decide what happens next.
Tempo, not force, is the advantage — You win by cycling Observe → Orient → Decide → Act faster than the opponent can respond, not by hitting harder.

The MECE Principle

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

(Minto and Minto 2007)

invented by Barbara Minto

發音：me-see

The MECE Principle is a foundational concept in structured thinking, especially in consulting and problem-solving. It stands for “Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive,” ensuring clarity and completeness when organizing information.

= 不重疊＋不遺漏

Mutually Exclusive (彼此互斥)
- Information should be grouped into categories so that each category is separate and distinct without any overlap.
- By making categories mutually exclusive, you prevent overlap and ambiguity.
- Ask: “Is there any overlap between these categories?”
Collectively Exhaustive (完備；相互窮盡)
- All categories taken together should deal with all possible options without leaving any gaps.
- By making categories collectively exhaustive, you cover all possibilities, leaving no gaps.
- Ask: “Is anything missing from my list?”

根據大腦的三大運作要素（慣性）：

因果關係
歸類分組
關聯思考

…發展而來

所有大腦運作，包含思考、記憶和解決問題，都會經過「分類（Grouping）」和「概括（Summarizing）」兩個過程。

Minto, Barbara, and Barbara Minto. 2007. The Minto Pyramid Principle: Logic in Writing, Thinking, and Problem Solving. New and Expanded ed. London: Minto International. ↩

Finite and Infinite Games

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

🔗 https://huam.ing/finite-and-infinite-games

Discipline equals freedom

Sun, 01 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“Discipline is doing what you hate to do, but nonetheless doing it like you love it.” — Mike Tyson

只有在生活中紀律嚴明的人才是自由的。如果缺乏紀律，只會成為情緒和激情的奴隸。

“Only the disciplined ones in life are free. If you are undisciplined, you are a slave to your moods and your passions.” — Eliud Kipchoge

“A vital part of the happiness formula is self-discipline. Whoever conquers himself knows deep happiness that fills the heart with joy.” — Norman Vincent Peale

“Autonomie des Willens ist die Eigenschaft des Willens, sich selbst ein Gesetz zu sein.” — Grundlegung zur Metaphysik der Sitten, BA 89

意志的自律，就是意志為自己立法的能力。

“Freiheit ist die Eigenschaft, eine Ursache unabhängig von fremden, bestimmenden Ursachen zu sein.” — Kritik der praktischen Vernunft

自由，就是作為一個原因而不受其他外在決定性原因所支配的性質。

“Ein Will ist nur dann frei, wenn er autonom ist.”

意志唯有在自律時才是自由的。

真正的道德行為不是因外在獎賞或懲罰，而是出於內在的理性命令（定言命令）。
對康德而言，自由 = 自主地依理性立法（自律）行動，而非被外在欲望或他人驅動。
一個人只有在自律時，才擁有道德上的自由。

Discipline is about what you do on the days when you feel like crap.

Discipline is the highest form of self-love. It’s choosing short-term pain over long-term gain. Its loving yourself enough to not trade what you want most for what you want now.

Discipline is like being a wise parent to your inner child. The more disciplined you are, the more freedom your inner child has to explore and thrive.

「自律」只是外在的表面結果，「自願」才是內在真正的驅動力。

Discipline now, freedom later. Discipline equals freedom. You have to sacrifice short-term freedom in order to earn long-term freedom. Sacrifice is the cost of entry (入場費). Delayed gratification is the key to building the life you want.

Screw motivation, what you need is discipline. Discipline eats motivation for breakfast.

Excellence translates across disciplines.

Winners are not people who never fail, but people who never quit. Remember: “If you quit now, you will soon be back to where you started. And when you started, you will be desperately wishing to be where you are right now.”

世界上最難的管理，是自我管理；世界上最難的領導，是領導自己。

When you are doing something hard in life, you are making a second by second decision to keep going. If you lose one of those seconds, you’ve lost. Each second is an opportunity to keep going or to quit.

一個正確決定需要長時間的累積，一個錯誤決定只需要一瞬間/一念之間。

Be ware of blind consistency

Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little mind.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Am I focusing on input, or output per unit input?

Productivity is value created per unit of input. Not the most things done, but the right things. Not prolific output, but prolific output per unit input — leverage.

Blind consistency is just as bad as inconsistency. Inputs that fail to produce desired outcomes should be adjusted, not repeated.
Adaptive consistency is the key that unlocks your dream life.

The squirrel 🐿️ is what adaptive consistency looks like in motion: a steady heading plus constant small corrections. It adjusts the next step instead of repeating the last one.

Rough aim beats an exact plan — You need a direction, not a map. The route is discovered in the running, not before it.
The stop is part of the run — Looking around isn’t lost momentum; it’s where new input enters. Movement without looking is blind consistency at speed.
Correct the next step, not the destination — Adjust the heading from what you just saw. You change the route, not the goal.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Variety + Consistency = Success

Deliberate Practice

Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.” — Vince Lombardi ¹

“Practice is how intention becomes character.” — James Clear

(Ericsson, Krampe, and Tesch-Römer 1993)

by Anders Ericsson (研究世界專家的世界專家)

可以是「有人指導」(recommended)，也可以是「自己摸索」

Constantly improve/revise in an iterative manner → Don’t track number of hours, track number of iterations (error corrections).

10,000 hours of repetitions doing the same thing → 10,000 hours of iterations with 9,999 failed attempts

Similar to the concept of Progressive Overload in Strength Training — “Reps, Reps, Reps.”

設定明確的最終目標
建立系統化的練習方法
⭐️ 選擇勉強可完成的挑戰 (Challenging Limits)
- Working on tasks or problems that are neither too easy (which might lead to boredom) nor impossibly hard (which might cause frustration), but rather difficult enough to stretch your abilities
- Taking on challenges that are manageable enough that you win most of the time, but meaningful enough that you improve as well
- The common narrative is that kids learn faster than adults, but if you observe any toddler, they spend a large portion of the day attempting things that are on the edge of their ability ². The key is to enjoy hanging out on the edge. That is, you find it interesting to attempt things one step beyond where you are right now.
- Examples:
  - A student solving math problems slightly above their comfort level.
  - An athlete attempting a personal best in a challenging competition.
  - An artist trying a new technique that requires them to expand their skills.
專注地獨立練習 (Deeply Engaged)
反思 (Reassess) 並尋求立即性的意見回饋

Hand and head work together. Hand teaches what works, while head teaches why things work.

Craft over theory — Write code, publish writing, build things. The doing reveals edge cases and friction that no amount of thinking can predict.
Reflect to refine — After each iteration of “Hand,” pause for “Head”: what worked, what didn’t, and why? Close the loop.
Beware of the trap — Endless learning without creating (all Head, no Hand) is just sophisticated procrastination. Mindless repetition without reflection (all Hand, no Head) is just busywork.

“The Capability Gap” by Nick Saban

In my experience, most people underestimate their full capability and overestimate their current delivery.

What you’re capable of, relative to what you are doing
Better terms for “potential”
It requires an understanding/awareness of:
- Your current delivery
- Your full capability

developed by psychologist Lev Vygotsky.
is the range where the learner is able to perform, but only with support from a teacher or a peer with more knowledge or expertise (a “more knowledgeable other”).
is the “sweet spot” between too easy (boredom) and too hard (frustration).
Choosing “just out of reach” material that is impossible alone but manageable with an AI tutor.

A legendary American football coach ⌃
The phrase “on the edge of their ability” refers to someone operating at the boundary of their current skills, knowledge, or capacity/competence. It describes a sweet spot where a person is challenged to the fullest extent of what they are capable of achieving, often fostering growth and improvement through effort and practice. ⌃

Ericsson, K. Anders, Ralf T. Krampe, and Clemens Tesch-Römer. 1993. “The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance.” Psychological Review 100 (3): 363–406. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295x.100.3.363. ↩

Productivity

Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 5 min read

“If you can’t fit everything in within the time and budget allotted then don’t expand the time and budget. Instead, pull back the scope. There’s always time to add stuff later — later is eternal, now is fleeting.” — Jason Fried, Getting Real

“Productivity is most important for things you don’t want to be doing. Most people want to increase productivity so they can spend less time on the task. But before you worry about being more productive, think about being more selective. Rather than focusing on increasing productivity, it may be worth asking, ‘What would I be delighted to spend time on, even if it went slowly?’ Direct your energy toward figuring out how to start what you want to do rather than thinking about how to shorten what you don’t want to do.” — James Clear

“Productivity isn’t really about getting more things done, it’s mostly about learning to enjoy the journey — because when we’re having fun with things we’re doing, then productivity takes care of itself.” — Ali Abdaal

Productivity is about…

living each moment to its fullest
minimizing waste ¹
spending time with intent(ionality)
using our time in a way that’s intentional, effective and enjoyable
doing something, but not everything

Productivity is not only a measure of efficiency and also a state of mind/attitude (consciously choosing what really matters to focus on)

Productivity

= (High-Quality Output / Time Spent) ² × Fun Factor

= (Time Spent × Intensity of Focus / Time Spent) × Fun Factor

= Intensity of Focus × Fun Factor ³

“Play is just another version of work.” — Ray Kurzweil, The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology

Fill your day with hope and face it with joy. Do bold things with a pleasant and friendly demeanor. Enjoyment is time & energy efficiency. When you’re enjoying yourself, productivity takes care of itself. When work feels like play, the world becomes your playground. 😊

❗Toxic Productivity / Productivity Porn ⁴❗

Hot take: Most “productivity” tools are actually “procrastination” tools in disguise.

The only thing that actually works (for me) in productivity is easy systems with shorts ways.

Keep in mind: An effective system requires simple, repeatable subroutines that can be performed automatically and integrate seamlessly with one another. True transformation occurs only when these individual building blocks align within a cohesive, interconnected workflow, with bottlenecks identified and eliminated. This is why the typical “10 Tools to Improve Your Productivity” tips found all over the internet rarely offer lasting value. Instead, you need to build your own system that aligns with your unique needs. Experiment and find what works best for you.

Newton’s Three Laws of Productivity

Objects in motion tend to stay in motion. Find a way to get started in less than 2 minutes.
It’s not just about working hard (magnitude), it’s also about working on the right things (direction). You have a limited amount of force and where you apply it matters.
Your productivity is a balance of opposing forces. If you want to be more productive, you can either power through the barriers or remove the opposing forces. The second option seems to be less stressful.

正向情緒有助於快速進入高專注力的「心流」狀態。
負面情緒則如同「漏電」，消耗能量/精力並降低效率。

Planning and preparation help maximize your productivity

There are two synergistic approaches for increasing productivity that are inversions of each other:

Limit tasks to the important to shorten work time (The Pareto Principle).
Shorten work time to limit tasks to the important (The Parkinson’s Law).

“The SPACE Productivity Framework” by GitHub

(Forsgren et al. 2021)

satisfaction and well-being
performance
activity
communication and collaboration
efficiency and flow

What you work on is far more important than how productively you work

Productivity can be redefined as minimizing waste in various aspects of life, such as time, energy, attention, ideas, and one’s potential. → Lean Thinking ⌃
Productivity is creating more value in less time. It’s about getting the right things done, not the most things done. The goal isn’t to generate prolific output, but to generate prolific output per unit input. It’s about the leverage on your input. ⌃
It’s not about the number of hours you put in. It’s about the quality of those hours. ⌃
Productivity porn refers to the obsession with consuming content and strategies about productivity rather than actually being productive. It tricks you into feeling productive when in reality you didn’t actually do anything productive. By focusing on the appearance of being productive (e.g., perfect planners, aesthetic workspaces), individuals may neglect the actual work that drives results or moves the needle. Productivity porn creates an endless loop of preparation. This term highlights how people often spend time reading books, watching videos, or engaging with tools and systems about productivity instead of applying these methods in practice. The abundance of advice can overwhelm users, making it harder to choose and stick to a single approach, leading to frustration and decision fatigue. ⌃

Ferriss, Timothy. 2011. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich. Expanded and Updated ed. London: Vermilion. ↩

Forsgren, Nicole, Margaret-Anne Storey, Chandra Maddila, Thomas Zimmermann, Brian Houck, and Jenna Butler. 2021. “The SPACE of Developer Productivity.” Communications of the ACM 64 (6): 46–53. https://doi.org/10.1145/3453928. ↩

Psychology

Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

Egocentric Bias
- We convince ourselves of the accuracy of our own personal perspective—that we view ourselves as unimpeachable—and therefore struggle to acknowledge any perspectives or data that may alter our understanding of the world.
- Everything you look for and all that you perceive has a way of proving whatever you believe.
Asch Conformity Experiments
- 指鹿為馬的「從眾心理」
The Illusory Truth Effect
- The tendency to believe false information to be correct after repeated exposure
The Centipede’s Dilemma
- How overthinking kills productivity
The Myopia Bias
The Self-Attribution Bias
The Survivorship Bias
- What is unseen often has just as much value as what is seen
- Fighting The Zebra Effect is hard (but worth it)
  - Standing out is dangerous. It’s always going to be safer and more comfortable to blend in. But it’s only by taking this risk that you can accomplish truly remarkable things.
  - Those from our class who were willing to look crazy for long periods of time had built unique and impactful things. They also seemed happier on average.
The Pyrrhic Victory
The Diderot Effect
- When acquiring a new possession leads to a spiral of consumption that results in the acquisition of even more possessions. In other words, it means that buying something new can cause a chain reaction of buying more and more things because the new item makes one feel like one needs other things to go with it or to keep up with it.
斯坦福棉花糖實驗 Stanford Marshmallow Experiment on Delayed Gratification
「果醬實驗」(Jam Experiment)
- How choice overloads makes consumers buy less (due to Decision Fatigue)
Echo Chamber (同溫層效應 = 迴聲室效應 = 信息繭房)
信使效應 on 壞消息 → shoot the messenger
鴕鳥心態 (Ostrich Effect): 指一種人類因為不敢面對現實而逃避問題，以求得心理上安全感的懦弱行為
The Shiny Object/Toy Syndrome
Ambiguity Effect
- People tend to…
  - avoid options that we consider to be ambiguous (i.e., a lack of information)
  - select options for which the probability of a favorable outcome is known, over an option for which the probability of a favorable outcome is unknown.

The Locksmith Paradox

Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

aka The Picasso Paradox

Picasso was walking through the market one day when a woman approached him.

She pulled out a piece of paper and said, “Mr. Picasso, I am a fan of your work. Please, could you do a little drawing for me?”

Picasso smiled and quickly drew a small, but beautiful piece of art on the paper. He handed it back to her. “That will be one million dollars.”

“But Mr. Picasso,” the woman protested, “It only took you thirty seconds to draw this little masterpiece.”

“My good woman,” Picasso smiled, “It took me thirty years to draw that masterpiece in thirty seconds.”

Imagine you come home from work one day and find yourself locked out of your apartment.

You call a locksmith to help you get in.

A junior locksmith arrives and gets to work. He seems quite new to this. After an hour of work, he manages to pick the lock and get through the door.

“That’ll be $100,” he says. You happily pay him the fee, satisfied with the significant effort and ultimate outcome.

A year later, you find yourself once again locked out. This time, you’ve got the number saved in your phone. You call the locksmith, who quickly arrives at your door.

But this time around, he’s clearly quite seasoned. The year of experience has done wonders.

Within two minutes, he picks the lock and gets you inside.

“That’ll be $100,” he says.

You frown, confused and annoyed by the steep fee.

“But it only took two minutes,” you argue.

He stares blankly at you. You pay the fee, frustrated, and walk inside.

The output of the two scenarios was the same, but your perception of the value of that output changed based on the input required to achieve it.

We overemphasize input over output. We have a tendency to undervalue something because of the low visible input required to create it, despite the output being exactly what we requested or required.

Focus on the value the customer receives, not how long it took to create that value ¹
Challenge: Need trust foundation

Whenever you can, separate time from your service pricing and charge based on deliverables. ⌃

Why we exist?

Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 15 min read

“The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The work of life is to develop it. The meaning of life is to give your gift away.” — David Viscott

“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” — Aristotle

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” — Mark Twain

“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” — Friedrich Nietzsche

“The meaning of life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.” — Søren Kierkegaard

“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a gift to be opened.” — Henri Nouwen

“Existence is a series of footnotes to a vast, obscure, unfinished masterpiece.” — Vladimir Nabokov

“Existence is a fullness which we can never abandon.” — Jean Paul Sartre

“And what is the purpose of existence… but to discover truth and beauty and…share it with others.” — Brenda Ueland

“You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.” — Albert Camus

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” — Howard Thurman

(Niebuhr and Bacevich 2010)

“Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore we must be saved by hope. Nothing which is true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore we must be saved by faith. Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore we must be saved by love. No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as it is from our standpoint. Therefore we must be saved by the final form of love which is forgiveness.”

(Pressfield 2003)

“None of us are born as passive generic blobs waiting for the world to stamp its imprint on us. Instead we show up possessing already a highly refined and individuated soul. Another way of thinking of it is: We’re not born with unlimited choices. We can’t be anything we want to be. We come into this world with a specific, personal destiny. We have a job to do, a calling to enact, a self to become. We are who we are from the cradle, and we’re stuck with it. Our job in this lifetime is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it.” — Steven Pressfield, The War of Art

“It’s more important to be good ancestors than dutiful descendants. Too many people spend their lives being custodians of the past instead of stewards of the future. We worry about making our parents proud when we should be focused on making our children proud. The responsibility of each generation is not to please our predecessors—it’s to improve conditions for our successors.” — Adam M. Grant, Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things

我是誰？
我從哪裡來？
我要去哪裡？

我們追求的不是第一，心中那個不變的理想，才是支持我們繼續跑下去的動力。 — 三浦紫苑《強風吹拂》

Life’s Highest Calling

Life Purpose/Mission/Meaning/Aspirations

Core Values/Philosophies/Principles

Life Truth North / North Star

Dharma

ikigai

plan de vida

人生使命

個人天職/命

(Frankl 2006)

= Logotherapy
by Viktor Frankl

“The most terrifying fact about the universe is not that it is hostile but that it is indifferent, but if we can come to terms with this indifference, then our existence as a species can have genuine meaning. However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light.” — Stanley Kubrick

Playboy: If life is so purposeless, do you feel that it’s worth living?

Kubrick: Yes, for those of us who manage somehow to cope with our mortality. The very meaninglessness of life forces man to create his own meaning.

Children, of course, begin life with an untarnished sense of wonder, a capacity to experience total joy at something as simple as the greenness of a leaf; but as they grow older, the awareness of death and decay begins to impinge on their consciousness and subtly erode their joie de vivre, their idealism — and their assumption of immortality.

As a child matures, he sees death and pain everywhere about him, and begins to lose faith in the ultimate goodness of man. But if he’s reasonably strong — and lucky — he can emerge from this twilight of the soul into a rebirth of life’s élan.

Both because of and in spite of his awareness of the meaninglessness of life, he can forge a fresh sense of purpose and affirmation. He may not recapture the same pure sense of wonder he was born with, but he can shape something far more enduring and sustaining.

The most terrifying fact of the universe is not that it is hostile but that it is indifferent; but if we can come to terms with this indifference and accept the challenges of life within the boundaries of death — however mutable man may be able to make them — our existence as a species can have genuine meaning and fulfillment.

However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light.

工作的台語翻成中文的意思是「空缺」，提醒我們：這個社會中都有那個專屬於我們的位置，只是需要我們去發現、發掘。

At the end of your life, God will only assess you based on how well you help other people be better people. Life is people.

大多數人是不知道自己爲何而活的，甚至於也不知道自己要什麼。他們等著別人來指點迷津。」我的朋友楊德昌導演生前最常這樣說：「所以我們要拍電影給他們看，讓他們知道，每天都是全新的一天，有著各式各樣的可能，作出自己的選擇，找到自己相信的東西，勇敢活下去。」

“I’ve come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that’s as unique as a fingerprint - and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.” — Oprah Winfrey

“Joy can only be real if people look upon their life as a service and have a definite object in life outside themselves and their personal happiness.” — Leo Tolstoy

強者要為弱者而活

“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak.” — Romans 15:1

Self-actualization → Self-transcendence (going beyond the self—seeking connection with something greater, such as service to others, nature, art, or the divine)

“The more one forgets himself—by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love—the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself. What is called ‘self-actualization’ is not an attainable aim at all, for the simple reason that the more one would strive for it, the more he would miss it. In other words, self-actualization is possible only as a side-effect of self-transcendence.” — Viktor E. Frankl

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

“If you’re not making someone else’s life better, then you’re wasting your time. Your life will become better by making other lives better.” — Will Smith

“Your job is to make a unique contribution. Live a life of purpose. Do something that nobody else in the world would do or can do. Make a unique contribution so that in the event that after you’ve done, everybody says the world was better because you were here.” — Jensen Huang

The Contribution Question: Not “What do I want to get from life?” but “What do I want to give to life?”

Missions are infinite. Goals are finite.

“Some goals are not meant to be reached, they give you a direction to strive towards.” — Bruce Lee

You never reach a Mission, you live out a Mission.
Missions are life journey, with no specific ends.
Missions are directions/scope of life, not the destination of life.
Mission statements usually (and should) sound like vague platitudes.
Goals are focused around discrete achievements, with specific ends.

The distinction between missions (infinite) and goals (finite) maps onto James Carse’s distinction between finite games (played to win, with clear endpoints) and infinite games (played to keep playing, with the goal of continuation).

A mission gives direction without demanding arrival. You can orient your life toward “helping people reduce suffering” without ever finishing. This infinite orientation protects against the arrival fallacy.

The most extraordinary people in the world today don’t have a career. They have a mission ¹. They are terrible procrastinators and find it almost impossible to make themselves do anything they’re not genuinely interested in.

人生本無意義，意義是自己賦予的。

Not to find the meaning of life, but to use your life to create things that are meaningful.

“Meaning is not something you stumble across, like the answer to a riddle or the prize in a treasure hunt. Meaning is something you build into your life. You build it out of your own past, out of your affections and loyalties, out of the experience of humankind as it is passed on to you, out of your own talent and understanding, out of the things you believe in, out of the things and people you love, out of the values for which you are willing to sacrifice something. The ingredients are there. You are the only one who can put them together into that unique pattern that will be your life. Let it be a life that has dignity and meaning for you. If it does, then the particular balance of success or failure is of less account.” — John W. Gardner, Personal Renewal

Fulfillment is found through connection to something greater than the self. Find something much bigger and more important than you are, and dedicate your life to it. ²

“The best way to overcome the fear of death — so at least it seems to me — is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life.” — Bertrand Russell

“If somebody comes and makes a better electric car than Tesla, and it’s so much better than ours that we can’t sell our cars and we go bankrupt, I still think that’s a good thing for the world.” — Elon Musk

“Purpose and desire can seem similar, but they are very different, sometimes even opposing forces. Desire is personal, narrow, and pointed, and tends toward self-preservation, self-gratification, and short-term gains and pleasures. Purpose is wider, broader, a longer-term vision encompassing the benefit of others—something outside of yourself you’re willing to fight for. There have been many times in my life where I was acting from a place of desire but I’d fully convinced myself that it was purpose. Desire is what you want; purpose is the flowering of what you are. Desire tends to weaken over time, whereas purpose strengthens the more you lean into it. Desire can be depleting because it’s insatiable; purpose is empowering—it’s a stronger engine. Purpose has a way of contextualizing life’s unavoidable sufferings and making them meaningful and worthwhile. As Viktor Frankl wrote, “In some ways suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning, such as the meaning of a sacrifice.” — Will Smith, Will

The “1 Thing” Question: What is the one truth that makes life valuable?
The “Being” Question: How does it shape who you are?
The “Doing” Question: How does it shape what you do?

3 Heuristics for a Fulfilling Life

“The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.” — Michelangelo

Big ambitions
High standards
Low expectations

is a self-discovery tool used primarily in Christian contexts to help individuals understand how God has uniquely designed them for service, purpose, and contribution within the church and broader community. The acronym S.H.A.P.E. stands for Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences, offering a framework to discern one’s unique qualities, passions, and strengths. By reflecting on these five areas, individuals can identify their God-given purpose and discover how they can best serve others meaningfully and effectively.

Letter	Stands for	Meaning
S	Spiritual Gifts	What spiritual gifts or talents has God given you? (e.g., teaching, mercy, leadership)
H	Heart	What are you passionate about? What causes or activities deeply move you?
A	Abilities	What natural talents, skills, or learned competencies do you have?
P	Personality	How do you interact with others? Are you introverted, extroverted, structured, spontaneous?
E	Experiences	What life experiences (good and bad) have shaped who you are today?

The sad part is, that I will probably end up loving you without you for much longer than I loved you when I knew you. Some people might find that strange. But the truth of it is that the amount of love you feel for someone and the impact they have on you as a person, is in no way relative to the amount of time you have known them.” — Ranata Suzuki

“When a beautiful rose dies beauty does not die because it is not really in the rose. Beauty is an awareness in the mind.” — Agnes Martin, Beauty Is the Mystery of Life, 1989

當一朵美麗的玫瑰凋謝時，美並不會隨之消逝，因為它並不存在玫瑰本身。美，是一種感覺，是一種內心的意識。

“The dead can survive as part of the lives of those that still live.” — Kenzaburō Ōe, Hiroshima Notes

“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” — Thomas Campbell

“Your biological age is the number of days you’ve lived. Your psychological age is the number of thoughts you’ve entertained. Your sociological age is the number of contributions you’ve made.” — James Clear

“(It’s true that) none of us will get to live forever(, but) none of the people who die are gone. They’re with us every day. I once heard a pastor at a church say that they’re like ships sailing out of the harbor. Yes, at some point, as they get past the horizon, we can’t see them anymore. But that doesn’t mean they’re gone. I don’t think we ever lose the people who pass away. They stay with us every day, in our memories, but also in the way they shaped our lives.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger

“No one is finally dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away, until the clock wound up winds down, until the wine she made has finished its ferment, until the crop they planted is harvested. The span of someone’s life is only the core of their actual existence.” — Terry Pratchett, Reaper Man

“Before you are old, attend as many funerals as you can bear and listen. Nobody talks about the departed’s achievements. The only thing people will remember is what kind of person you were while you were achieving.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier

“The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.” — Kalu Ndukwe Kalu

The great use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it. To be remembered by people is to live forever.

死後還能繼續影響這個世界、幾百年後還會有人記得和提起你的名字

計利當計天下利，求名當求萬世名

Hunter S. Thompson’s Letter on Finding Life Purpose

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Identity Crisis

Existential Crisis

How to live a life

Everyone is on their own timeline

= 志業 Calling ⌃
“God, kids, or mission, pick at least one. Preferably all three. It’s very liberating.” — Naval Ravikant ⌃

Frankl, Viktor E. 2006. Man’s Search for Meaning. Translated by Ilse Lasch. Boston: Beacon Press. ↩

Niebuhr, Reinhold, and Andrew J. Bacevich. 2010. The Irony of American History. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ↩

Pressfield, Steven. 2003. The War of Art: Break through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles. New York, NY: Grand Central Publ. ↩

小野著., and 小野, 1951- author. 2012. 有些事, 這些年我才懂: 小野的人生思考. Chu ban. 臺北市: 究竟出版社. ↩

Walden

Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

To be a philosopher is not merely to have subtle thoughts, nor even to found a school… it is to solve some of the problems of life, not only theoretically but practically.

Be patient with results, but inpatient with actions

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

Set 5-year goals, but take 10-minute actions. Think long. Act now.

When making plans, think big. When making progress, think small.

The Sprint vs Marathon Mindset

On a micro, day-to-day level, approach your work like you’re in a sprint — focused, fast, and intense.
On a macro, year-to-year scale, pace yourself like you’re running a marathon — steady, strategic, and sustainable.

“The things you want in life will come to you, but only when you are ready for them.” — Sahil Bloom

Remember: You’re not where you want to be just because you have not done what is necessary and required yet.
天助自助者：上天的恩惠不會憑空而來，必須持續努力，克服沿路的試煉，才會發現神明一直與自己同在。

A man who is a master of patience is master of everything else

Cultivate a strong bias towards action

Long-Term Thinking

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

欲知前世因，今生受者是，欲知來世果，今生作者是。

—《三世因果經》

如果你想知道過去，就看看你現在的處境；如果你想知道未來，就看看你今天的行為。¹

If you want to know your past, look into your present conditions. If you want to know your future, look into your present actions.

菩薩畏因不畏果，君子憂道不憂貧

與其等到果報成熟後才承受、補救，不如在因尚未形成時，就及時止惡、修善。

一般凡夫俗子只在乎眼前的結果、災難或痛苦。平時做事隨心所欲、不計後果，等到惡果降臨時才驚慌害怕、怨天尤人、匆忙補救，但為時已晚。

覺悟者（菩薩）明白因果循環的規律，知道「種什麼因，得什麼果」。因此，菩薩重視預防，在每一個起心動念、事情發生的最初，就保持覺察，謹慎行事。不種下惡因，自然就不會承受惡果。

Long-term thinking changes your short-term actions.

When you intend to invest long-term, it changes which stocks you buy.
When you intend to be in a relationship long-term, it changes the type of person you look for.
When you intend to stay injury-free for the long term, it changes the type of workouts you do.

Build what lasts.

What’s right for you today is determined by what you’ve been doing lately. ⌃

Hanjeungmak

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

汗蒸幕 (hanjeungmak, 한증막) is the traditional Korean-style sauna. it’s a form of deliberate heat exposure / thermotherapy

The term literally means “sweat-steaming curtain” — a heated room (能量屋) you sit in and sweat
Modern places often add themed rooms:
- salt room (鹽房)
- ice room (冰房)
- mineral/stone room (礦石房)
- mugwort stone room (艾草石房)

Not a dry sauna (乾蒸), not a steam oven (蒸氣烤箱) — a separate category
The room is built from tourmaline (碧璽) panels that emit far-infrared rays (遠紅外線) + negative ions (負離子)
Constant low temperature of 38–43°C

Featuring heated mugwort stone, which fills the air with the herbal aroma of mugwort (艾草 / 쑥)
溫熱＋香氣，給人安神、放鬆的感覺

Detox: expels dampness (排濕), cold (排寒), and toxins (排毒)
Circulation: unblocks meridians (經絡) and blood vessels (血管)
Cellular: activates & repairs cells; wakes body cells from a “dormant” to an “active” state (細胞浴); calms the mind (安神); improves sleep & insomnia
Body: balances body pH; beauty (美容); weight loss (減肥); reduces water retention
Systems: improves blood circulation & respiratory function; relieves joint pain & inflammation/swelling; supports digestion and kidney function
Immunity: strengthens immunity; helps prevent colds

汗蒸結束後，體溫仍高、皮膚血管仍擴張，散熱還沒結束，汗腺會繼續工作 — 這就是 二次出汗。若此時立刻沖冷水會使血管急速收縮、散熱中斷，容易頭痛、感冒，也讓汗蒸效果大打折扣。

整健反應，指在進行汗蒸療程後，身體在短暫適應或修復過程中，出現的一些暫時性不適現象。

Negative Thoughts & Emotions

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 5 min read

“You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair.” — Chinese Proverb

“If everything around you seems dark, look again, you may be the light.” — Rumi

“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” — Henry Ford

“Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.” — Winston Churchill ¹

“When you notice that you’re having negative thoughts about how all of this is going to pan out, you need to remind yourself that you are not a very good fortune teller.” — Donna W. Hill

“The only time we suffer is when we believe a thought that argues with what is.” — Byron Katie

Notice/identify/recognize/acknowledge these feelings/thought patterns in the negative loop and let them guide you. They are your compass toward growth. Don’t ruminate/dwell on negative thoughts. (內耗)
We cannot grow when we are in shame, and we can’t use shame to change ourselves or others.

壓力 (Stressful)
不安 (Discomfort)
自我懷疑 (Self-doubt)
悲觀 (Pessimism)
失望、沮喪 (Depression & Frustration)
羨慕 (Envy)
忌妒 (Jealous)
炫耀
自私 (Selfishness)
過度在意別人的想法
拿自己和別人比較 (Comparison)
害怕、恐懼、心魔 (Fear)
擔心 (Worry)
焦慮 (Anxiety)
抱怨 (Complain)
憤怒 (Anger/Irritation)
不安 (Uncertainty/Insecurity)
羞愧 (Shame)
憎恨/惡 (Hatred/Resentment/Grudge)
傷心 (Sorrow/Sadness)
憤世忌俗 (Cynacism)

Killing ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts)

[@burnsFeelingGoodDepressionen2011]

ALL-OR-NOTHING THINKING: You see things in black-and-white categories. If your performance falls short of perfect, you see yourself as a total failure.
- How to overcome it?
  - Avoid thinking in negative, unconditional, absolute terms, such as “never” or “nothing”.
OVERGENERALIZATION: You see a single negative event as a never-ending pattern of defeat.
- How to overcome it?
  - Think through the accuracy of the statement. When you catch yourself using words like “always” or “never,” stop yourself and ask those words are accurate.
  - Replace that overly broad language with something more realistic.
- Examples
  - “I made a mistake on this task” becomes “I’m terrible at my job”
  - “That conversation felt awkward” becomes “Everyone thinks I’m weird”
  - “That was a stressful commute” becomes “My morning is ruined”
LABELING AND MISLABELING: This is an extreme form of overgeneralization. Instead of describing your error, you attach a negative label to yourself: “I’m a loser.” When someone else’s behavior rubs you the wrong way, you attach a negative label to him: “He’s a goddam louse.” Mislabeling involves describing an event with language that is highly colored and emotionally loaded.
MENTAL FILTER: You pick out a single negative detail and dwell on it exclusively so that your vision of all reality becomes darkened, like the drop of ink that colors the entire beaker of water.
DISQUALIFYING THE POSITIVE: You reject positive experiences by insisting they “don’t count” for some reason or other. In this way you can maintain a negative belief that is contradicted by your everyday experiences.
JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS: You make a negative interpretation even though there are no definite facts that convincingly support your conclusion.
- Mind reading. You arbitrarily conclude that someone is reacting negatively to you, and you don’t bother to check this out.
- The Fortune Teller Error. You anticipate that things will turn out badly, and you feel convinced that your prediction is an already-established fact.
MAGNIFICATION (CATASTROPHIZING) OR MINIMIZATION: You exaggerate the importance of things (such as your goof-up or someone else’s achievement), or you inappropriately shrink things until they appear tiny (your own desirable qualities or the other fellow’s imperfections). This is also called the “binocular trick.”
EMOTIONAL REASONING: You assume that your negative emotions necessarily reflect the way things really are: “I feel it, therefore it must be true.”
- How to overcome it?
  - Utilizing relaxation techniques or self-compassion, such as “I am safe.”
  - Give yourself permission to feel anxious. Then remind yourself that it is just a feeling and that does not have to define your reality.
SHOULD STATEMENTS: You try to motivate yourself with shoulds and shouldn’ts, as if you had to be whipped and punished before you could be expected to do anything. “Musts” and “oughts” are also offenders. The emotional consequence is guilt. When you direct should statements toward others, you feel anger, frustration, and resentment.
PERSONALIZATION: You see yourself as me cause of some negative external event which in fact you were not primarily responsible for.”

A true transformation begins with a mental shift

The Sedona Method

Cognitive Defusion

Do not fear the winds of adversity. Remember, a kite rises against the wind rather than with it. ⌃

Walk

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 5 min read

“A walk in nature walks the soul back home.” — Mary Davis

“Above all, do not lose your desire to walk. Everyday, I walk myself into a state of well-being & walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it.” — Søren Kierkegaard

“I can only meditate when I am walking. When I stop, I cease to think; my mind works only with my legs.” — Jean-Jacques Rousseau

散步促進我的思想。唯有身體不停行走，腦筋才會甦醒運轉。

“I am alarmed when it happens that I have walked a mile into the woods bodily, without getting there in spirit.” — Henry David Thoreau, Walking


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Solvitur Ambulando: It Is Solved By Walking

Forward Ambulation is another word to move forward - like taking a walk, biking or running!

Incidental Exercise is the physical activity required to engage in normal daily activities over the course of our day.

You’ll never regret taking a walk outside.

Motion is lotion.
Move to move the mind.

Goal: 8000–10000 steps per day

10 minutes of walking is around 1,000 steps

創造力取決於移動的身體，不要相信坐著時產生的任何想法。

“Sit as little as possible; give credence to no thought that is not born in the open air and accompanied by free movement.” — Friedrich Nietzsche

“Only ideas won by walking have any value.” — Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols

唯有散步之際悟出的想法才有價值。 — 尼采

generates optic flow
lowers activity in the amygdala, thereby reducing levels of stress and anxiety
leads to focused alertness
opens up the free flow of creative ideas — a thought process called Divergent Thinking

Walk for transportation: if you take a bus or train as part of your commute, getting off a stop or two earlier
Try parking further
Use stairs instead of elevators
Take a 5-10 min post-meal walk
Get a walking pad for a treadmill-desk setup

Walk alone or with someone else (pair walking). You can enjoy health benefits, plus enjoy your surroundings or enjoy a good conversation.
Frequent, multiple, and brief walking breaks throughout the day are more effective at improving well-being than a single, longish walk.

Devote five minutes every hour to physical activity, whether you walk up and down a staircase, along a corridor or just pace around your office. (Bergouignan et al. 2016)
Walk in nature (Park Walk) > Walk in urban (Street Walk) (Sellers et al. 2012) (Bratman et al. 2015)

Walking in nature significantly reduced rumination (the act of dwelling on negative thoughts, replaying mistakes, or worrying about the future) and activity in the corresponding part of the brain, while those assigned to urban walks experienced no notable impact, highlighting the enhanced mental health benefits of natural environments.
Break Walks
Active Walks: I will often spend my active walks listening to an audiobook or podcast, or thinking about something specific that I want to work through (a problem, writing idea, etc.).
Passive “Tech-Free” Walks
- Passive walks are “atelic” ¹ activities (meaning they are done with no goal in mind). These walks are 30-60 minutes and are done at a slow, leisurely pace with no technology. Leave your phone at home. Let your mind wander. Allow your ideas to mingle. I’d suggest bringing a little pocket notebook to log anything interesting that comes into your head (it will happen!).
- Raw dog your walks. When you go out for a walk, leave your phone behind—no calls, no music, no podcasts. Just you and your thoughts. It’s one of the best things you can do for your brain and mind, and I promise you’ll feel the difference.
- Go on a walk without phone.
Nordic Walking
Walking Meditation
Rucking: walking with weight on your back

深吸氣 → 挺胸 → 收小腹：啟動核心，避免塌腰或聳肩。
手肘快速擺動：擺臂能提高心率、增加全身能量消耗。
最大步幅前進：
- 「最大步幅」指的是在不失去穩定性的前提下你能跨出的最大步伐。
- 步幅變大會自然帶動臀大肌、腿後肌（腿後腱）更強力啟動，有助提升下半身線條。

Everyone should feel alert walking the streets at night — that’s not oppression, it’s a necessary survival instinct. Twisted, sick, fucked-up people (most drunk) will always exist, and both women and men need to be psychologically and physiologically ready for that threat, especially when alone/isolated in the dark. They prey on vulnerable targets, and night is their peak.

What Happened When One Runner Tried a 1-Month Walking Challenge

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis

Wander

Walking by Henry David Thoreau

「有界」(bounded, telic) 和「無界」(unbounded, atelic) ⌃

Bergouignan, Audrey, Kristina T. Legget, Nathan De Jong, Elizabeth Kealey, Janet Nikolovski, Jack L. Groppel, Chris Jordan, Raphaela O’Day, James O. Hill, and Daniel H. Bessesen. 2016. “Effect of Frequent Interruptions of Prolonged Sitting on Self-Perceived Levels of Energy, Mood, Food Cravings and Cognitive Function.” International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 13 (1): 113. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-016-0437-z. ↩

Bratman, Gregory N., J. Paul Hamilton, Kevin S. Hahn, Gretchen C. Daily, and James J. Gross. 2015. “Nature Experience Reduces Rumination and Subgenual Prefrontal Cortex Activation.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 112 (28): 8567–72. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1510459112. ↩

Sellers, C.E., P.M. Grant, C.G. Ryan, C. O’Kane, K. Raw, and D. Conn. 2012. “Take a Walk in the Park? A Cross-over Pilot Trial Comparing Brisk Walking in Two Different Environments: Park and Urban.” Preventive Medicine 55 (5): 438–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2012.09.005. ↩

Always keep going

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“Remember diamonds are created under pressure so hold on, it will be your time to shine soon.” — Sope Agbelusi

“Not everything blooms in spring. Your season might be autumn. Keep going.” — James Clear

“Darkness is preparation for light. Sadness is preparation for joy. Failure is preparation for success. But only if you keep going and remain open to what comes next.” — James Clear

“Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.” — Dalai Lama

“Keep going. Your hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life. Keep going. Tough situations build strong people in the end.” — Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

“What I’ve learned is to always keep going. Always. No matter what happens, the storm eventually ends, and when the storm does end, you want to make sure that you’re ready.” — Kobe Bryant

“Rest at the end, not in the middle. And that’s something I always live by. I’m not going to rest, and I’m going to keep on pushing now. There are a lot of answers that I don’t have, even questions that I don’t have, but I’m just going to keep going.” — Kobe Bryant

“Life is like riding a bicycle, to keep balance you must keep moving.” — Albert Einstein

“If you can’t fly, run. If you can’t run, walk. If you can’t walk, crawl, but by all means, keep moving.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

“What’s done is done. What’s gone is gone. One of life’s lessons is always moving on. It’s okay to look back to see how far you’ve come but keep moving forward.” — Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

“Moving on is easy. It’s staying moved on that’s trickier.” — Katerina Stoykova Klemer

“The best way out is always through.” — Robert Frost

Everything you’re going through will soon turn into everything you made it through. Keep going.

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“Do not think there are no crocodiles just because the water is calm.”

“A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it.” — Dogen

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and take whatever comes your way.

Do favors for tomorrow you. Set yourself up for success. Create a condition that is impossible to fail for yourself. Put yourself in the best position possible! So that Tomorrow/Future You can play easy mode effortlessly

憂患意識

未雨綢繆、防範於未然：用最壞的打算，做最好的準備

Dig the well before you are thirsty.

The ability to hold two minds at once:
1. An unwavering faith in your ability to prevail
2. A clear-eyed recognition of the harsh reality of the present
一方面對於前途保持堅定的信心，另一方面以務實和實際的態度認清殘酷的現實
相信自己能夠在未來實現某個目標，同時抱持謙虛的態度，質疑自己現在的方法是否得當

Rational Optimists

自信的謙虛 (Confident Humility) — 不是自大，而是自信 (Be Confident, But Humble)

Premortem

The Cut Crystal Glass

Optimism

Perfectionism

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

“All software has bugs — it’s just a fact of life. You.” — Jason Fried, Getting Real

“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” — Zig Ziglar

“It’s not the note you play that’s the wrong note—it’s the note you play afterwards that makes it right or wrong.” — Miles Davis

Build a Tower, Build a Team

“Conditions are never perfect. ‘Someday”’ is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you. Pro and con lists are just as bad. If it’s important to you and you want to do it ‘eventually,’ just do it and correct course along the way.” — Timothy Ferriss, The 4-Hour Workweek

“Don’t let perfection become procrastination. Do it now.” — Danielle LaPorte

“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” — Vince Lombardi

Perfect is the enemy of good. (Good is the enemy of great.)

Perfectionism is a double-edged sword (雙面刃). On one hand, it can drive individuals to achieve great heights, pushing them to strive for excellence and meticulousness in their endeavors. On the other hand, it can lead to chronic dissatisfaction and overwhelming stress.

Perfectionism is the most common form of self-sabotage; it’s a way to keep your work in your head where it can’t be criticized or tested by reality.

“I think it will start poorly, but who knows how it will end.”

Embracing this mindset allows for a more balanced approach to perfectionism.
Remember: You have to start poorly to end well.

Fear of Failure: Perfectionists often avoid taking risks due to the fear of making mistakes or not meeting their own high standards.
Procrastination: The pressure to produce perfect work can lead to avoidance behaviors, where individuals overthink and delay starting tasks due to anxiety about their performance.
Burnout: Constant striving for perfection is exhausting and can lead to physical and mental burnout.
Low Self-Esteem: Perfectionists may tie their self-worth closely to their achievements, leading to feelings of inadequacy when they inevitably fall short.

History remembers those who got to market first. ¹ Getting your creation out into the world is more important than getting it perfect.

If you don’t succeed in your first attempt, just call it version 1.0 and move on.

追求當一個「完整」的人，而非「完美」的人 — 可以堅強，也可以脆弱；有強悍的時候，也有溫柔的時候。

Imperfect action trumps visualized perfection all day long.

“Premature optimization is the root of all evil.” — Donald Knuth ²

Done is better than perfect. — First make it work. Then optimize (pretty, efficient, documented). Don’t over-engineer. Never start to scale/optimize things too early. Use feedback for fast iterations. It’s okay to be wrong.

Double meaning of Release

“Regarding sharing creative work, the word “release” carries a double meaning. It signifies that the work is made available to the public and that the author is liberated from the pursuit of perfection.” — Derek Sivers

The Growth Mindset

Just getting started

Early-Arriver Arbitrage (First-Mover Advantage) — It’s easy to think you’re already late to an arena even when it’s still so early. A crowd can look big until you see how big it can become; only then do you realize it was actually tiny before. […] If you can, get to the arena before the crowd shows up. ⌃
The hallmark of premature optimization is adding complexity for the sake of efficiency, without having determined that the benefit is substantial enough to justify the cost (of both implementation and maintenance). ⌃

Ferriss, Timothy. 2011. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich. Expanded and Updated ed. London: Vermilion. ↩

Ramen Profitable

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

“Ramen profitable” describes a startup stage where revenue is just enough to cover the founders’ basic living expenses, removing the immediate requirement for external capital.

Ramen profitability buys founders the autonomy to build without investor pressure. By achieving self-sufficiency at a micro-scale, founders reduces liquidation risk, strengthens future fundraising leverage, and minimizes fundraising distractions to fully focus on product-market fit.

When you do not need to raise money, you hold the power. This results in better investor terms, faster closing times, and the ability to avoid the “desperation tax” often imposed on founders with thinning bank accounts.

This aligns with Eric Ries’s “Lean Startup” principles—validating the business early through revenue reduces waste and ensures the company is building something people actually want.

Remember: ramen profitability is not the destination. A startup’s goal is massive success; ramen profitability is merely a bridge across the “valley of death” to get there.

Decision Making

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 10 min read

“The decisions of our past are the architects of our present.” — Dan Brown

“It’s better to be boldly decisive and risk being wrong than to agonise at length and be right too late.” — Marilyn Moats Kennedy ¹

“Learn to make non-fatal or easily reversible decisions as quickly as possible. Fast (not rushed) decisions preserve usable attention for what matters. It’s deliberation—the time we vacillate over and consider each decision—consumes our attention. Embrace a choice-minimal lifestyle.” — (Ferriss 2011)

“I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.” — Maya Angelou

We live in an age of infinite leverage. What I mean by that is that your actions can be multiplied a thousandfold, either by broadcasting a podcast or by investing capital or by having people work for you or by writing code. So because of that, the impacts of good decision-making are much higher than they used to be because now you can influence thousands or millions of people through your decisions or your code. So clear mind leads to better (sound) judgment leads to a better outcome. So a happy, calm, peaceful person will make better decisions and have better outcomes. So if you want to operate at peak performance, you have to learn how to tame your mind. ² Just like you have to learn how to tame your body. ³

If you want to make the wrong decision, ask everyone.

When faced with a difficult decision, ask yourself what your 80-year-old self would want you to do.
Anytime you feel a high activation state of any kind of positive/negative emotions or internal arousal, you should pause/stop and reflect, because what’s happening is it’s revealing to you something very important.
- By reflecting on these states, we can uncover important lessons and insights that can inform our future decisions and actions.
- If you don’t stop to think about why I’m so upset or why I’m so happy, you’re gonna miss an important lesson. (similar to Alchemy 煉金術 & Avocados ⁴)
The Secretary Problem (The 37 Percent Rule) 撿石子理論
- It implies that the optimal win probability is always at least 1/e (e is Napier’s Constant or Euler’s Number), and that the latter holds even in a much greater generality.
  - 最佳觀察期為整條路段長度的 1/e ~ 0.36788 (略大於 1/3)
- Examples
  - 擇偶
  - 雇員
  - 買房
- Note that this theory is not time-based, but iteration-based.
Trust your gut

Look for single decision that removes hundreds or thousands of other decisions

A simple decision-making framework created by author and speaker Suzy Welch. The idea is that you pause and evaluate your decision across three timeframes (時間尺度):

10 Minutes: How will you feel about this decision in 10 minutes?

10 分鐘後，你會怎麼看這個決定？
10 Months: How will you feel about this decision in 10 months?

10 個月後，你會怎麼看這個決定？
10 Years: How will you feel about this decision in 10 years?

10 年後，你會怎麼看這個決定？

Two types of decisions

Some decisions are consequential and irreversible or nearly irreversible — one-way doors — and these decisions must be made methodically, carefully, slowly, with great deliberation and consultation. If you walk through and don’t like what you see on the other side, you can’t get back to where you were before. We can call these Type 1 decisions. But most decisions aren’t like that — they are changeable, reversible — they’re two-way doors. If you’ve made a suboptimal Type 2 decision, you don’t have to live with the consequences for that long. You can reopen the door and go back through. Type 2 decisions can and should be made quickly by high judgment individuals or small groups.

As organizations get larger, there seems to be a tendency to use the heavy-weight Type 1 decision-making process on most decisions, including many Type 2 decisions. The end result of this is slowness, unthoughtful risk aversion, failure to experiment sufficiently, and consequently diminished invention We’ll have to figure out how to fight that tendency.

Type I	Type II
One-directional	Bi-directional
One-way door	Two-way door
Irreversible	Reversible
機會成本較高	機會成本較低
三思而後行	三行而後思

I think about decisions in three ways: hats, haircuts, and tattoos.

Most decisions are like hats. Try one and if you don’t like it, put it back and try another. The cost of a mistake is low, so move quickly and try a bunch of hats.

Some decisions are like haircuts. You can fix a bad one, but it won’t be quick and you might feel foolish for a while. That said, don’t be scared of a bad haircut. Trying something new is usually a risk worth taking. If it doesn’t work out, by this time next year you will have moved on and so will everyone else.

A few decisions are like tattoos. Once you make them, you have to live with them. Some mistakes are irreversible. Maybe you’ll move on for a moment, but then you’ll glance in the mirror and be reminded of that choice all over again. Even years later, the decision leaves a mark. When you’re dealing with an irreversible choice, move slowly and think carefully.

Maximizers: People who want the “absolute best” option. They may leave happiness on the table.
Satisficers: People who want the “good enough” option. They may leave achievement on the table.

Be primarily internally driven

When faced with any key decision, you effectively choose one of two potential characters: Investor or Borrower.

The Investor is a long-term thinker who makes an investment to delay gratification.
- Investments compound positively and the future self cashes in on the rewards.
The Borrower is a short-term thinker who takes out a loan to experience pleasure now.
- Loans accrue interest negatively and the future self is stuck with the bill.

The Munger Two Step

Understand the forces at play.
Understand the psychological factors, i.e., how your subconscious might be leading you astray.

One filter I use for making decisions: “How much can I influence the outcome after the initial choice is made?”

When I can do a lot to influence the outcome, I’m less worried about risk. Even if the choice appears risky on the surface, I can likely create a good outcome with effort.
When I can’t do much to influence the outcome, I’m more risk averse. Even my best effort won’t move the needle.
Your ability to influence the outcome after a decision is made is a crucial thing to consider.

The person who experiences the consequences should make the decision.

Razors

= heuristics/principles that amplify your decisions

= rule of thumbs that simplifies the decision-making process

The Rooms Razor
- If you have a choice between entering two rooms, choose the room where you’re more likely to be the dumbest/weakest one in the room.
- Once you’re in the room, talk less and listen more.
- Bad for your ego—great for your growth.
- Related: You don’t have to be the loudest in the room. Just be the one everyone listens to when it goes quiet.
The Arena Razor
- When faced with two paths, choose the path that puts you in the arena.
- It’s easy to throw rocks from the sidelines. It’s scary and lonely in the arena—but it’s where growth happens.
The Duck Test
- If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck.
- You can determine a lot about a person by observing their habitual actions and characteristics.
- When someone tells you who they are, believe them the first time.
The Hanlon’s Razor
The Hitchens’ Razor & Newton’s Flaming Laser Sword
- Anything asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence.
- If something cannot be settled by reasonable experiment or observation, it’s not worth debating.
The Bragging Razor
- If someone brags about their success or happiness, assume it’s half what they claim.
  - If a person tells you why their thing (city, relationship, or job) is great, take it with a pinch of salt.
- If someone downplays their success or happiness, assume it’s double what they claim.
  - If a person tells you why their thing (city, relationship, or job) is terrible, take it like a handful of gold.
- Beware of Trojan Horses (特洛伊木馬)
Occam’s razor
- When multiple explanations fit the evidence, the simplest one with the fewest assumptions is usually the best starting point.
- Example: Your phone won’t charge.
  - Explanation A: The charging cable is broken.
  - Explanation B: A rare software bug is interfering with the charging system. Check the cable first. It’s simpler and more likely.
- The simplest explanation isn’t always correct. Occam’s razor is a rule of thumb for choosing where to start, not proof that an explanation is true.
- In practice: Don’t add complexity until the evidence requires it.
Taleb’s Surgeon
- If presented with two equal candidates for a role, pick the one that doesn’t “look the part” / with the least amount of charisma.
- The uncharismatic one has got there despite their lack of charisma. The charismatic one has got there with the aid of their charisma.

The Cheshire Cat Principle: How to Create Clarity

If you aren’t clear on where you want to go, any road will take you there.

In Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, there’s a scene in which Alice reaches a fork in the road and has a simple exchange with the Cheshire Cat:

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”

“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.

“I don’t much care where—” said Alice.

“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.

(Duke 2022)

Decisions should be made like bets: weighing probability of success × payoff.
If the expected value of continuing is lower than switching, quit sooner.

Mental Models

Everything in life has an opportunity cost

“He who hesitates is a damned fool.” — Mae West ⌃
“The mind is difficult to control; swiftly and lightly it moves wherever it pleases. It is good to tame the mind, for a well-tamed mind brings happiness.” — Dhammapada ⌃
“The measure of wisdom is how calm you are when facing any given situation.” — Naval Ravikant ⌃
Not Yet → Not Yet → Not Yet → Not Yet → Time To Eat → Too Late ⌃

Duke, Annie. 2022. Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away. New York: Portfolio/Penguin. ↩

Ferriss, Timothy. 2011. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich. Expanded and Updated ed. London: Vermilion. ↩

Failing forward turns setbacks into stepping stones

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 10 min read

“A stumble may prevent a fall.” — Gretchen Rubin

“Opportunity often comes disguised in the form of misfortune or temporary defeat.” — Napoleon Hill

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” — Michael Jordan

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” — Henry Ford

“Failure is to be expected, not avoided. Failure is feedback, not judgment.” — Alex Hormozi

“In school we learn that mistakes are bad, and we are punished for making them. Yet, if you look at the way humans are designed to learn, we learn by making mistakes. We learn to walk by falling down. If we never fell down, we would never walk.” — (Kiyosaki 2002)

“Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker.” — Friedrich Nietzsche

What doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger.

凡殺不死我的，必使我更強大。

You don’t have to get it right the first time. Just fail faster.

If you want to win, you have to lose first. All success begins with failure. Failure is success if you learn from it.

“One fails forward toward success.” — Charles Kettering

“Failure is the highway to success.” — Og Mandino

“Failure is success if we learn from it.” — Malcolm Forbes

“Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor.” — Truman Capote

“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” — Dale Carnegie

“You must expect failure as part of your journey of success, failure and success go hand in hand, you cannot have one without the other.” — Richard Parkes Cordock

“When you double your rate of failure you double your rate of success.” — James Swanwick

“Legends aren’t defined by their success, they’re defined by how they bounce back from their failures.” — Chris Bosh

“The secret of winners is that failure inspires winning; thus, they’re not afraid of losing. Repeating Fran Tarkenton’s quote, “Winning means being unafraid to lose.” People like Fran Tarkenton are not afraid of losing, because they know who they are. They hate losing, so they know that losing will only inspire them to become better. There is a big difference between hating losing and being afraid to lose.” — Robert Kiyosaki, Rich Dad Poor Dad

Failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success. Failure is success in progress.
Success comes from turning setbacks into comebacks.
失敗是成功的近義詞。成功的反義詞不是失敗，而是平庸。
如果一直為失敗找理由，等於是不給自己機會成功。
失敗是夢想的分歧點。人在這瞬間體認到自己的無能為力，但也因此成就一股強大的心靈力量 — 也就是陷入絕望的能力。

Always keep going! 🚂

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” — Samuel Beckett ¹

“You’re not obligated to win. You’re obligated to keep trying. To the best you can do everyday.” — Jason Mraz

When you really try again, it works surprisingly well.

The Museum of Failure

Museum of Failure is a collection of failed products and services from around the world.

Innovation needs failure. All progress is built on learning from past failures and mistakes. The museum provides unique insight into the tricky business of innovation.

失敗是創新的必要條件 — 沒有足夠的失敗，就沒有所謂的創造力。

Failure leads to learning, learning leads to success, success leads to complacency, complacency leads to failure.
Never let success get to your head. Never let failure get to your heart.
Just as a solid rock is not shaken by the storm, even so the wise are not affected by praise or blame.
不要太在意他人的批評，但也不要太眷戀別人的掌聲。因為批評會讓你想要逃跑，掌聲會讓你想要靠近，兩者都會讓你容易因他人而偏離了自我航道，忘了探索才是真正的工作目的。

A true transformation begins with a mental shift

人不是為成功而活，而是為了某種信仰而活。在有信仰的人心中，失敗正是堅定信仰的大好機會。[…] 失敗會讓人看清楚自己的恐懼、脆弱和盲點，也看到自己內心的熱情和渴望。

One day, an old donkey falls into a deep well. The farmer tries to figure out what to do, but decides, given the age of the animal and the danger of the deep open well, that the best course of action is to fill the well and close it off. He begins to shovel dirt into the well. After several hours of work, the farmer is nearly done filling the well, when suddenly, to his amazement, the old donkey leaps out from the dirt-filled well and trots off into the pasture. The farmer realizes: Rather than resigning itself to its fate with each shovel of dirt that hit its back, the donkey had shaken the dirt off and stepped up on top of it. As the farmer had continued to shovel dirt into the well, the clever donkey used the dirt to get closer to its escape.

Life will inevitably throw dirt your way—challenges, setbacks, and all kinds of troubles and struggles. The key to rising above it is to shake off that dirt and use it as a stepping stone/cornerstone. Every obstacle we face can be transformed into an opportunity to climb higher. Even when you find yourself in the deepest well, remember this: Shake it off, and take a step up. Never give up. With determination and resilience, you can turn every challenge into a path forward.

跌倒的時候不要馬上爬起來，先看看地上有沒有什麼寶貝可以撿。

Failure + Reflection + Another Rep = Competence

Treat failure like a scientist.

Each attempt is an experiment. Each a-mistake-repeated-more-than-once-is-a-decision is a clue.

You’re not failing. You’re refining.

失敗 = 沒有堅持到底的認輸

Always keep going! 🚂

2003 年，三位芬蘭赫爾辛基理工大學的學生 — Niklas Hed、Jarno Väkeväinen 和 Kim Dikert — 參加了一場由 Nokia 與 HP 贊助的行動遊戲開發比賽。他們憑藉出色的作品贏得了冠軍，隨後順勢創辦了 Relude，也就是日後的 Rovio。然而，比賽的勝利並沒有為他們鋪平通往成功的道路。在接下來長達八年的時間裡，這支團隊做過超過五十款遊戲，大部分是接案代工，平台橫跨 Java、Symbian、Brew 等早期手機生態系統，但沒有任何一款真正爆紅。公司多次瀕臨倒閉，不得不一再裁員縮編。創辦人 Niklas 的叔叔 Kaj Hed 在此期間多次出手借錢給公司續命，後來也順理成章地成為公司最大股東。

2008 年，Apple App Store 正式上線，為整個手機遊戲產業帶來了翻天覆地的變化。Rovio 的團隊意識到，這可能是他們最後的翻身機會。當時擔任 CEO 的 Mikael Hed（Niklas 的表哥）對團隊說：「這是我們最後一次嘗試，如果這款遊戲還不成功，公司就關門。」在一個平凡的會議中，設計師 Jaakko Iisalo 隨手畫了一張草稿：一群沒有翅膀、表情憤怒的圓形小鳥，沒有人知道牠們為什麼生氣，但所有人都覺得「這很有趣」。團隊受到一款名為 Crush the Castle 的 Flash 遊戲啟發，決定把物理碰撞與彈弓機制融入這群憤怒小鳥之中。開發歷時約八個月，2009 年 12 月，《憤怒鳥》（Angry Birds）正式在 App Store 上架，這是他們製作的第 52 款遊戲。起初的反應可以用「冷清」來形容 — 在 App Store 上默默無聞，下載量少得可憐。然而，轉機悄然降臨：英國 App Store 的編輯偶然發現這款遊戲並給予推薦位，下載量開始緩慢爬升；2010 年 2 月，美國 App Store 將它選為「當週 App」，下載量瞬間爆衝。更進一步的催化劑來自名人效應 — 好萊塢影星與脫口秀主持人在節目上公開玩這款遊戲，社群媒體的擴散效應將它推向世界。2010 年，Angry Birds 登上 App Store 付費榜冠軍，並蟬聯了整整 275 天；2011 年，全球下載量突破五億次；2012 年，突破十億次，成為人類史上最快達成此里程碑的手機遊戲。

Lost Better ⌃

Kiyosaki, Robert T. 2002. Rich Dad, Poor Dad. London: Warner. ↩

小野著., and 小野, 1951- author. 2012. 有些事, 這些年我才懂: 小野的人生思考. Chu ban. 臺北市: 究竟出版社. ↩

Journey over destination

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 8 min read

“To travel is to be alive, but to get somewhere is to be dead.” — Alan Watts

If you focus on results and finding shortcuts, you’ll get impatient. If you focus on the process and doing the right thing, you’ll be unstoppable.” — Maxime Lagace

“Process saves us from the poverty of our intentions.” — Elizabeth King

“Fall in love with the process and the results will follow.” — Bradley Whitford

“God will not look you over for medals, degrees or diplomas but for scars.” — Elbert Hubbard

“You have to enjoy your journey, the journey is all that there is.” — Naval Ravikant

“The end of a melody is not its goal: but nonetheless, had the melody not reached its end it would not have reached its goal either. A parable.” — Friedrich Nietzsche

“Progress is a natural result of staying focused on the process of doing anything. When you stay on purpose, focused in the present moment, the goal comes toward you with frictionless ease.” — Thomas M. Sterner, The Practicing Mind: Developing Focus and Discipline in Your Life Master Any Skill or Challenge by Learning to Love the Process

“When, instead, your goal is to focus on the process and stay in the present, then there are no mistakes and no judging. You are just learning and doing. You are executing the activity, observing the outcome, and adjusting yourself and your practice energy to produce the desired result. There are no bad emotions, because you are not judging anything.” — Thomas M. Sterner, The Practicing Mind: Developing Focus and Discipline in Your Life Master Any Skill or Challenge by Learning to Love the Process

“The great mistake is to anticipate the outcome of the engagement; you ought not to be thinking of whether it ends in victory or defeat. Let nature take its course, and your tools will strike at the right moment.” — Bruce Lee

“We don’t climb mountains to get to the top—we climb to see who we can become in trying to get there.” — Jim Murphy, Inner Excellence

人生極致的悲劇是一切皆目標，人生極致的幸福是一切皆過程。

The process is everything. The outcome is nothing.

Enjoy the process. Love the effort. The journey itself is the reward.

Find joy in the journey, or you won’t find it at all.

So often people focus all their energy on the summits—but completely fail to recognize that 99% of life is spent on the climb.

The climb is the fun part.

The climb is always better than the view from the summit.

Real, durable satisfaction, happiness and contentment are found in the anticipation of the achievement, not the achievement itself. It’s the quest. It’s the hunt. It’s the process. It’s the journey.

Those who love the climb will reach higher than those who only love the view from the summit. ¹

Since most of life is spent on the journey, it’s crucial to find enjoyment in the process rather than solely focusing on the destination.

Focus on the happiness of pursuit, not the pursuit of happiness.

Becoming is better than being.
Having things isn’t fun. Getting things is fun.
The pleasure of anticipation is often greater than the pleasure of acquisition. ²
The happiness is not in the having, but in the becoming.
好萊塢演員 Will Smith 在回憶錄《Will》裡寫道：

成名是世界上最美妙的感受；成名之後，滋味苦樂參半；失去名氣，則是你從未經歷過的痛苦。

Becoming famous is the most amazing feeling in the world. Being famous is a mixed bag. Losing fame is pain like you’ve never experienced before.

Achieving goals is overrated, striving toward them is underrated. The reward is not always in winning, but in striving.

Remember: Successful and unsuccessful people share the same goal. The person who has the most fun wins.

Attach to input/intention. Detach from output/outcomes. Focus on efforts (which generate dopamine), not outcomes. Forget about outcomes, focus on growth/processes instead. Be genuinely not care about the outcomes.

The wedding is an event, love is a practice. The graduation is an event, education is a practice. The race is an event, fitness is a practice. ³ The focus and energy we lavish on events can easily distract us from the journeys we care about.

(Hesse 2021)

“We are not going in circles, we are going upwards. The path is a spiral; we have already climbed many steps.” — Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha ⁴

Trust the process & Have faith in the process

You were brought into the world to do the work your soul has long prepared for — trust that every step is part of that unfolding.
Every step happens for a reason, and something even better is on the way.
Perceived Progress vs Actual Progress

“All really great things are happening in slow and ways.” — Leo Tolstoy
- At first, progress is slow—so subtle it’s almost invisible. Then, all at once, everything changes.
  - Nothing happens—then everything does.
  - Slow. Steady. Sudden.
The Chinese bamboo tree can grow to be nearly 100 feet tall—but it’s how it achieves that growth that makes it even more interesting. After being planted in the ground, it requires daily watering and nurturing. And then, nothing happens: Despite the effort, days, weeks, months, and even years go by with no signs of any growth. Two years, three years, four years pass, with continued daily inputs and not so much as a break in the surface to show for it. But suddenly, in the fifth year, everything changes: The Chinese bamboo tree breaks through the surface, and in the span of just six weeks, grows up to 90-feet-tall.

「放下執著，享受過程。」— 學會享受追求目標的過程，而不是把注意力放在最終結果。目標的實現只是其中的一個里程碑，而非目的地。

Real happiness is found in the journey. It’s the quest. It’s the hunt. It’s the process. It’s the anticipation. It’s the moment right before you achieve it. It’s not in the having, but in the becoming.

A project is a sequence of tasks that must be completed within a defined timeline to attain a certain outcome. An effort is an exertion of energy to do something—where the steps, deadlines, and outcomes may or may not be clearly defined.
Projects are rigid and narrowly defined (top-down) with a hard deadline. Efforts are freeing, fluid, expandable and loosely defined (bottom-up), allowing ideas to breath
If you work in a corporate environment with clear deadlines, you’ll be fine with projects. If your work requires creativity, you’ll find this approach profound, liberating, and empowering.

The Quest Mentality

Instead of treating your goals like to-do list items, try turning them into quests (= a journey, an adventure toward a specific mission or a goal).
Goals are practical attempts to change your circumstances/situations. A quest is personally transformative — the endeavor itself shapes who you are (your identity) and what you’re capable of (your potential).

“The reason that most of us are unhappy most of the time is that we set our goals — not for the person we’re going to be when we reach them — we set our goals for the person we are when we set them.” — Jim Coudal

It’s just a checkpoint, not the destination.

“Here’s how to live: Master something.” by Derek Sivers

How long will it take you to become a master?

It doesn’t matter.

Imagine getting to a mountaintop after a long hike through a gorgeous forest.

Achieving your goal would feel like taking off your backpack.

By James Clear

If you want to be an author, you can’t only choose the finished novel and book signings. You are also choosing months of lonely typing.

If you want to be a bodybuilder, you can’t only choose the fit body and attention. You are also choosing the boring meals and calorie counting.

By Sahil Bloom

I no longer focus on the journey or the destination, I focus on the people (companionship).

When you surround yourself with inspiring people, the journeys become more beautiful and the destinations become more brilliant.

Focus on the company—the people you want to journey with—and you’ll find that the journey reveals itself in due time.

Paradox: Although it’s being said that “you got to focus on the journey because there is no guarantee on the destination”, you need a destination to get into the journey. Without a destination, there is no journey—just movement.

The Arrival Fallacy

If you were suddenly dropped on the top of Mount Everest, you’d quickly lose consciousness and die because your body isn’t acclimatized to the altitude. It’s the climb that prepares you for the summit. ⌃
期待的快感，往往比得到時還要強烈。 ⌃
Similar analogy: Climate vs Weather ⌃
The Upward Spiral ⌃

Hesse, Hermann. 2021. Siddhartha: Eine indische Dichtung, Mit einem Kommentar von Heribert Kuhn. 12. Auflage. Berlin: Suhrkamp. ↩

Rich Dad Poor Dad

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

The secret of winners is that failure inspires winning; thus, they’re not afraid of losing. Repeating Fran Tarkenton’s quote, “Winning means being unafraid to lose.” People like Fran Tarkenton are not afraid of losing, because they know who they are. They hate losing, so they know that losing will only inspire them to become better. There is a big difference between hating losing and being afraid to lose.

If you have little money and you want to be rich, you must be focused, not balanced. If you look at any successful person, at the start they were not balanced. Balanced people go nowhere. They stay in one spot. To make progress, you must first go unbalanced. Just look at how you make progress walking. Thomas Edison was not balanced. He was focused. Bill Gates was not balanced. He was focused. Donald Trump is focused. George Soros is focused. […] If you have any desire to be rich, you must focus. Do not do what poor and middle-class people do: put their few eggs in many baskets. Put a lot of your eggs in a few baskets and FOCUS: Follow One Course Until Successful.

Speak less, listen more

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

“Shallow rivers are noisy. Deep lakes are silent.” — Derek Sivers ¹

“They blame those who remain silent, they blame those who speak much, they blame those who speak in moderation. There is none in the world who is not blamed.” — Gautama Buddha

“We assume that the more arguments we give, the better our case. In reality, our weakest arguments dilute the strongest. Generally, you’ll only be as convincing as your worst point, so instead of making as many arguments as you can, make only the best.” — Gurwinder Bhogal

“Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know.” — Lao Tsu, Tao Teh Ching

“Even if you don’t say anything if you listen carefully people will consider you a great conversationalist.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier

“You must understand, young Hobbit, it takes a long time to say anything in Old Entish. And we never say anything unless it is worth taking a long time to say.” — J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

The less you speak, the more you listen (and learn).

I chose silence over the last word and it gave me something no argument ever did. Rest.

Talking is mentally taxing. Be still, less chatty. Keep your mouth shut as often as possible.

“Nature has given us one tongue but two ears, that we may hear from others twice as much as we speak.” — Epictetus

Remember: You have two ears and one mouth. Therefore, you should listen twice as much as you speak.

Always speak less than necessary. (Greene 2000)

“I have noticed that nothing I never said ever did me any harm.” — Calvin Coolidge

When you are trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear, and the less in control. Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem original if you make it vague, open-ended, and sphinx-like. Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish. ²
The move Friday Night Lights has a famous scene where a notoriously quiet player gives a riveting speech that turns around a game. He rarely spoke up, so when he did, it hit. Hard. If you want to be heard, talk less. You’ll find more power in your words.

Small streams make the most noise; great rivers flow in silence.

What is not full rattles loudly; what is full rests quiet.

The sea is pure only in its depths.

Silence is more eloquent than words. Silence speaks volumes.

“Blessed is the man, who having nothing to say, abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact.” — George Eliot

寧可保持沉默像個傻子，也不要一開口就證明自己是個傻瓜。
全世界最令人討厭的事，大概就是說個不停、話講個沒完。
「懂得內斂，學會矜持」: 大部分的孔雀都不會在人前開屏，人們稱這是孔雀的矜持。
You always own the option of not having an opinion on things you aren’t informed on.
It’s ok not to have no opinions — as long as you avoid the temptation to prove it.

Speak confidently. Listen carefully.

Speak in such a way that others love to listen to you. Listen in such a way that others love to speak to you.

“Words, once spoken, cannot be taken back - their impact, whether healing or hurtful, lingers. That’s why it’s so important to pause and think before we speak. A moment of mindfulness can prevent a lifetime of regret. Skillful speech begins with this awareness.” — An Offbeat

“If it is not right, do not do it; if it is not true, do not say it.” — Marcus Aurelius

“First learn the meaning of what you say, and then speak.” — Epictetus Marcus

The quietest person in the room often has the most to say.
The quietest person in the room is usually listening the hardest.
The quietest person in the room speaks loudest when it matters.
The quietest person in the room already understands what others are still trying to prove.

In any conversations, don’t fill the awkward silence. Have faith in your (good) questions. Just wait and listen.

An empty barrel makes the most noise. ⌃
言多必失 ⌃

Greene, Robert. 2000. The 48 Laws of Power. East Rutherford: Penguin Publishing Group. ↩

It it were easy, it probably wouldn’t worth doing

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

The note Melanie Perkins, founder of Canva, wrote to herself in the early days:

Mel, you’re extremely tired. You’re in a challenging situation though you can pull through.

Nothing bad is really happening. You’re just feeling depressed because you’re used to achieving things quickly. It’s a hard environment.

There is no doubt you will succeed, and you will find the team you need, get the investment you need, and build the company you’ve always wanted.

You have chosen to put yourself in a challenging situation.

If it wasn’t challenging you wouldn’t feel satisfied when you get to the end goal.

Week 43, 2026

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.” — Napoleon Hill
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” — Thomas Jefferson
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it, always.” — Mahatma Gandhi
“Sometimes you have to lose all you have to find out who you truly are.” — Roy T. Bennett
“Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable.” — Leonard Bernstein

Keeping up with the Joneses means trying to match the wealth, social status, or material possessions of your neighbors or friends.
An Average Joe (普通人) is an idiom used to describe a completely ordinary, typical person with no exceptional wealth, status, or fame.
瓊漿玉液：原指古代神話中，用美玉製成、喝了可以成仙的漿液。現用來比喻香醇的美酒或甘美的汁液。
New Money is a social class of the rich whose wealth has been acquired within their own generation, rather than by familial inheritance. ↔ Old Money (上流社會)
Belt-and-braces (雙保險) is a British idiom that means using two or more extra safety actions to be very careful, even when only one action is enough.

足部內旋、外旋、內翻、外翻

Sat, 24 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

旋：腳底的傾斜
- 內旋（pronation）
- 外旋（supination）
翻：腳尖的轉向
- 內翻（inversion）
- 外翻（eversion）

初始接觸（Initial Contact）：多數人由腳跟外側先著地。
立即內旋（Pronation）：著地後轉入 pronation，足弓下沉、中足關節解鎖，把衝擊力分散，這是必要的避震機制。
最大內旋：約發生在站立期中段（Mid-stance）。
再外旋（Resupination）：足部轉回 supination，足弓上鎖，變成剛性槓桿（Rigid Lever），蹬地期才有辦法把力量從大腳趾送出去（Take-off）。

問題不是「有沒有內旋」，而是內旋的量、持續時間、與回正的速度 → 過度內旋（overpronation）；內旋不足（underpronation）。

濕腳印：
1. 足弓內側空白 ≈ 前足寬度的 1/2 為正常
2. 幾乎沒有空白 = 低足弓（易過度內旋）
3. 空白過大 = 高足弓（易過度外旋）
鞋底磨損：看前足是內側還是外側磨損較多 ¹
- 跑鞋是跑步的導師
  - 從鞋身破損部位，可判斷尺寸大小：若出現在鞋後跟位置，代表鞋子過大
  - 從鞋底摩損部位，可判斷落地習慣
手錶數據：步頻偏低（< 170 spm）＋觸地時間長＋垂直震幅大 → 每一步在足部的停留與制動都更久，等於足部承受內旋負荷的時間被拉長

How to be a better runner

Walk

後跟外側磨損是多數跑者正常的落地模式，單看這一項無法判斷內旋型態；要看的是前足的磨損位置。 ⌃

Slow down to speed up

Sat, 24 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

Where are you going and why are you in such a rush?

A man who is a master of patience is master of everything else

“Rushing had become so much of a habit that I was amazed at the amount of concentration it took to work slowly on purpose.” — Thomas M. Sterner, The Practicing Mind: Developing Focus and Discipline in Your Life Master Any Skill or Challenge by Learning to Love the Process

“The paradox of slowness is that you will find you accomplish the task more quickly and with less effort because you are not wasting energy. Try it and you will see.” — Thomas M. Sterner, The Practicing Mind: Bringing Discipline and Focus into Your Life

“This world can overwhelm. But if you slow down, and sit under a tree long enough, it’ll tell you everything. And if you forget who you are, draw something. Or go walk alone. Nature remembers you.” — Robert Redford

“Don’t be in haste. When you are in a hurry you are more easily conned or manipulated.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier

“Slow is smooth/steady/precision. Smooth/Steady/Precision is fast.”

“Slow and steady wins the race.”

“Don’t just do something, sit there.”

If you don’t have time to do it twice, you don’t have time to do it fast.

There’s never enough time to do it right but there’s plenty of time to do it over.

欲速則不達

食緊挵破碗

心急吃不了熱豆腐

慢慢來，比較快。

《世說新語》「王藍田食雞子」

果實熟透了，才能瓜熟蒂落。思考沉穩了，才能充分表達。

One step back for two steps forward.

Refuse to feel rushed (or in a hurry). Rushing causes errors. Errors cause setbacks. Setbacks cause delays. ¹
- Rushing sacrifices quality for speed and leaves you rebuilding later.
- It’s better to climb slowly up the right mountain than fast up the wrong one.
Remember: You have all the time in the world you give yourself!
Think about a 45-minute versus 43-minute bike ride (No difference actually…)
如同「開車」，讓日常生活中的每一個瞬間都保持在「專注，但放鬆柔和」的狀態 ² ³，建立心流狀態中，那種行雲流水般的節奏感。

Move slow to move fast.

Wanna go fast? Try slowing down.
If you slow down, you’ll speed up.

Go slow first.

Start slow, finish fast.

Build a strong foundation.

It takes time to make a base that can hold up what comes next.

The strongest things are built one brick at a time — not in bursts of speed, but in layers of patience.

In a world obsessed with shortcuts, endurance is a superpower.

Once you’ve done that, that’s when you can go fast.

Benefits
- Notice small and beautiful things you previously missed
- Restore and gather your energy to deploy your resources more efficiently
- Be more deliberate with actions and focus on highest leverage opportunities

Slackness

Wu Wei

Slow Dance

為什麼急，反而慢？因為一趕，就會出錯；一出錯，就要重做；一重做，花的時間往往比原本慢慢做還多。急躁不會省下時間，它只會增加意外的次數。 ⌃
柔中帶剛、柔中帶韌 (Strength in softness) ⌃
「Be Water，My Friend !」，意思是武者不被形式所拘，要像水一樣流動，既柔軟又剛強堅韌；既能適應萬物，又能匯聚為強大的力量。當水被某種障礙物擋住時，它會平靜等待，卻又伺機而動；一旦移開障礙物，就會立刻奔流過去，毫不遲疑。所以，李小龍說，面對競爭與阻礙，「水，永遠都是放鬆卻做好準備的。」 ⌃

Ferriss, Timothy. 2011. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich. Expanded and Updated ed. London: Vermilion. ↩

You are what you eat

Sat, 24 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 24 min read

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” — Hippocrates ¹

“The food you eat can be either the greatest form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” — Ann Wigmore

“Eating what stands on one leg [mushrooms and plant foods] is better than eating what stands on two legs [fowl], which is better than eating what stands on four legs [cows, pigs, and other mammals].” — Michael Pollan, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual

“Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.” — Michael Pollan, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual

“Don’t eat anything incapable of rotting.” — Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto

“As grandmothers used to say, ‘Better to pay the grocer than the doctor.’” — Michael Pollan, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual

“Avoid food products that contain more than five ingredients.” — Michael Pollan, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual

“Avoid food products containing ingredients that no ordinary human would keep in the pantry. Ethoxylated diglycerides? Cellulose? Xanthan gum? Calcium propionate? Ammonium sulfate? If you wouldn’t cook with them yourself, why let others use these ingredients to cook for you?” — Michael Pollan, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual

為維持、延續自己的生命，將大自然中其他動植物吸收至體內
攝取營養、補充能量

“Food is not just fuel; it’s information. It talks to your genes and tells them what to do.” — Dr. Mark Hyman

View food as both energy and information—what you eat affects immediate performance and long‑term health

Eating Better

Your gut is your second brain.

「吃」所造成的問題遠多於「不吃」所造成的問題。

一方面營養過剩 ²
- 造成體內毒素累積
- 高脂肪、高糖分、高鹽分
- 最好吃的食物通常是最不健康的食物
一方面營養不足 ³
- 加工食品和垃圾食物通常會加入無營養價值的人工添加劑，同時剝奪掉其中原有的有益營養成分。⁴

人吃東西，有時只是為了壓抑焦慮而已。透過動動嘴巴換取心靈安定，這是普遍人性。

“If you’re concerned about your health, you should probably avoid products that make health claims. Why? Because a health claim on a food product is a strong indication it’s not really food, and food is what you want to eat” — Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto

Eat as many minimally processed foods as possible (以原型食物為主)

Eat food from farms not factories
The more food you eat that doesn’t have an ingredient list, the healthier you’ll be
Don’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.

新鮮 (原型/全/真) 食物 ⁵ 最佳、冷凍/加工食品次之、罐頭食品最差

Whole Food vs Non-whole Food (→ chemicals → inflammation in the body → harmful to our lives)
- 植化素
- 膳食纖維

純淨飲食

純淨飲食。

二〇〇七年起托斯卡•雷諾（Tosca Reno）出版一系列純淨飲

叢書（Eat Clean Diet），推廣純淨飲食（clean eating）的生活概念至十四），其關鍵在於「不吃加工食品」，禁吃速食，以及以精糖、文式脂肪、色素、甜味劑或白麵粉等製成的加工食品。此外，盡可能食用天然的新鮮蔬果、瘦肉、魚類、未加工乳製品、全穀類或堅果，並提倡有意識的飲食習慣，推廣吃得好（品質）與慢食精神，自動減量與少量多餐。她也鼓勵在家下廚，做菜不是為了填飽肚子，而是享受過程。（註 + 五）這些聽起來是不是很耳熟呢？純淨飲食可說

生機飲食 (Raw Food Diet 或 Living Food Diet) 是一種以未經加工或加熱至特定溫度以上的食物為主的飲食方式 (uncooked and unprocessed)。其基本理念是：食物在加熱過程中會失去許多營養成分，尤其是酶、維生素等，因此保持食物的生機能有助於身體健康。這種飲食方式通常強調：
1. 未加熱或低溫烹飪：避免將食物加熱到攝氏 50 度以上，因為這樣會破壞食物的酶和營養。⁶
2. 有機與天然食材：提倡食用天然、有機、未經加工的當季、當地食物。
3. 高纖維和植物基：生機飲食通常是基於植物的，並且富含纖維和抗氧化劑。
全食物蔬食/植物性飲食 (Whole Food Plant-Based Diet = WFPBD)
- ≈ The Mediterranean Diet or The Pescatarian/Pescetarianism Diet ⁷
- ≠ The Western Diet or Carnivore
- 從人類的牙齒也可以看出動植物飲食應有的比例。我們有 32 顆牙，但是跟吃肉有關的只有 4 顆犬齒，4:28，可見上天原來就規畫動物性飲食不該超過 15 %。
- Eat a diverse range of plants + fruits (「均衡飲食」)
  - 「護心食物」— Bean (豆類) ⁸ + Nuts (堅果) ⁹ + Seeds (種子)
- Tips
  - Build a meal around a salad (Buddha Bowl)
  - Eat fruit for dessert
  - Use meat as a garnish instead of a centerpiece
  - The more vegetable and fruits you include in your meals, the lower the Energy/Calorie Density of that meal will be → Fill the stomach and send signals to your brain to tell you to stop eating → You can eat the most quantity for the least amount of calories
    - https://vibrancenutrition.com/caloric-density-how-to-maximize-satisfaction-and-lose-weight/
    - https://www.forksoverknives.com/wellness/the-calorie-density-approach-to-nutrition-and-lifelong-weight-management/
- 一天一杯綜合蔬果昔/綠拿鐵 (Fruit/Green Smoothie)
  - Variations
    - 精力湯 ¹⁰
    - 回春水
  - 榨蔬果汁 → 全蔬果汁/蜜 ¹¹
    - 盡量將蔬果的所有可食用部分 (根、莖、葉) 一起「打碎成泥」，以獲取更完整的營養和平時不易吸收到的微量元素。現代飲食習慣常常將最營養的部分 (如果皮、果核、種子) 去除，只留下「果肉」部分。但其實這些部位富含植化素、維生素和酵素，對健康有益。這樣「連皮帶籽」的飲食方式確實有其科學依據，例如:
      - 菠菜根含有較多的鐵質和抗氧化物。
      - 胡蘿蔔皮富含 β- 胡蘿蔔素及其他植化素，削皮會造成營養流失。
      - 蘋果皮含有豐富的膳食纖維與抗氧化劑 (如槲皮素) 。
      - 西瓜白色部分含有瓜胺酸，有助於血管健康。
      - 葡萄皮和籽含有白藜蘆醇和多酚類，有助於抗氧化與保護心血管。
      - 鳳梨芯富含鳳梨酵素，有助於消化與抗發炎。
  - Pro Tips
    - Squeeze a lemon over frozen veggies after heating them. The vitamin C in lemon juice can help…
      1. replenish any lost vitamin C during blanching
      2. make veggies brighter and fresher tasting
    - Frozen Fruits Ice + Fresh Fruits
    - Placing heavier, frozen items on top of lighter ingredients helps weigh them down and gets the blend moving faster. This can also help prevent the blend from stalling.
Paleo(lithic)/Caveman/Stone Age Diet

(Jorgenson and Ravikant 2021)

“There are a number [of things] on the physical side. We have diets we are not evolved to eat. A correct diet should probably look closer to a paleo diet, mostly eating vegetables with a small amount of meat and berries.”

Identify the difference between hunger (need) and craving (want) ¹²

Apple Test: If you are not hungry enough to eat an apple, you aren’t hungry. The apple could be replaced with other healthy snacks.
Water Test: Drink 500ml of water and stay busy for 20 minutes. If you’re still hungry, go eat. If you forgot about it, you were either just bored or dehydrated.
I won’t eat anything unless I know I will actually enjoy it.
I don’t force myself to eat. I will only eat whenever I actually feel hungry.
If you aren’t hungry, you aren’t hungry.
Hunger often gets buried under stress and boredom, so pause before a meal or snack and check whether your body really feels hungry. An empty stomach, low energy, or trouble focusing are real hunger signals worth honoring with food.
Feeling good is better than that “third” slice of pizza.
Kuchisabishii (口寂しい): When you’re not hungry, but you eat because your mouth is lonely.
Avoid eating (or drinking) your feelings.
Stop eating food as drugs. Food is literally just there to fuel your brain and body. Nothing else. Nothing more.
Food = Fuel: Eat for energy & vitality, not taste/entertainment.
「為吃而活」vs「為活而吃」→ 你比較偏向哪種態度呢? 你認為美食在人生當中應該佔據多重要的位置?

If you think you want a snack, drink a glass of water first.
Eat protein with every single meal to increase satiety and build muscle. → 1-1.2g/pound or 2.2g/kg of bodyweight per day.
Mindful eating (慢食) trick: putting down the cutlery between bites. Chew properly, swallow, then have your next bite. → Instead of focusing on what my next bite will be, I focus on the food I’m chewing → Chewing your food gives your body time to signal when you’ve had enough.
Eating highly-processed junk food will just set you up for eating more highly-processed junk food (「空熱量」讓你越吃越餓、永遠吃不飽)
- 吃垃圾食物就如同吸毒一樣，使人上癮，並且欲罷不能 → 慢性自殺行為
- 自問：「為什麼要吃垃圾？為什麼要供給身體低等劣質の燃料？為什麼要懲罰、折磨、虐待自己？」
- Create an environment where it’s hard to eat junk & easy to eat nutritious foods. (眼不見為淨)
Eat Less Often
Do not eat 4 hours before sleep

First meal 1 - 2 hrs upon waking (low-carbs & high-protein)
Last meal 3 - 5 hrs before sleeping (low-protein & high-carbs)
- Your body follows what is called a “diurnal rhythm”. This means that the body is awake during the day and as the sun goes down it prepares for sleep.
- Digestion takes a ton of energy so making your body digest right before it’s time to sleep can wreck your natural rhythms.
- This is why we should stop eating at least 3 to 5 hours before going to bed. Be okay with going to bed a bit hungry.

It’s better to implement the eating window earlier in the day than later → 省略晚餐比省略早餐好 (Food is more ‘useful’ for the body when consumed in the morning than in the afternoon or evening)

Why?
- Early energy/calories/food load/intake can be directly used after these meal moments. An evening meal, on the other hand, will usually be a couple of hours before bed, possibly causing a leftover of energy.
- Morning food is usually better because throughout the day your body is in more of a catabolic (breaking down) state as you are more active. Also if you body is using energy to digest as you sleep the quality of sleep is less effective.
- The theory is that your body is engaging in glycogenesis first thing in the morning - it needs to load up on glycogen. And since that is an energy intense process, your body’s metabolism is spending alot of the energy you take in in the morning for that process.

Normalize “Bland Diet”
多喝水沒事，沒事多喝水 (Be a sponge)

Sometimes when you feel hungry, you’re actually thirsty
Don’t drink your calories. Drink water instead.
Drink 2000ml of water per day (集中在早上，下午過後只能啜飲)
Have a cup of water before meals
When dining out or ordering takeout…
- Research the menu in advance to make informed decisions. This prevents poor choices caused by hunger or choice paralysis at the restaurant.
- Choose dishes / Order the food with the highest protein content.
- Control the portions if healthier options aren’t available. Serve yourself half of what you think you’ll eat, even if it means the plate looks a bit empty.

Eat Light: 吃到飽、吃到撐 → 吃到八分飽 ¹³、吃到不會餓

There is a 20-minute delay between eating and when the brain registers “fullness” / satiety. (Rakha et al. 2022)
Learn how to better manage/control portion size by using your hands (or a kitchen scale)
- At least a palm-sized amount of protein (it works best with meat or fish)
- At least a fist-sized amount of veggies (the more the better)
- Roughly one cupped-hand portion of complex carbs (potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, oats, etc.)
  - No white rice
  - 煮完放冰箱隔夜，製造抗性澱粉，吸收速度較慢
- Roughly one thumb-sized portion of fat (butter, olive oil, nuts, seeds)
The Rule of Thirds; 1/3 Carbs + 1/3 Protein + 1/3 Fruit or Vegetable
211 餐盤 ¹⁴
- 2 個拳頭大小: 蔬菜
- 1 個拳頭大小: 蛋白質
- 1 個拳頭大小: 碳水化合物
Smaller plates help you eat less

Temperance: eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
Protein for sleep quality; Carbs for sleep quantity (避免睡眠中斷)
Eat Right: No foods rich in carbs, fat, and sugar

Intake 150-200g of protein per day → more stable insulin / blood sugar level (more stable mood as well) → less hungry (curb appetite) → eat less → good for gut health because it has time to rest → all the energy that has gone into digestion is going into repairing body tissues and brain → longevity
Focus on Eggs + Avocado + Salmon + Tofu + Banana
- Salmon → Beef (> 羊肉 > 雞肉), Shrimp, Scallops
- Surf and turf or surf ‘n’ turf is a main course combining seafood and red meat (海陸雙拼)
- Red meat only causes diabetes if it’s in a bun with a soda and fries
  - 鹿肉 (EN: Venison, DE: Hirsch) is the most nutrient-dense and protein-rich red meat
- Avoid anything white (to avoid starches)
The Elimination Diet — stop eating one or more potential problem foods for several weeks
Fructose
- Focus on glucose and fructose, mostly glucose, typically at least a two or three to one ratio of glucose to fructose.
- Fructose is addictive and activates the brain’s reward center, similar to drugs like cocaine, heroin, nicotine, and alcohol. Fructose is completely unnecessary for vertebrate life and there are no biological reactions that require dietary fructose. The human body has a limited capacity to process fructose, similar to metabolizing alcohol. Fructose has no function in the human body and is not needed for a healthy diet.
- Generally speaking: Fructose → phosphate glycerol → more body fat
- Fruit is okay because of the fiber, which mitigates the absorption. So when you consume the fructose with fiber, you are feeding your microbiome. The fructose wasn’t for you.
- The fructose molecule is the same, whether it’s in a berry, banana, or a coca-cola. But fiber concentration: berry > banana > coca-cola
- Do not eat too much fruit — it’s not the worst thing for your body, but also not the best thing either (because of the fructose)
- Eating local, seasonal fruit is ideal
- ❗加工食品裡的「高果糖糖漿 (high-fructose corn syrup)」❗
  - 最好的甜味劑：「黑糖蜜」和「棗糖」

Eat zero sugar

In reality, our body doesn’t even need a spoon of sugar at all
To avoid insulin resistance, inflammation, and blood sugar swings/fluctuations → stable energy levels with a high baseline throughout the day
- Sugar/sweeteners can make you hungry
  - Insulin resistance means the cells of the body can no longer sufficiently absorb sugar from the bloodstream
  - As a results, more and more sugar are needed to achieve the same reward effect in the brain
- 代糖只是安慰劑，你的動脈正因吃糖在發炎｜科學人
Salt is sugar

要注意種植方式

Food can be cheap, healthy, tasty, and relatively quick to prepare.
Food is medicine. (食療)
- 長期依賴藥物不僅可能引發嚴重的副作用，甚至可能導致新的疾病，陷入惡性循環。然而，許多疾病其實可以透過正確的飲食來調理與改善，使身體自行恢復平衡，逐步減少對藥物的依賴，最終擺脫「藥罐子」的命運。
- 讓食物成為你的藥物，別讓藥物成為你的食物。
1 day of 24+ hrs pure water-only fasting per week for autophagy to occur

Eating is a stress on your body; The less often you can eat, the healthier you’ll be.
During fasting, the brain not only sends signals that stimulate the organism to eat; when energy levels are low, neurons also trigger the release of the hormone corticosterone, which causes cells in the liver to recycle cellular waste. It could be that this newly discovered mechanism in the brain contributes to the positive effects of fasting.
- 斷食期間，腸胃因不必努力負擔平時的消化任務，會開始啟動免疫系統殺菌或修復機制 (這可能是有些人在斷食期間會覺得輕微發炎的原因)
復食
- 第一餐建議以流質為主，例如: 檸檬水、大骨湯，接著逐漸添加軟質食物，像是水煮蛋、蒸蛋、清蒸魚、雞胸肉，最後才恢復成一般固體食物。
  - 不建議吃優格、豆漿、牛奶等豆乳製品，因為它們的結構特性的關係，會需要消耗更多時間和能量來消化，這會對腸胃造成一定程度的壓力
- 慢慢重啟飲食: 從一些簡單、負擔輕的清淡原型食物開始，讓自己的消化系統重新開機暖身一下，大約過 1 小時後再正常進食一餐，不要立即恢復到正常的熱量攝取量。

OMAD (one meal a day)

Seven meals every week, just dinner → Jack Dorsey
每天「少量多次」食用「磨碎/攪拌」後的「生/冷/溫」食物 🤌
- Never visit 吃到飽餐廳
- Never 大吃大喝

Instead of mayonnaise-based dips and sauces, opt for yoghurt dips (such as raita) or tomato sauce
Instead of opening a snack container and eating directly from it, portion out the desired amount onto a plate. This helps you avoid overeating and stick to your intended serving size.

Dark Chocolate
- The recommended daily dose: 1-2 ounces or 30-60g

Batch meal prepping once a week

Batch cooking for a week’s worth of “grab and go” meals
Eat the same meals for the entire week

About Fat & Oil

高溫烹調: 選擇飽和脂肪酸比例高的奶油、豬/牛油 (動物性脂肪，要注意飼養方式，牧草飼養為佳)、椰子油、酪梨油
低溫涼拌: 橄欖油
- Avoid anything under 10 euro/L since it’s unlikely to be decent
好油
- 紫蘇油
- 苦茶油（茶籽油）
  - 是一種從山茶樹種子中榨取的植物油。它是東亞地區（特別是中國南方、台灣）傳統常用的食用油，具有淡金黃色、氣味清香的特徵。茶籽油的煙點高、穩定性佳，適合炒、煎、拌等各種烹調方式，並因富含單元不飽和脂肪酸（如油酸）、維生素 E 與天然抗氧化物，被視為健康油品之一。在民間還常被用於潤膚、護髮或坐月子料理，是兼具營養與保健價值的天然植物油。
- 亞麻油 (= Leinöl = Flaxseed Oil)
- MCT 油
壞油
- 棕櫚油
- 葵花油
- 菜籽油
- 大豆花生油
No seed oil!!! (盡量減少品質不好的精煉植物油)
Myths
- 飽和油脂 (低溫下會凝固) 是好的
- 低脂不一定健康
建議從堅果 or 酪梨 ¹⁵ 直接攝取油脂 (最少加工程序)
- The recommended daily intake of nuts: ~30 grams (ca. one handful)
進食順序：
1. 先吃蔬菜（纖維）
2. 再吃蛋白質與脂肪
3. 最後才吃碳水化合物/澱粉
就這麼簡單的一個動作，能讓飯後血糖波動降低七成！ This regulates your blood sugar & insulin levels

吃飯前喝 (稀釋) 醋，並使用「玻璃/不銹鋼吸管」，以免長期下來腐蝕牙齒
- 巴薩米克醋 (Balsamic Vinegar / Aceto Balsamico)
- 蘋果酒醋 (Apple Cider Vinegar)
多吃發酵 or 鹽漬 or 醃製食物 (Fermented Foods)

韓國泡菜 Kimchi
德國酸菜 Sauerkraut
優格
醃黃瓜
味噌

魚子醬 (Caviar/Roe)

鮭魚卵

Eat lower-carb lunch. Eat high-starchy carb dinner.

生食蕃茄：維他命 C 含量較高
烹煮蕃茄：有助於釋放茄紅素。茄紅素是脂溶性的，能在油脂中更好地溶解和吸收。因此，加入少許油脂，會讓茄紅素釋放更多，增強抗氧化效果。

“Limbo—Titrate—Quality” is a three-part dietary intervention strategy, popularized by the DIETFITS ¹⁶ study (Stanton et al. 2017), designed to help individuals discover a sustainable healthy diet rather than chase specific macronutrient targets. Limbo involves temporarily reducing fats or carbohydrates to very low levels (e.g., 20 g/day) during the initial phase. Titrate refers to gradually increasing fat or carbohydrate intake to identify a comfortable, maintainable level. Quality emphasizes prioritizing nutrient-dense whole foods while minimizing processed items, added sugars, and refined grains throughout both phases.

Ultimately, the Limbo—Titrate—Quality approach is intended to be a lifelong, adaptable framework for healthy eating.

“Thy” is an archaic or poetic form of “your,” used in old English, especially in Shakespearean or biblical language. ⌃
The Four Horsemen of Chronic Disease - Peter Attia ⌃
如酵素、維生素、礦物質、植化素及膳食纖維等，這些都是維持健康不可或缺的要素。 ⌃
飲食會殺人，餵孩子吃工業化食品，結果就是出現愈來愈多氣喘、過動，或憂鬱傾向的下一代，而癌症、心血管疾病、糖尿病也有越來越年輕化的趨勢。 ⌃
營養密度高、卡路里熱量密度低 ⌃
所有活的食物（Living Food）都含有豐富的酵素，但它有一個特點，就是一旦遇到 50 度以上的高溫，酵素就會被破壞並失去活性，無法再幫助分解食物、促進消化吸收，以及參與新陳代謝等生理作用。 ⌃
Someone who chooses to eat a vegetarian diet, but who also eats fish and other seafood. ⌃
Legumes 莢豆 (plants that produce pods with seeds or beans): peas 豌豆、lentils 扁豆、pinto beans 斑豆 ⌃
榛果 Hazelnut、腰果 Cashew (Cashewnuss)、杏仁 Mandel、核桃 Walnuss (Walnut)、開心果 Pistazie (Pistachio)、碧根果/長壽果 Pekan、巴西果 Paranuss、花生 Erdnuss、松子 (Pine Nut) ⌃
是一種將多種蔬菜、水果、堅果等食材混合 (包含不易吞嚥的籽皮部分)，經由調理棒或果汁機攪打成滑順濃汁的營養飲品。 ⌃
Difference: 有無過濾掉果肉或果渣 ⌃
口腹之慾 ⌃
= Hara Hachi Bu = 腹八分目 ⌃
Variations: 天天 5 蔬果、蔬果 579 ⌃
酪梨 = 鰐梨 = 牛油果 → 全球公認最好吃、油脂最豐厚的酪梨品種 - Hass (哈斯) ⌃
= Diet Intervention Examining The Factors Interacting with Treatment Success ⌃

Jorgenson, Eric, and Naval Ravikant. 2021. The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness. Place of publication not identified: Magrathea Publishing. ↩

Rakha, Allah, Fakiha Mehak, Muhammad Asim Shabbir, Muhammad Arslan, Muhammad Modassar Ali Nawaz Ranjha, Waqar Ahmed, Claudia Terezia Socol, Alexandru Vasile Rusu, Abdo Hassoun, and Rana Muhammad Aadil. 2022. “Insights into the Constellating Drivers of Satiety Impacting Dietary Patterns and Lifestyle.” Frontiers in Nutrition 9 (September): 1002619. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.1002619. ↩

Stanton, Michael V., Jennifer L. Robinson, Susan M. Kirkpatrick, Sarah Farzinkhou, Erin C. Avery, Joseph Rigdon, Lisa C. Offringa, et al. 2017. “DIETFITS Study (Diet Intervention Examining the Factors Interacting with Treatment Success) - Study Design and Methods.” Contemporary Clinical Trials 53 (February): 151–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2016.12.021. ↩

Change yourself to change the world

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 6 min read

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” — Rubi

“Doctors won’t make you healthy. Nutritionists won’t make you slim. Teachers won’t make you smart. Gurus won’t make you calm. Mentors won’t make you rich. Trainers won’t make you fit. Ultimately, you have to take responsibility. Save yourself.” — Naval Ravikant ¹

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” — Leo Tolstoy

大家都想改變世界，卻沒有人想先從改變自己開始。 — 托爾斯泰

“You cannot change the circumstances, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.” — Jim Rohn

“Nothing helps; I must help myself, or I am finished.” — Friedrich Nietzsche

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go.” — Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi

“We must transform ourselves to transform the world.” — Grace Lee Boggs

“Being aware of a single shortcoming within yourself is far more useful than being aware of a thousand in someone else.” — Dalai Lama

“I will not be surprised by human nature, nor will I spend a long time feeling betrayed. When surprises come as a result of human nature, I just puts my head down and adjusts.” — Charlie Munger

Self-leadership: Be an agent in your own rescue.

Before changing yourself, you need to knowing yourself first.

古之欲明明德於天下者，先治其國。欲治其國者，先齊其家。欲齊其家者，先修其身。欲修其身者，先正其心。 —《禮記 · 大學》

反求諸己

欲勝人者，先自勝。欲卑人者，先自卑。

我們真的只能做好我們自己。

把好奇心用在自己身上，才是真正的愛自己。

每個人都是自己的創業家，因為我們都在創造自己人生的「業」；同時，我們也是自己人生有限公司（ME Inc.）的負責人（You are the CEO of your own life）。

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” — George Bernard Shaw

Your entire life will change the day you realize that everything is on you. No one is coming to save you. No one will fix your problems. No one can act on your behalf. No one will change your mindsets. No one will hand you the things you want in life. It’s the acceptance that you have to hunt if you want to eat. It’s all on you.

“No one is going to come help you. No one’s coming to save you.”

“You take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing, no one to blame.” — Erica Jong

“It’s your road, and yours alone, others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you.” — Rumi

“If you are still looking for that one person who will change your life, take a look in the mirror.” — Roman Price

“The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours. It is an amazing journey. And you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins.” — Bob Moawad

“The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.” — Albert Ellis

“It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you. Always.” — Oprah Winfrey

You are the author of your own narrative. The power to change your story is already within you, no matter which page you’re on. Turn the page.

Self-reliance is the ultimate source of strength. Self-help is the best help.

Never ever complain about anything

All great things start from within. What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

Water your own grass
Mow your own lawn

Tend your garden. Sow your seeds. Water your grass. The grass is greener where you water it.

Personal development/growth/improvement is a lifelong endeavor. Every single day, you have to act in favor of the person you want to become. The work never stops. Be a habit and routine machine.

“By oneself is evil done; by oneself is one defiled. By oneself is evil left undone; by oneself is one made pure. Purity and impurity depend on oneself; no one can purify another.” — Dhammapada

在批評這個世界之前，先把自己的房間整理乾淨。

(Peterson, Doidge, and Van Sciver 2018)

Your house is a metaphor for YOU. Unless you are perfect, 99% of the time the solution to your problem is not “out there” but “in here.”

(Covey 2013)

Based on these two circles, reactive people will think more about the circle of concern while proactive people focus more on the circle of influence.
Your Circle of Concern (關注圈) is all the things you worry about and that influence you but that you have no control over: Federal Government, climate change, etc.
Your Circle of Influence (影響圈) is all the things you can control: your actions, your habits, your attitudes, your attention, etc.
The more you focus on your Circle of Influence, the bigger your Circle of Influence will get, and the more you can accomplish to help fix things in your Circle of Concern.

Have the courage to do the right things

The Ever-Changing “You” by Sahil Bloom

There is no Past You to cling to, there is no Future You to worry about. There is just the Present You to take action. You simply exist. You never become, you are in a constant state of becoming. There is just you—The Ever-Changing You.

Control the controllable

The only person who’s going to magically show up to save you— is you. ⌃

Covey, Stephen R. 2013. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. 25th anniversary edition. New York: Simon & Schuster. ↩

Goggins, David. 2018. Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds. Erscheinungsort nicht ermittelbar: Lioncrest publishing. ↩

Peterson, Jordan B., Norman Doidge, and Ethan Van Sciver. 2018. 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos. Toronto: Random House Canada. ↩

How to be a better runner

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

When you train seriously as a runner, you realize two wonderful things: You can’t get faster by magic, and you do get faster with effort. There are ways to optimize and to train smarter. And there are times when you work and work and don’t get the result you want. But really, to get faster, particularly in a long race like a marathon, you have to go out every day and run—even when you’re sore, tired, cold, grumpy, busy, or all of the above. You have to run when you have aches, blisters, cramps, diarrhea, exhaustion, fasciitis, grogginess, headaches, ingrown toenails, jock itch, knee pain, lightheadedness, myalgia, numbness, overheating, panic, queasiness, rashes, swelling, toothaches, unhappiness, vomit, wounds, and xanthomas. You may have to run through swarms of yellow jackets, and you definitely have to run when you’re zonked.” — Nicholas Thompson, Why I Run

足底筋膜炎/跑者足 (Jogger’s Heel) is the inflammation of the plantar fascia.

Nick Bare’s strategies to run faster for longer:

Start running your easy days easier (below your max aerobic heart rate)
Follow the MAF ¹ method
Wear a heart rate monitor and sync to your watch so you can monitor heart rate in real time as you are running
Spend ~80% of your runs at or below this zone

How to prepare for a marathon

= Maximum Aerobic Function, a heart rate-based training approach created by Dr. Phil Maffetone = $180 - Age$ ⌃

How to live a life

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 9 min read

“The goal of life is to be excited to go to work and excited to go home.” — Josh Kushner

“As long as you live, keep learning how to live.” — Seneca

“Life is a question and how we live it is our answer.” — (Keller and Papasan 2013)

“Life is a balance of holding on and letting go.” — Rumi

“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.” — Albert Einstein ¹

“There is no magic pill or shortcuts in life. The only shortcut is doing something the right way the first time so that you don’t waste any time on the shortcuts.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger

“Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” — Confucius

“Live life as though nobody is watching, and express yourself as though everyone is listening.” — Nelson Mandela

“I think a good formula for a pretty good life at the simplest level is independence plus purpose. You need to have a purpose that is bigger than yourself […] and you need to have the independence to make sure you can do it on your own terms rather than chasing somebody else’s goal. That’s the highest level of psychological well-being, independence and purpose.” — Morgan Housel

“A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labor and his leisure; his mind and his body; his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always appears to be doing both.” — Lawrence Pearsall Jacks

“A few simple tips for life: feet on the ground, head to the skies, heart open, quiet mind.” — Rasheed Ogunlaru

“Cultivate the merry heart, develop the happiness habit, and life will become a continual feast.” — Norman Vincent Peale

“Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.” — Mark Twain

“Life is like school, with one key difference—in school you get the lesson, and then you take the test. But in life, you get the test, and it’s your job to take the lesson.” — Will Smith, Will

人生不是戰場，不必追求勝利，也沒有勝利可追求，更重要的是經歷。 — 張曼娟

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” — Vivian Greene

生活不是等待風暴過去，而是學會在雨中跳舞。

“In the end, these things matter most: How well did you love? How fully did you live? How deeply did you let go?” — Jack Kornfield

“Life is a challenge, meet it! Life is a dream, realize it! Life is a game, play it! Life is love, enjoy it!” — Sathya Sai Baba

“Begin at once to live, and count each separate day as a separate life.” — Seneca

“Let every dawn of morning be to you as the beginning of life, and every setting sun be to you as its close.” — John Ruskin, The Two Paths

“Each night, when I go to sleep, I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn.” — Mahatma Gandhi

Most events in life can be categorized in one of two ways: a good time, or a good story.

Life is neither a problem to be solved nor a game to be won.

A good life has a healthy mix of selfish boundaries and unselfish giving.

A great “Life Hack” is to combine 1) Mirrored Reciprocation (go positive and go first) and 2) Compound Interest (being constant) into one basic approach to living your life: “Go positive and go first, and be constant in doing it.”

The Pencil’s Tale

You’ll be able to do many great things—but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone’s hand.
You will experience a painful “sharpening” from time to time—but that’s what makes you stronger.
You can correct your mistakes.
What’s on the inside is what really counts.
On every surface you’re used on, you must leave your mark—so write, act, and make an impact.

The goal of life isn’t to reach a destination, but to enjoy the journey itself.

Life isn’t just about where we’re going, but how we get there.

Don’t marry someone who doesn’t understand that you need to work, or sees your work as competition for your attention. If you’re ambitious, you need to work; it’s almost like a medical condition; so someone who won’t let you work either doesn’t understand you, or does and doesn’t care.

你是誰？你認識自己嗎？
人為何而活？找到你的信仰了嗎？
誰是你靈魂的主宰？誰影響你最深？
如何與大自然愉快相處？
你願意與誰同行？
人為什麼痛苦？
如何獲得幸福？

下課鈴聲終於響起，我起身繳出了這張寫了很久的考卷。這是一張關於「人生」的考卷，上面有七個問答題。不是是非題，也沒有選擇題，所以我無法預知這次考試的分數。

人生不是「是非題」，沒有絕對的對錯、是非和黑白。人生的許多問題往往是相對的，常常是一體的兩面。人生也不會是「選擇題」，不因爲你每次都作了正確完美的選擇，而有了正確完美的人生。每個人的人生都不盡相同，所以正確的人生其實是不存在的。人生是環環相扣的「問答題」，[…]，只有透過一次又一次的回答，才能撥雲見日，越來越明朗。你越早去面對和思考這些問題，越不會讓自己像一球被弄亂的毛線球，理不出頭緒來，也不會繞了許多冤枉的路，最後被亂了的毛線球綑綁住自己，無法繼續前進。

困境與抉擇｜彭明輝

生命是一種長期而持續的累積過程，絕不會因為單一的事件而毀了一個人的一生，也不會因為單一的事件而救了一個人的一生。屬於我們該得的，遲早會得；屬於我們不該得的，即使僥倖巧取也不可能長久保有。如果我們看得清這個事實。許多所謂「人生的重大抉擇」就可以淡然處之，根本無需焦慮。而所謂「人生的困境」，也往往當下就變得無足掛齒。

“There is no need to fear any problem you are working on. If you are working on it, then you are influencing the outcome. It’s the problems you don’t address that should concern you.” — James Clear

You always have 3 options/choices in any circumstance/situation in life — that is:

You can accept it. (by changing your attitude toward it.)
You can change it.
You can leave it.

But resisting reality is always the wrong choice / the worst option is sitting around, wishing you would change it but not changing it, or wishing you would leave it but not leaving and not accepting it. This is the struggle that is responsible for most of our misery, anger, and unhappiness.

Life is like a maze. There are two ways to advance your life: move forward when you can, or if you can’t, step back and try a new way. The biggest mistake is to stand still.

人生中遇到任何情況，其實只有三種選擇：接受它（改變自己的態度）、改變它，或是離開它。最糟糕的做法，是抗拒現實 — 既不接受、也不改變、也不離開，只停留在抱怨、擔心與掙扎中 — 這就是大部分痛苦的根源。人生就像一座迷宮，能前進時就勇敢前行，走不通時就退一步換條路，但絕不是原地僵住不動。

德國哲學家康德（Immanuel Kant）的「人性公式」（Formel der Menschheit）

“Handle so, dass du die Menschheit, sowohl in deiner Person, also in der Person eines jeden andern, jederzeit zugleich also Zweck, niemals bloß also Mittel brauchst.” — Immanuel Kant,《道德形上學基礎》（Grundlegung zur Metaphysik der Sitten, 1785）

Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never merely as a means to an end, but always at the same time as an end.

把生命當成目的本身，而不是達成目的的手段。

“The greatest miracle is to be alive.” — Thich Nhat Hanh ⌃

Keller, Gary, and Jay Papasan. 2013. The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth behind Extraordinary Results. Austin, Texas: Bard Press. ↩

小野著., and 小野, 1951- author. 2012. 有些事, 這些年我才懂: 小野的人生思考. Chu ban. 臺北市: 究竟出版社. ↩

Love

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 14 min read

“Love is the absence of judgment.” — Dalai Lama

“Love is the energy of life.” — Robert Browning

“Love does not cause suffering: what causes it is the sense of ownership, which is love’s opposite.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

“Love is the only way to grasp another human being in the innermost core of his personality.” — Viktor Frankl

“Love is taking a few steps backward maybe even more… to give way to the happiness of the person you love.” — Winnie-the-Pooh

“Love takes up where knowledge leaves off.” — Thomas Aquinas

“The love that lasts longest is the love that is never returned.” — W. Somerset Maugham

“Some people care too much. I think it’s called love.” — A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Piglet: How do you spell love?

Pooh: You don’t spell it. You feel it.

“Love does not claim possession, but gives freedom.” — Rabindranath Tagore

“You must love in such a way that the person you love feels free.” — Thich Nhat Hahn

“The near enemy of love is attachment. Attachment masquerades as love. It says, ‘I will love this person (because I need something from them).’ Or, ‘I’ll love you if you’ll love me back. I’ll love you, but only if you will be the way I want.’ This isn’t the fullness of love. Instead, there is attachment. There is clinging and fear. True love allows, honors, and appreciates; attachment grasps, demands, needs, and aims to possess.” — Jack Kornfield

“Love is the outreach of self toward completion.” — Ralph W. Sockman

“Love is merely the name for the desire and pursuit of the whole (原本的樣子).” — Aristophanes

“Love is not: I will give this to you if you do this for me. Love is: I will give this to you so that you may shine.” — Yung Pueblo

“Love consists in this, that two solitudes protect and touch and greet each other.” — Rainer Maria Rilke

“You don’t love because: you love despite; not for the virtues, but despite the faults.” — William Faulkner

“I have learned not to worry about love; but to honor its coming with all my heart.” — Alice Walker

“Not words, nor laughter, but rather someone who will fall in love with your silence.” — Sanober Khan

“I choose to love you in silence… For in silence I find no rejection, I choose to love you in loneliness… For in loneliness no one owns you but me, I choose to adore you from a distance… For distance will shield me from pain, I choose to kiss you in the wind… For the wind is gentler than my lips, I choose to hold you in my dreams… For in my dreams, you have no end.” — Rumi

這世界上最不缺的就是，隨處可見的漂亮妞，隨處可見的有錢人和隨處泛濫的愛情。卻唯獨缺少了愛情裡，本不該缺失的那份責任感、安全感還有忠誠。一個人有多好，一點都不重要，一個人對你有多好，才重要。在這個放蕩不羈又充滿誘惑的世界裡，如果有一個人能給你安全感和忠誠，為你承擔那份責任，那他—定比這個世界更迷人。 — 楊絳

“The most important aspect of love is not in giving or the receiving: it’s in the being.” — Ram Dass

“When you love someone, you have to offer that person the best you have. The best thing we can offer another person is our true presence (full attention).” — Thích Nhất Hạnh ¹

“It’s enough for me to be sure that you and I exist at this moment.” — Gabriel García Márquez

“I no longer believed in the idea of soul mates, or love at first sight. But I was beginning to believe that a very few times in your life, if you were lucky, you might meet someone who was exactly right for you. Not because he was perfect, or because you were, but because your combined flaws were arranged in a way that allowed two separate beings to hinge together.” — Lisa Kleypas

“People grow when they are loved well. If you want to help others heal, love them without an agenda.” — Mike Mchargue

(Manson 2016)

“Unhealthy love is based on two people trying to escape their problems through their emotions for each other—in other words, they’re using each other as an escape. Healthy love is based on two people acknowledging and addressing their own problems with each other’s support.” — Mark Manson, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

“He’s not perfect. You aren’t either, and the two of you will never be perfect. But if he can make you laugh at least once, causes you to think twice, and if he admits to being human and making mistakes, hold onto him and give him the most you can. He isn’t going to quote poetry, he’s not thinking about you every moment, but he will give you a part of him that he knows you could break. Don’t hurt him, don’t change him, and don’t expect for more than he can give. Don’t analyze. Smile when he makes you happy, yell when he makes you mad, and miss him when he’s not there. Love hard when there is love to be had. Because perfect guys don’t exist, but there’s always one guy that is perfect for you.” — Bob Marley

“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone, it has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” — Ursula K. Le Guin

“Love is hard. It takes enormous courage to open a wounded heart over and over again to the possibility of love’s bliss. Like Charlie Mack always says, “Scared money can’t make no money.” Love demands bravery, a willingness to risk it all.” But bravery does not mean the absence of fear. Bravery is learning to continue forward even when you’re terrified.” — Will Smith, Will

“The question is, can we love each other unconditionally, or is our love contingent upon the other person acting exactly as we need them to? It’s easy to “love” somebody when they do what you want them to do, exactly how you want them to do it. But how do you behave when they step outside of your picture? How do you treat them when they hurt you? Those are the times that determine whether or not you actually love somebody. Love is hard. It takes enormous courage to open a wounded heart over and over again to the possibility of love’s bliss.” — Will Smith, Will

“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs.” — William Shakespeare

愛情是嘆息吹起的一陣煙。

“I find the best way to love someone is not to change them, but instead, help them reveal the greatest version of themselves.” — Steve Maraboli

“The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. And that’s what you’ve given me. That’s what I’d hoped to give you forever.” — Nicholas Sparks

Remember that love forgives everything.

It takes a strong heart to love, but it takes an even stronger heart to continue to love after it’s been hurt.

Being in love > Being loved

Growing in love > Falling in love

= Significant other = Life partner = Soulmate = Best friend = Loved/Plus one

“Never love anyone who treats you like you’re ordinary.” — Oscar Wilde

Who you choose as a partner is the most important decision you’ll ever make in your life.
Choose your husband/wife wisely. This is the person that will be with you on your greatest and worst days. Choose a man/woman that will see you for who you are.

“Don’t spoil me with your lies, love me with your truth.” — T.F. Hodge, From Within I Rise: Spiritual Triumph over Death and Conscious Encounters With the Divine Presence

“True belonging never asks us to change who we are.” — Brené Brown
Don’t marry anyone you can’t laugh with or dance with.

“To find a worthy mate, be worthy of a worthy mate.” — Charlie Munger

想找到一位好伴侶，先讓自己成為配得上好伴侶的人。

By Charlie Munger
- Q: “How do you find a worthy mate?” → A: “Be worthy of a worthy mate.”
- Q: “How to find a good spouse?” → A: “The best single way is to deserve a good spouse.”

Don’t chase, attract

Find someone you genuinely enjoy spending time with doing nothing. Life isn’t about the glamorous moments—most of long-term relationships are spent just chilling—quietly sitting around and doing nothing.

“A woman/man sitting with a man/woman, suddenly feels very comfortable being a woman/man” — Manis Friedman
When you find someone you’re willing to give up your natural/innate selfishness for, you’ve found your person.

In what ways is it easy for you to show love?
In what ways is it hard for you to show love?
In what ways is it easy for you to receive love?
In what ways is it hard for you to receive love?

We waste time looking for the perfect lover, instead of creating the perfect love.

Love is a verb, not a permanent state of enthusiasm.

The best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other. Find the rare people who fill your cup; who are willing to crawl through the mud with you, to grow with you, and to build with you.

Find a partner who believes in you more than you believe in yourself.

A great romantic relationship is not only finding the person you have fun with, but also finding the person you want to be bored with. The beauty of long-term relationships is often hidden in boring, ordinary moments.

愛情最珍貴的不是那些瞬間的美好，而是在平淡的時刻，依然選擇彼此。

It’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

如果你渴望組成一個家庭，尋找那位真心想成為「丈夫/妻子」和「父親/母親」的人，而不是只想擁有「老婆/老公」和「孩子」的人。

第一種人是想「扮演某種角色」（身份認同、責任感）
第二種人是想「擁有某些東西」（個人慾望）

Liking is about being pleased by someone. Loving is about caring for someone regardless of what they give you in return.

喜歡一朵花，你會摘下它；愛一朵花，你會灌溉它。喜歡是為了得到，愛是為了付出。

Liking is rooted in social approval, shared preferences, and the absence of friction. It is transactional, contextual, and fragile. When you change, the people who liked the old version of you may fall away.
Loving is rooted in deep acceptance of who you are at your core. It does not require agreement, alignment, or convenience. Love persists through disagreement, disappointment, and distance.

時間讓人忘掉舊愛情，有了新愛情之後又忘記時間。

愛對了是愛情，愛錯了是青春！

愛人是一種能力，被愛是一種天賦。 —《六弄咖啡館》

“Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.” — Antoine De Saint-Exupéry

Is this relationship making me fulfilled or just less lonely? If a relationship isn’t creating feelings of fulfillment, it won’t last.
Find the people who create your fulfillment, not just reduce your loneliness.

(Chapman 2014)

Acts of Service: Proactively make your partner’s life easier. Even a small task like cleaning their room counts. This shows that their concerns are your concerns and that their priorities are your priorities.
Words of Affirmation: Use acknowledgement and encouragement to help your partner feel more confident about their decisions in life.
Physical Touch: Provide intimacy in whatever way your partner appreciates it.
Quality Time: Make dedicated time to be with your partner. This doesn’t mean being together in the same room. It means having one-on-one time to focus on how to help each other grow and continue to love each other.
Receiving Gifts: For some, receiving gifts signals that you remain top of mind for your partner and that they can’t shake the desire to make you feel good. Gifts can be tangible or intangible, expensive or free.

Trust is a vital ingredient in a successful marriage.

Fall deeply. Fail fast. Burn beautifully.

「給予對方能夠摧毀自己的力量，但同時相信他們不會這麼做。」

“Love meant jumping off a cliff and trusting that a certain person would be there to catch you at the bottom.” — Jodi Picoult
「真誠地對待自己與對方；不蹉跎於一段註定會失敗的感情；結束時讓它漂漂亮亮地結束。」

世界上最高等級的雙人舞，是兩人關係中的修行。伴侶就像一面最誠實、最透明的鏡子，毫不遮掩地映照出你的情緒、慣性與陰影。透過與對方的互動，我們不斷看見自己，學會理解、包容與成長，最終讓兩個靈魂在磨合中，跳出最真實、最動人的舞步。

Unconditional love
- Marriage only works when both are willing to serve the other while expecting nothing in return.
Mutual understanding

“Understanding is love’s other name.” — Thích Nhất Hạnh

Love one another, but make not a bond of love. Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup. Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.

Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping. For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts. And stand together yet not too near together: For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.

Don’t make assumptions about your partner’s feelings — just ask.

Any time my husband irritated me or annoyed me, which is often, I would think of something positive about him that I admire and appreciate — and there are many! It really, really changed our relationship for the better, which makes both of us happier.

When arguing, the goal is come to a consensus, not to “win.”

“Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.” — Simone Weil ⌃

Chapman, Gary. 2014. The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts. Chicago: Moody Publishers. ↩

Manson, Mark. 2016. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ↩

Programming Best Practices

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 8 min read

Comments are for why, not what.

Avoid obvious or redundant comments that simply restate what the code does:

int i = 2; // set i to 2   ← (❌ This adds no value)

Instead, use comments to explain the reasoning, intent, or context behind your code—why you are doing something (how it fits into the bigger picture):

int i = 2; // Start from index 2 to skip the first two elements, which have already been processed in the previous step.

Use descriptive and human-readable names for variables. Name methods as verbNoun like calculateSum or findElement.

Also, be precise with singular and plural names. For example, use getCustomer for a function that returns a single customer, and getCustomers for one that returns a list. Mismatched naming leads to confusion and bugs.

養成在 Code 裡面 Tag #TODO, #FIXME, #BUG, #NOTE, #OPTIMIZE 的習慣

Always consult official documentation first. Never use tutorials or videos as your main reference. Third-party content can be outdated, incomplete, or even incorrect.

Setup automatic linters and formatters for consistency.

Write clean, compact, clear, readable, modular, and extensible code that can be easily maintained and repurposed by developers other than its creators.

The ratio of time spent reading versus writing is well over 10 to 1. We are constantly reading old code as part of the effort to write new code. […] Therefore, making it easy to read makes it easier to write.

Be aware of the “Technical Debt.”
Good code is code that can be understood by a junior engineer. Great code can be understood by a first year CS freshman. The best code is no code at all.
Review your own code.
Pro Tip: Review your own code - Make a habit of opening a pull request (PR) for your own changes instead of taking the easy route and just pushing to master—even if you’re working solo. Imagine yourself from the perspective of someone else trying to read your code without all the context.

“Premature optimization is the root of all evil.” — Donald Knuth

The hallmark of premature optimization is adding complexity for the sake of efficiency, without having determined that the benefit is substantial enough to justify the cost (of both implementation and maintenance).
Get things work first. Test the smallest (reusable) unit/module first (like LEGO blocks).
Stick to the requirements of today, without trying to solve complex problems of tomorrow.
Solve only the problems that you have today!
“Shipping high quality software within a reasonable time frame is of utmost priority.”
“Lot of the times, engineers tend to solve problems that don’t exist today.”

Fundamentals > Frameworks

Single Responsibility Principle (SRP)
- A class should only have one reason to change.
- A module should be responsible to one, and only one, actor.
Separation of Concerns (SoC) → Dependency Management
- Modular Code
- You should break things up.
- Separate an application into self-contained units, with minimal overlapping between the functions of the individual units.
- Modularity/Granularity is achieved by encapsulating information inside a section of code that has a well-defined client/user interface. Encapsulation is a means of information hiding. Separation of concerns is a form of abstraction. As with most abstractions, separating concerns means adding additional code interfaces, generally creating more code to be executed. The extra code can result in higher computation costs in some cases, but in other cases also can lead to reuse of more optimized code.
- Don’t Repeat Yourself (D.R.Y.)
  - Consolidate repeatable code into reusable units
  - ⭐️ Don’t repeat yourself, but also don’t over-abstract.
    - Why? The goal of DRY is to avoid duplication, but it’s important not to take it to the extreme. Be ware of creating tightly coupled code that should have been loosely coupled. Each abstraction should have a clear, single responsibility and be easy to change independently.
    - Strive for a balance:
      - Extract common logic only when you see clear, repeated patterns that are unlikely to diverge.
      - Don’t force unrelated concepts into a single abstraction just to avoid repetition.
      - Prefer clarity (and loose coupling) over cleverness.
    - Single Source of Truth (SSOT) is a better variant of DRY: ensure that every piece of knowledge or logic exists in only one place in your codebase or system. This reduces the risk of inconsistencies and makes maintenance easier.
- Atomize everything (Principle of Atomicity)
  - Small Focused Modules — Sindre Sorhus
    - Think of node modules as Lego blocks. You don’t necessarily care about the details of how it’s made. All you need to know is how to use the Lego blocks to build your Lego castle.
    - By making small focused modules, you can easily build large, complex, durable systems without having to know every single detail of how everything works.
    - In addition, by having these modules as reusable packages, other people can reuse them, and when a module is improved or a bug is fixed, every consumer benefits.
    - It’s not about LOC (Lines Of Code), but the complexity! ➞ Number of indentations is a good metric.
  - The Building Block Economy — Mitchell Hashimoto
    - AI is okay at building everything from scratch, but it is really good at gluing together high quality, well documented, and proven components.
- The Unix Philosophy
  
  Do one thing and do it extremely well.
- The Art of Unix Programming
- Functions should only do one thing well. Keep functions small.

“Here’s a good rule on code correctness. All code you haven’t tested is wrong. All code you have tested is also wrong, but appears to work by coincidence. And code you’ve proven correct does the wrong thing, correctly.” — Tim Sweeney

“Write tests. Not too many. Mostly integration.” — Guillermo Rauch

Ensure your code is tested with, tons of “unit tests”, “integration tests”, and some “End to End tests”
Code should have unit tests before it is approved for merging or refactoring.
Write lots of automated tests at the granular level, and fewer of them at the higher level.
Testing shouldn’t be an aftermath, and should be part of your development process.
Tests you should write:
- Happy path(s); if everything goes right, does the function work right?
- Unhappy path(s); does the function properly handle errors or other invalid input?
- Edge cases; does it correctly handle 0 inputs? null? 1?
- Scale; does it handle 1,000 inputs correctly? 1,000,000? 1,000,000,000?
- Regressions; if the function went wrong, write a test to ensure that it doesn’t do it again.
The Golden Rules of test-driven development (TDD)
- Don’t build what you can’t test.
- Write a test before writing the code and focus on writing only the code necessary to pass the test.
- Test as you build: TDD constantly repeats the steps of adding test cases that fail (no code written yet), passing them with unit testing (code written), and refactoring (code improved)
  - Example in Google Test Framework
    "System.NotImplementedException: ‘The method or operation is not implemented." → `EXPECT_NO_FATAL_FAILURE(FAIL());`

A good developer always writes:

Simpler code
Well-documented code
Well-formatted code
Performant code

“Computers exist to serve us, not the other way around. If it is not fast and reliable then it is wrong!” — Gary Bernhardt
Secure code

#TODO

Mistakes engineers make in large established codebases

See also: Chesterton’s Fence

The cardinal mistake is inconsistency. Lack of consistency is the primary long-term killer of large codebases.
You must resist the urge to make your little corner of the codebase nicer than the rest of it. When you sit down to implement anything in a large codebase, you should always first go and look around for prior art, and follow that if at all possible. If you decide to start a new feature without following existing patterns , you better have a very good reason for it.
- The main reason is that, as a general rule, large established codebases produce 90% of the value. In any big tech company, the majority of the revenue-producing activity (i.e. the work that actually pays your salary) comes from a large established codebase.
- The other reason is that you cannot split up a large established codebase without first understanding it.
Be very, very reluctant to introduce new dependencies. In large codebases, code often lives forever. Dependencies introduce an ongoing cost in security vulnerabilities and package updates that will almost certainly outlive your tenure at the company. If you have to, make sure you pick dependencies that are widely-used and reliable, or that are easy to fork if needed.
If you ever get the chance to remove code, take it with both hands. This is some of the riskiest work in large codebases, so don’t half-ass it: first instrument the code to identify callers in production and drive them down to zero, so you can be absolutely certain it’s safe to remove. But it’s still worth doing.

Sleep

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 10 min read

“Sleep is a kindness you give your future self.” — Matthew Walker

Sleep is the ultimate performance multiplier.

Sleep is the best biohacking technique with the highest ROI.

Sleep is the best legal performance enhancing drug / magic pill on the planet.

Sleep is the most effective workout recovery tool.

Sleep is a fundamental biological requirement; bypassing it doesn’t create more time, it simply creates a slower, more error-prone version of oneself.

sleep is the absolute foundation of your mental health, your physical health and your performance in all endeavors. So if there’s one area of your life to really focus on and try and optimize if your goal is to be happier and more productive and just have a better life over all, I can confidently say that Sleep is really the thing to optimize.

Sleep deprivation makes hard things feel impossible. High quality sleep makes seemingly impossible things doable.

“Short sleep equals a short life.”

“Short sleep predicts all cause mortality.”

Make sleep your #1 appointment in your calendar. Sleep is your #1 life priority. Plan your day around sleep.

Minimize light, red/amber light ideal

Quality
Quantity
Regularity
Timing

The bed is for sleep and sex

sleep semi-naked, but warm your hands/feet with gloves/socks on, so as to send blood to your core which then radiates the heat outward

睡覺時，環境要冷，手腳要暖

Aim for consistent bedtimes and wake times with a ± 30 minutes margin of error, whether it’s the weekend or a weekday.

In addition to your morning alarm clock, consider adding a “bedtime alarm,” which tells you when to go to sleep.

You do not have 24 hours in the day. You only have ~16 hours per day being awake once you factor in the sleep tax. That’s like confusing revenue with profit.

Separate bed covers — sleeping the Scandinavian way

Individual duvets provide the warmest way to sleep, eliminating air gaps and the risk of your partner pulling or hogging the duvet in the middle of the night, ultimately stop nightly battle over the bedsheets.

Add blackout curtains or wear an eye mask to maximize darkness in the bedroom.

應暗到伸手不見五指。

Sleeping Inclined: Put bed risers at the head of your bed

Stick your hands or feet out from underneath the covers to help cool down.

Eating closer to bedtime can increase the likelihood of gastric reflux (heartburn) and impair sleep

Avoid stimulating activities before bed, such as watching television, reading the news, strenuous exercise, or social media.

Sleep Hygiene (The 10/3/2/1 Rule)

睡眠認知行為治療 (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia，CBT-I)

Wakefulness is low level brain damage. Sleepiness offers a reparatory function. You make the best use of time not by sleeping less, but awaking less.

在深層睡眠的時候，大腦裡有一套系統叫做類淋巴系統（或是膠狀淋巴系統，glymphatic system），這個系統就像一條夜間清潔水道，讓腦脊髓液慢慢流進腦組織，再把神經細胞產生的代謝物帶走。

俗稱「龍骨水」，是大腦的排毒系統
只在「深睡期」產生

Magnesium Threonate: 200–400mg 2–3 hours before sleep
- Threonate are forms of magnesium that crosses the blood-brain barrier and will assist with sleep instead of absorption by gut
L-Theanine: 200–400mg
- Nootropic but takes the edge off and balances caffeine intake
Glycine: 2 gram (every 3rd or 4th night)
GABA: 100 mg (every 3rd or 4th night)
Inositol (900 mg) is particularly beneficial if you wake up during the night and struggle to fall back asleep, as it can reduce the time needed to return to sleep.
Phosphatidylserine (100 mg) decreases the cortisol response, which can be helpful for individuals with insomnia.

Psyllium Husk 洋車前子

Chamomile Tea 洋甘菊（晚安舒眠）茶

Lucid dream is a type of dream wherein a person that is dreaming realizes that they are dreaming during their dream.

What are the best practices for managing rumination and negative racing thoughts when trying to fall asleep?

Mental Walk: If you have trouble falling asleep, take a “mental walk” and visualize walking a familiar route.

Why do I wake up in the middle of the night, no matter what time I go to sleep?

Checking the time when you wake up at night can train your brain to continue waking at that time. This is a form of learning whereby checking the clock strengthens the memory association with that specific time.
- Remove visible clocks from your bedroom to help disrupt this pattern.
If you wake up in the middle of the night, don’t check the time. This will allow you to fall back asleep without worrying about how many hours you have left. → Alternatives: (1) 冥想 (搭配: 腹式呼吸、身體掃描等等) (2) 看書 (3) 聽 Podcasts
You can’t force sleep. The more you force sleep, the more it resists.
- Insomniac delusion: If you can’t fall asleep, just try harder. This will do the opposite.
- If you can’t sleep, pretend you’re lying in a canoe.

No — sleep is not a bank account. You cannot run a “debt” during the week and settle it on the weekend; there is no credit system for sleep. The body recoups only ~25% of the lost hours, so if you routinely sleep less than the recommended 7–8 hours a night, you will always be running a sleep debt — one that is predictive of ill health outcomes and early mortality.

That debt behaves like a bad loan in two ways:

There is no balance to check. Being debt-free is a feeling. It’s when you notice yourself waking up consistently in the morning at around the same time, feeling rested and able to tackle your day.
The interest rate is punishing. One estimate suggests that for every hour of sleep debt you rack up, you can expect to need about four days of extra sleep to fully pay it back.

Reframing: 把睡覺當作是…

搭長途飛機，必須一切準備就緒 (行李、護照等等) 才能出發
Passive workout (as a professional sleeper/sleep athlete)

Best Vacation: Sleep one more hour for 7 days in a row, then you will get an extra night of sleep at the end of last day.

If you’ve experienced a poor night’s sleep, your impulse may be to sleep in, drink a much-needed cup of coffee as you roll out of bed, and push your morning workout until the evening when you’re feeling up for it. But the best way to recover from a poor night’s sleep is to make sure it doesn’t affect your next night’s sleep. Get up at the same time as usual. Sleeping more than 1 hour past your usual wakeup time can shift your circadian clock later (called phase delay), making it harder to fall asleep that night. ¹

If you’re sleep deprived, one of the best things you can do (counterintuitively) is high-intensity exercise.

A single night of poor sleep can trigger short-term insulin resistance, but HIIT (high-intensity interval training) can counteract/reverse this metabolic damage. Multiple nights of sleep restriction disrupt blood glucose, impair energy production, and throw off body temperature rhythms — yet incorporating HIIT during this period effectively offsets all three.

Eating more fiber and less saturated fat for dinner, to promote serotonin, calm sleep.

sleep arousals (brief awakenings during the night)

慢波睡眠（Slow-Wave Sleep, SWS）＝深層睡眠（Deep Sleep）

報復性熬夜/睡眠拖延症（Revenge Bedtime Procrastination）

🛌 Bryan Johnson’s Twitter thread on sleep ²

Reframe Your Identity: You are a professional sleeper. Make sleep your #1 priority. Nothing influences your conscious and unconscious existence more. Plan your day around sleep. It’s the most important appointment in your calendar. Sleep will make you a top performer.
Create a 30–60 minute Wind-Down Routine: Set a specific time each evening to start winding down, for example: reading, taking a warm bath, breathing exercises, soothing music. Focus on transitioning your work and worry brain to sleep mode.
Get Morning Light: Get outside within the first 15–30 minutes of waking to set your circadian rhythm and boost mood or use a light therapy device if natural sunlight isn’t available.
Regulate Evening Light: Dim the lights one to two hours before bedtime to create a relaxed atmosphere. Use warm (red is best) lighting in the evening. Install blue light filters on your devices (i.e. f.lux) and consider blue light-blocking glasses. Limit screen time at least an hour before bed and blackout your bedroom.
Regulate Bedroom Temperature: Keep your bedroom temperature between 60–67°F (15–19°C). Choose breathable bedding and light sleepwear. Use fans or cooling devices and consider taking a warm bath before bed. Ventilate your room and or use a temperature-controlled mattress if possible.
Consistent Bedtime: Choose a bedtime that allows for 7–9 hours in bed each night. Avoid scheduling late nights and be consistent even on weekends. Set an alarm for winding down.
Curate a Peaceful Sleep Environment: Ensure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and cool. Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows. I have a copper pillowcase. Remove distractions and keep your bedroom clean and clutter-free. Consider using a noise machine to offset environmental sounds or earplugs if necessary. Buy a temperature controlled mattress if you can.
Eat Early: Try to have your last meal of the day at least two hours (experiment with 4 and 6 hours before) before bed and avoid large meals close to bedtime. Eating close to bed creates large metabolic demands on your body, causes blood glucose fluctuations, reduces melatonin production, and disrupts your body’s natural process of lowering core body temperature.
Avoid Stimulants: Try to avoid caffeine, alcohol, and other stimulants at least 10 hours before sleep. Caffeine has a half life of 6 hours in the blood. That means that consuming a cup of coffee 6 hours before bedtime is equivalent to drinking half a cup immediately before going to bed! Opt for herbal teas or other relaxing drinks in the evening.
Gather Data: Track your sleep habits and patterns with a journal or sleep tracker. Use the data to make informed decisions and adjustments to your routine. Continuously monitor and tweak your habits to optimize your sleep quality.

Sleep Is Your Superpower | Matt Walker

Jet Leg

When done correctly, your body’s natural circadian rhythms should cause you to feel sleepy at the same time every day. ⌃
See also: How I FIXED My Terrible Sleep ⌃

When in doubt, zoom out

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

退一步海闊天空。

放慢步調，與當下的掛念保持適當的心理距離，有助於激發高階思考，使我們能夠以更宏觀的視角考慮、權衡大局。

這種心理距離（psychological distancing），在認知心理學中，被稱為「認知重新評價」（cognitive reappraisal）— 透過改變我們對事件的解讀方式來調節情緒。當你感覺被問題淹沒時，邀請自己後退一步，往往能看見原本被情緒遮蔽的解決方案。

沈溺其中的第一人稱視角 → 往後退幾步的第三人稱視角

“Third-person self-talk is a way of being empathetic to ourselves.” — Marc Brackett, Permission to Feel: The Power of Emotional Intelligence to Achieve Well-Being and Success

研究指出，以第三人稱進行自我對話（= illeism = third-person self-talk）¹ 能有效降低焦慮、提升表現。透過將自己視為旁觀者，我們大腦中與自我反芻相關的區域活動會減少，而與解決問題相關的區域則會活化。這種「自我抽離」（self-distancing）策略，已被證實有助於做出更理性的決策。

Slow down and remember this: most things make no difference.

“I do believe that 99% of effort in life is ‘wasted’. And it’s not wasted in the sense that you don’t learn something; you do learn something. But if you look back at all the term papers you wrote and all the classes you took and all the people you dated and on all the thoughts you had and all the things you stressed about and all the decisions you made, 99% of them didn’t matter; they were inconsequential; and there were a few 1% decisions that did matter.” — Naval Ravikant

It is important to take time to zoom out/sit back/slow down on a regular basis. Make it a ritual — a weekly review, a monthly offsite with yourself, or simply a quiet walk without headphones.

A practical heuristic: before reacting emotionally to any situation, try the 10-10-10 rule — ask yourself how you will feel about this in 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years.

The bird’s-eye view perspective on your situation provide a unique vantage point — an ability to see the landscape around you and the bigger picture. (鳥瞰/綜觀全局)

This is why astronauts consistently report the Overview Effect — a profound cognitive shift experienced when viewing Earth from orbit, where borders dissolve, conflicts seem trivial, and the planet appears as a single, fragile system.

If you think you have it tough, look around.

The Pale Blue Dot

“Everything that we did and built and wrote and thought and discovered will be forgotten.” — The Fault in Our Stars 生命中美好的缺憾 (2014 film)

相對於已經存在 137 億年的宇宙，我們每個人都只是倏忽/轉瞬即逝的存在。人世間的紛爭/擾與煩惱，放在這樣的時間尺度下，全都顯得格外渺小/微不足道。

在人生這趟旅程中，我們不過是來旅行的；沒有任何事物能永久停留，一切終將煙消雲散，不會有任何聲響。

To Scale: TIME

The most productive people prioritize intentional rest

e.g., “I am ready to go.” ➞ “John is ready to go.” ⌃

Commencement Address by David Foster Wallace at Kenyon College

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

Commencement Address by Jonathan Haidt at New York University

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

Treasure your attention.

Paying attention is in fact one of the most challenging and meaningful thing you can do. Because what you pay attention to shapes what you care about, and what you care about shapes who you become.

In 2005, the writer David Foster Wallace gave one of this century’s most famous and important commencement addresses at Kenyon College. He said, “The really significant education and thinking that we’re supposed to get in a place like this isn’t really about the capacity to think, but rather about the choice of what to think about.”

He was right, and he seemed to anticipate that two decades later, there are so many powerful people and companies trying to take that choice from you.

They compete with each other to capture your attention. Think about that phrase. It acknowledges that your attention is valuable, but it also reveals that some of the biggest corporations in human history, they’re not trying to earn your attention, they’re not trying to deserve your attention, they’re trying to take it from you.

Treasure your attention more than the people who want to take it from you. Never forget what it’s worth. For Meta, it’s more than a trillion dollars. For you and your life, it’s priceless.

Once you’re in control of your attention, you can start to ask yourself one of life’s most exciting questions, which is, what do I want to do? Of course, the answer to this question is going to be different for each of you. But looked at in another way, the answer may be the same for all of you. What should you do? You should do hard things.

This is among the most universal pieces of advice from our ancestors. In the words of two great philosophers, Friedrich Nietzsche and Kelly Clarkson, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

The psychological foundation of this great truth is that humans and especially young people are not fragile. They are anti-fragile, to use a term coined by NYU professor Nassim Taleb. Fragile things break when they get knocked over or challenged. So we need to protect them vigilantly. But anti-fragile things grow stronger, so we need to expose them to challenge diligently.

Spend a lot of your attention on real people in the real world. […] Today, one of the most common experiences of adulthood, especially in ambitious cities among high-achieving people, is a strange kind of loneliness. You can be messaging people all day. You can see everyone’s lives unfold in real time. And yet despite all this so-called connection, you may find yourself feeling increasingly alone.

Friendship now requires much more intentionality than it once did. So my advice, as you think about what does and doesn’t deserve your attention, is reach out to others, even when it feels awkward. Call someone you love just to say hi. Invite someone to dinner and say yes when someone invites you. Be the one who makes things happen in the real world, and others will be grateful to you.

You’ll face the universal challenges encountered by all the generations who came before you, and you’ll face the unique challenges that have arisen for your generation. But if you treasure your attention and then use it to do hard things in real life with other people, then, and trust me on this as a social psychologist, your life is going to be amazing. And the world is going to be a far better place because you’re in it.

道德經

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

道可道，非常道；名可名，非常名。

The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao; The name that can be named is not the eternal name.

The “Good Enough” Life Choice

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

There is no meaning in life. Life is just life. It has no inherit meaning at all. You just project it with whatever meaning that suits you. But the most important thing is remembering to remove whatever meaning is holding you back. Because they say humans are 75% of water, but I think humans are also 99% unused potential. And most of us, the thing holding you back from where you are to where you want to be is always in your head. And it’s usually because you put ‘meaning’ on something that isn’t there. So if you learn that life has no meaning, you will do whatever you want.

Creativity is just connecting things

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 6 min read

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things. And the reason they were able to do that was that they’ve had more experiences or they have thought more about their experiences than other people.” — Steve Jobs

“The dangerous man is the one who has only one idea, because then he’ll fight and die for it. The way real science goes is that you come up with lots of ideas, and most of them will be wrong.” — Francis Crick

“If a plant only gets sunlight, it’s very harmful. It needs darkness too…In the darkness, it converts oxygen into carbon dioxide. We are like that too. We need periods of doing & periods of non-doing.” — Robert Pirsig

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” — Maya Angelou

“Language can become a screen which stands between the thinker and reality. This is the reason why true creativity often starts where language ends.” — Arthur Koestler

Creativity is the focused combination of unlikely things. If you wish to be more creative, look for the connections between two previously unconnected things.
Creative Thinking is not about generating something new from a blank slate, but rather about taking what is already present and combining those bits and pieces in a way that has not been done previously.
Being creative isn’t about being the first (or only) person to think of a new idea. More often, creativity is about connecting ideas, i.e., finding a new link/relation between two old ideas.

Doing absolutely nothing promotes creativity

Bus (movement)
Bath (leisure)
Bed (sleep)

Imagine there’s an evil identical twin of you whose sole job is to out-think you.
What are they thinking?
This thought experiment allows the mind to explore creative ideas because you can blame it on the twin.

Japan practiced an isolationist policy called Sakoku (鎖國政策) for 265 years. They cut off the outside world, resulting in their unique culture
Once per quarter, practice Sakoku for a weekend or a week
Sakoku is intermittent fasting for the mimetic mind

Discover - Read a lot. Observe the world. Notice.
Collect - Immediately record anything that strikes you.
Generate - Build on your notes to brainstorm lots of ideas.
Combine - Connect previously unconnected ideas.
Refine - Edit, edit, edit. Select the best.

“The Creativity Faucet” by Julian Sharpiro

Creativity needs warmup.

Visualize your creativity as a backed-up pipe of water.
The first mile is wastewater that needs to be emptied. ¹ ²
The clear water arrives after emptying the bad ideas, you begin to spot patterns (樣態) as to why they are bad. ³ ⁴

Let’s apply this to creativity: At the beginning of a creative session, see through every bad idea that comes to mind. Instead of being self-critical and resisting bad ideas, recognize that you must see them to completion. Bad ideas, by the way, are often the clichés your brain has been overexposed to. Once bad ideas are emptied, a surprising thing happens: better ideas begin to arrive.

Here’s my guess as to why: Once you’ve generated enough bad output, your mind reflexively identifies which elements caused the badness. Then it becomes better at avoiding them. You start pattern-matching interesting ideas with greater intuition.

This works because it is easier to look at something bad and intuit how to make it better than to make something good from scratch. The human brain isn’t wired for spontaneous ingenuity, but it is wired to detect what’s wrong with the world.

Here’s a video of John Mayer showing off the Creativity Faucet in real-time.

Remarks

You need 1000 bad ideas to get to 1 good idea.
Rule of Thumb: 70% of your work will be mediocre. 20% will suck. 10% will be amazing.
You have to wade through some sewage before you can swim in clear water.

(Lucas and Nordgren 2020)

Creativity actually increased during the course of the brainstorming/ideation session, leveling off in the latest periods after rising steadily in the earlier periods.

If struggling to understand or think creatively about a subject, transform it to another format. For example:
- If you have a written idea, try to draw it.
- If you have a visual idea, try to write it.
- If you have a numerical idea, try to explain it out loud.
  - Talking gets the mind thinking. It’s helpful to externalize and articulate the unspoken.
  - 交談有助於思考 — 與人交談是件很重要的事，但不是閒聊或是客套話，而是認真地就某件事情對話、交換意見。藉由這樣的談話，能讓你清楚了解自己的想法，或是缺少了什麼，也能讓你看清問題的根源所在。如此一來，你腦中的想法才能具體成形。若只是一個人苦思，拚命鑽牛角尖，不僅毫無效率可言，也得不到任何具體的結果。因此，與人交談有助於彼此的思考更具體，更有效率。
The process of transforming the idea from one format to another exposes the gaps that exist in your logic and thinking, and you begin to spot creative connections among them.
Writing/Drawing is the ultimate tool to sharpen/crystalize thinking—use it as a “knife block” for life.

Genius is an egosystem, scenius is an ecosystems

Here’s how to live: Create. | Derek Sivers

The Medici Effect

“Clog naturally accumulates, so every day I work to unblock it, another small piece at a time. All of this came from hard work, not sitting around with creative thinking. It came from creative doing.” — Herbert Lui ⌃
想像是在「嘔吐」、「排泄」！先把屎拉完，黃金才會出現 😜 ⌃
Because your pipe only has one faucet, there’s no shortcut to achieving clarity other than first emptying the wastewater. ⌃
If you go deep enough and write enough your collection of ideas and perspectives becomes so unique. The trick is to keep going deeper without thinking too much. ⌃

Lucas, Brian J., and Loran F. Nordgren. 2020. “The Creative Cliff Illusion.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117 (33): 19830–36. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2005620117. ↩

Never complain about anything

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“Everything that happens is either endurable or not. If it’s endurable, then endure it. Stop complaining. If it’s unendurable … then stop complaining. Your destruction will mean its end as well. Just remember: you can endure anything your mind can make endurable, by treating it as in your interest to do so. In your interest, or in your nature.” — Marcus Aurelius

如果痛苦是可以忍受的，那就忍受它，別抱怨；如果無法忍受的，那抱怨也沒用，因為毀滅你的同時，它也會結束。

“He who blames others has a long way to go on his journey. He who blames himself is halfway there. He who blames no one has arrived.”

怨人者途遠，責己者行半，無戾者已至，此之謂也。 —《左傳》

“I have a rule: no complaining about a situation unless you’re prepared to do something to make it better. If you see a problem and you don’t come to the table with a potential solution, I don’t want to hear your whining about how bad it is. It couldn’t be that bad if it hasn’t motivated you to try to fix it.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger, Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life

“If you can’t tell me what you’d like to be happening, you don’t have a problem yet. You’re just complaining. A problem only exists if there is a difference between what is actually happening and what you desire to be happening.” — Kenneth H. Blanchard, The One Minute Manager

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain.” — Maya Angelou

Don’t complain about anything. If it’s within your control, go do something about it (either change the situation or change your attitude.). If it’s not, complaining is just a waste of energy. When you complain, you’re giving too much power to the thing. Take back that power.

The person who has the most to do with what happens to you is you. Whatever it is, it’s your fault. Take the extreme ownership. (扛全責/負起所有責任) Nobody owes you anything at all. Develop a no-excuses mindset.

“Excuses are the rocks where our dreams are crushed.” — Tim Fargo

When something goes wrong, own it, fix it, and prevent it from happening again.
Never make excuses. Excuses don’t get results.
As soon as I catch myself blaming anyone for anything, I decide it’s my fault/responsibility.
Remember: You give power to who you blame. Never give your power to anyone else.

If you meet a jerk once a month, you’ve met a jerk. If you meet jerks every day, you’re a jerk.

You aren’t a failure until you start to blame. You are still in the process of learning from your mistakes until you deny them.

Cynacism

A true transformation begins with a mental shift

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 11 min read

TL; DR Perspective is everything. ¹ Curiosity is key.

“If you can change your mind, you can change your life.” — William James

“My destination is no longer a place, rather a new way of seeing.” — Marcel Proust

“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” — Anaïs Nin

“We see what we believe rather than what we see.” — Alan Watts

“What we see depends mainly on what we look for.” — John Lubbock

“It isn’t what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.” — Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends & Influence People

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking out new landscapes but in having new eyes.” — Marcel Proust

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” — Viktor E. Frankl

“Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.” — Khalil Gibran

“Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.” — Mahatma Gandhi

“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.” — Carl Jung

“Our thinking can create liberation or it can create imprisonment. It depends on how we use our mind.” — Tenzin Palmo

“The energy of the mind is the essence of life.” — Aristotle

“The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.” — Marcus Aurelius

“Your mind will take the shape of what you frequently hold in thought, for the human spirit is colored by such impressions.” — Marcus Aurelius

“You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” — Marcus Aurelius

“The things I carry are my thoughts. That’s it. They are the only weight. My thoughts determine whether I am free and light or burdened.” — Kamal Ravikant

“The things you think about determine the quality of your mind. Your soul takes on the color of your thoughts.” — Marcus Aurelius

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” — Marcus Aurelius

“A man who acquires the ability to take full possession of his own mind may take possession of anything else to which he is justly entitled.” — Andrew Carnegie

You can reorient your life in a new direction quickly but the underlying rewriting of scripts and rewiring of your nervous system takes much longer than you would ever expect.

“It won’t always go your way, so you can’t get trapped in this idea that just because you’ve imagined a possibility for yourself that you somehow deserve it. Your entitled mind is dead weight. Cut it loose. Don’t focus on what you think you deserve. Take aim on what you are willing to earn!”

“Children are wonderfully confident in their own imaginations. Most of us lose this confidence as we grow up.” — Sir Ken Robinson

“Beliefs are choices. First you choose your beliefs. Then your beliefs affect your choices.” — Roy T. Bennett

“By itself, conscious positive thinking cannot overcome subconscious negative feelings.” — Joe Dispenza, Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One

“We may not be responsible for the world that created our minds, but we can take responsibility for the mind with which we create our world.” — Gabor Mate

“People are not disturbed by things, but by the views they take of them.” — Epictetus ¹

“There are no mistakes. They are happy accidents.” — Bob Ross

“We can complain that rosebushes have thorns, or rejoice that thorns have roses.” — Alphonse Karr

“Not having the best situation, but seeing the best in your situation is the key to happiness.” — Marie Forleo

“Nothing is miserable unless you think it so; and on the other hand, nothing brings happiness unless you are content with it.” — Jonathan Haidt, The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom

Rewire your brain

= Reframe your thinking

= Reprogram your mindset

= Reshape your perspective

山不轉路轉，路不轉人轉，人不轉心轉。

世界上最大的監獄，就是人的思維。走不出自己的執念，到哪裡都是囚徒。

It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.

You can figure out how to configure your default state to be slightly amused rather than slightly annoyed you pretty much enter God Mode.

“Our greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” — William James

The ability to choose one thought over another is superpower—one shift in our thoughts can completely change how we feel.

“We see the world not as it is, but as we are.” — Anaïs Nin

A change in worldview will change the world viewed.

“We suffer more in imagination than in reality.” — Seneca

我的身體被自己的影子綁架了，完全動彈不得。

戀人，口水是心跳在舌尖跳舞；
陌生人，口水是細菌在嘴裡開趴。

“Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.” — Lao Tzu

Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an action and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” — Proverbs 4:23

你要保守你的心，勝過保守一切，因為一生的果效皆由心發出。 — 聖經舊約《箴言》第 4 章第 23 節

A good mindset is your biggest weapon / superpower.

Choose your thoughts wisely, because your life will always move in the direction of your thoughts.

No one can break iron, but its own rust can. Likewise, no one can break a person, but his own mindset can.

Think Yourself Thin

Believing effort leads to improvement, which increases motivation and drives more effort.

You can’t change your past, but you can reframe it. Find the lesson in it. Find the opportunity in it. You can’t choose your history, but you can always choose the story you tell about it. Rewrite the story you tell yourself.

It’s not what you look at that matters. It’s what you see that matters.

Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.

Go laugh in the places you have cried—change the narrative.

“I am really anxious.” → “I am experiencing anxiety.”
- You are not your feelings. Just because you’re experiencing anxious feelings doesn’t mean it’s an inherent part of who you are.
- We are not our emotions. We are not sad or anxious (feeling emotions). We have sadness or anxiety on us (being emotions).
  - I am sad. → There is sadness on me.
  - I am anxious. → There is anxiety on me.
“How hard it is? (這有多難？)” → “How hard can it be? (這能有多難？)”
“以後不知道該怎麼辦…” → 不知道以後會怎樣耶！
“I need to do XYZ so I don’t feel bad.” → “Doing XYZ is important to me because it makes me feel fulfilled.”
“I am afraid to fail.” → “I am excited to try.”
“Why is this happening to me?” → “What is this trying to teach me?”
“Life happens to me.” → “I have agency. I can influence my outcomes.”
- Reactive Living → Proactive Living
- This is the essence of habit one in Stephen R. Covey’s renowned book (Covey 2013): Be Proactive. Everything starts there.
  
  “But until a person can say deeply and honestly, “I am what I am today because of the choices I made yesterday,” that person cannot say, “I choose otherwise.” — Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
Decision → Experiment
Problem → Puzzle
Relax → Energize
Should → Could
Failure → Data point
“I can’t do that.” → High agency people ask: “How could I make this possible?”

See failure as opportunity; See rejection as redirection; See frustration as fascination

Rejection is the Universe’s protection.

(Abdaal 2024)

If your goal is to find a fulfilling career and your hypothesis is that a corporate role might be fulfilling, then your data collection process might be to sample careers through internships and job placements. With an experimental mindset, an internship that you end up hating wouldn’t be a ‘failure’ or a ‘waste of time’; it’d just be another data point to help you realize that that’s not what you want.
If your goal is to build a successful business, then your data collection process might involve testing different business ideas, products or services. With an experimental mindset, a product launch that doesn’t meet expectations wouldn’t be a failure or a disaster; it’d just be another data point to help you refine your strategy and better understand your target market.
If your goal is to develop meaningful relationships, then your data collection process might involve going on dates, attending social events and engaging with new people. With an experimental mindset, a date that doesn’t lead to a second one or a friendship that doesn’t blossom wouldn’t be a failure; it’d just be another data point to help you understand your compatibility.

The traditional line of thinking is Have, Do, Be:

I need to have X.
Then I can do Y.
Then I will be Z.

A classic example: I need to have more money and fancy things, then I can do the things I want, then I’ll be fulfilled.

The reality: The conditional approach—if I have X, then I’ll be Y—never works.

Be, Do, Have flips this traditional thinking on its head:

I will be Z.
Then I can do Y.
Then I will have X.

In the context of our example: I will embody the state of being of a fulfilled person, then I can do the actions of a fulfilled person, then I will have the things I desire.

“Modern society is based on the mode of having (佔有), not on the mode of being (存在).” — Erich From, To Have or To Be?

(Nguyen 2024)

Once we become aware of the fact that we are only feeling what we’re thinking and that thinking is the root cause of our unpleasant experience, we see it for what it truly is. Then we allow it to settle by giving it space, and slowly we will see how we begin to have a clear mind again.

If you’re 37, don’t regret not waking up at 18 again. Instead, imagine you’re 90 and have just woken up at 37—gifted with another 50 years to live.

“Mens sana in corpore sano” is a Latin phrase that translates to “a healthy mind in a healthy body.”

健全的心靈寓於健康的身體。

健康的身體是精神的家園。

A situation with no way out is a situation in which you don’t like the obvious way out.

A situation with no way out often just means that the available option feels unpleasant, uncomfortable, or costly—not that it doesn’t exist. In truth, there is a path forward, but we resist it because it conflicts with our desires, pride, values, or comfort. The “no way out” is usually a form of psychological avoidance: we label the only viable choice as unacceptable, and so convince ourselves we’re trapped.

The Law of Attraction

Optimism

“All the water in the world cannot sink a ship unless it gets inside the ship. All the negativity in the world cannot sink a person unless it gets inside the mind.” — Mary Pickford ⌃ ⌃²

Abdaal, Ali. 2024. Feel-Good Productivity: How To Do More Of What Matters To You. Celadon Books. ↩

Covey, Stephen R. 2013. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. 25th anniversary edition. New York: Simon & Schuster. ↩

Goggins, David. 2018. Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds. Erscheinungsort nicht ermittelbar: Lioncrest publishing. ↩

Nguyen, Joseph. 2024. Don’t Believe Everything You Think: Why Your Thinking Is the Beginning & End of Suffering. United States: Joseph Nguyen. ↩

Embrace the beauty of enoughness

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 10 min read

真正的窮，不是沒有錢，而是沒有能力去付出。相對的，富裕是什麼？不是誰擁有得多，而是誰需要的少。 — 沈芯菱 ¹

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” — Oprah Winfrey

“A Gold Medal is a wonderful thing. But if you are not enough without it, you will never be enough with it.” — Irv Blitzer (John Candy) from the movie Cool Runnings ²

“A full belly is of little worth where the mind is starved, and the heart.” — Mark Twain

“Having enough is itself a form of wealth.” — Brunello Cucinelli

“In most of modern life, all our diseases are diseases of abundance, not diseases of scarcity. We are overexposed to everything.” — Naval Ravikant

“Never let the quest for more distract you from the beauty of enough.” — Sahil Bloom

“Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty.” — Socrates

“He who knows he has enough is rich.” — Vicki Robin, Your Money or Your Life

“He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature.” — Socrates

“Those who are not satisfied with a little, are satisfied with nothing.” — Epicurus

“Many people were increasingly of the opinion that they’d all made a big mistake in coming down from the trees in the first place. And some said that even the trees had been a bad move, and that no one should ever have left the oceans to begin with.” — The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

“The fact that you’re alive is a miracle. Just stay alive, that would be enough.” — Hamilton (2015 muscial)

降低需求、減少慾望、知足常樂。

“Contentment, however, is more a state of psychological balance, not something we actively pursue—we feel contentment when we cherish the present moment.” — Marc Brackett, Permission to Feel: The Power of Emotional Intelligence to Achieve Well-Being and Success

How many times has the thing your younger self dreamed of become the thing you complain about after you’ve gotten it? Remember those moments when you wished for the gifts that you now have. Sometimes, you are quite literally living out your prayers. Remember that.

見好就收

“If I get [X], then I’ll be happy.” is a dangerous trap/mirage/fallacy.

If you’re not enough without [X], you’ll never be enough with [X].

“l am enough, I have enough, l do enough.”

凡事…

過猶不及
「剛剛好」、「恰到好處」的藝術

人生的「最高點」是站在「平衡點」上！

Things in excess become their opposite. ³

The dose makes the poison. Some things are beneficial in small amounts but become harmful in excess—such as free time, intensity, and stress. The key is to find the optimal dose, which is unique to you and will evolve through different seasons of your life. Never accept someone else’s prescribed dose as your own.

For everything in life, the answer always lies somewhere in the middle. Beyond a certain point, any additional amount can lead to diminishing or even negative returns. Be careful listening to extremists of either side. Too much of anything is harmful.

“Life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions from insufficient premises.” — Samuel Butler

Keys:

Set boundaries
Find/Maintain balance/sweet spot（甜蜜點）/trade-off

Notice:

Peak/Inflection Point = Point of Diminishing Returns = Point of Maximum Yield = Marginal Utility
Costs/Benefits Ratio

More isn’t always better.

Moderation/Harmony is key. Enough is enough.

Lagom is a Swedish word meaning ‘just the right amount’ or ‘not too much, not too little.’

This is the most dangerous trap in life: To allow the real house in front of us to fall down while we obsess over a castle in the air.

Don’t let the pursuit of more stop you from enjoying what you already have. Don’t let your possessions possess you. Don’t the things you own end up owing you.

The Four Pillars of Too Much

Too much/many choice(s)
Too much information
Too much stuff
Too fast

The Two Phases of Sufficiency

Pre-enough: Focus is on reaching the threshold of necessity.
Post-enough: Focus shifts to protecting that threshold and optimizing for ease rather than more volume.

怎麼去擁有一道彩虹？怎麼去擁抱一夏天的風？天上的星星笑地上的人總是不能懂不能覺得足夠如果我愛上你的笑容要怎麼收藏？要怎麼擁有？如果你快樂不是為我會不會放手其實才是擁有當一陣風吹來風箏飛上天空為了你而祈禱而祝福而感動終於你身影消失在人海盡頭才發現笑著哭最痛那天你和我那個山丘那樣的唱著那一年的歌那樣的回憶那麼足夠足夠我天天都品嚐著寂寞當一陣風吹來風箏飛上天空為了你而祈禱而祝福而感動終於你身影消失在人海盡頭才發現笑著哭最痛當一陣風吹來風箏飛上天空為了你而祈禱而祝福而感動終於你身影消失在人海盡頭才發現笑著哭最痛如果我愛上你的笑容要怎麼收藏？要怎麼擁有？如果你快樂再不是為我會不會放手其實才是擁有知足的快樂叫我忍受心痛知足的快樂叫我忍受心痛

無法擁有的事物：歌詞中以彩虹、夏天的風、星空等意象，比喻那些美好卻無法被個人擁有、稍縱即逝的美好事物，如愛情中的美好伴侶。
放手是擁有：就如同將一陣風箏放飛，選擇放手並祝福對方，才能真正擁有美好回憶。雖然帶有心痛，但這份理智的決定，也讓美好的情感得以昇華，在心中留下珍貴的回憶。
回憶的永恆：在對方身影消失後，過往的山丘、歌曲、還有曾經陪伴的人事物，這些美好的回憶片段已足夠填滿日後的生活，讓人感到滿足。
知足的快樂：理解到有些事物終究不屬於自己，學會放下，並細細品嚐不捨、失去、心痛的滋味，就是一種「知足的快樂」。

不卑不亢：形容待人處事態度得體，既不過於卑屈，也不傲慢/狂妄自大，恰到好處。

持而盈之，不如其已；

揣而銳之，不可長保。

金玉滿堂，莫之能守；

富貴而驕，自遺其咎。

功遂身退，天之道。

東西拿得太滿，不如適可而止。

刀子磨得太鋒利，就無法長久保持鋒芒。

家中堆滿金銀珠寶，也沒有人能永遠守得住。

富貴之後還驕傲自滿，只會替自己招來禍患。

事情完成了，就功成身退，不居功、不戀棧，這才符合天地自然的法則。

Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill.

Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt.

Chase after money and security and your heart will never unclench.

Care about people’s approval and you will be their prisoner.

Do your work, then step back. The only path to serenity.

每個人一生，都要跨過無數次虎度門——進入角色，也學會走出角色。

跨過虎度門，就像踏入人生的舞台。

　我們都帶著各自的角色（學生、員工、父母等）登場，

　有劇本、有即興、有掌聲，也有落幕。
戲裡戲外，都是修行。

　演員要懂得「入戲」也要懂得「出戲」；

　人也一樣 — 要懂得投入，但也要學會抽離。

　有時我們太執著於某個角色（成功者、完美伴侶、孝順子女），

　忘了那只是人生的一幕戲。
「虎度門」象徵覺醒的瞬間。

　當我們意識到「我只是暫時在演這個角色」，

　就能更自由、更輕盈地生活。
真正的表演，不在舞台上，而在生活裡。

　我們每天都在「演」— 演專業、演成熟、演堅強；

　但人生的藝術在於：

　知道什麼時候可以卸下妝容、回到真實的自己。

The Mexican Fisherman

The richest person isn’t the one who has the most, but the one who need the least. ⌃
The Gold Medal Fallacy ⌃
物極必反 ⌃

Ferriss, Timothy. 2011. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich. Expanded and Updated ed. London: Vermilion. ↩

Life is cyclic

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“Life is like a wheel. Sooner or later, it always comes around to where you started again.” — Stephen King

“There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” — Zora Neale Hurston

“Nobody’s going to win all the time. On the highway of life you can’t always be in the fast lane.” — Haruki Murakami, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

“Everything in life opens and closes, sheds and renews. We are no different.” — Mark Nepo

“My experience of life is that it is not divided up into genres; it’s a horrifying, romantic, tragic, comical, science-fiction cowboy detective novel. You know, with a bit of pornography if you’re lucky.” — Alan Moore

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” — Ecclesiastes 3:1

天下萬物皆有定時。 —《聖經・舊約・傳道書》第 3 章第 1 節

“Stability leads to instability. The more stable things become and the longer things are stable, the more unstable they will be when the crisis hits.” — Hyman Minsky

The Surfer Mentality

“Be a surfer. Watch the ocean. Figure out where the big waves are breaking and adjust accordingly.” — 37Signals, Getting Real: The Smarter, Faster, Easier Way to Build a Web Application

喜憂參半是生活，起起落落 ¹ 是人生。

世事無常，沒有任何事是永恆的，人生的一切起起伏伏都會過去，無論是美好的事物或痛苦的經歷。

你可以什麼都不信，但一定要相信週期。這世間萬物，無非是因果和週期。高高在上的東西，有一天會跌落神壇；沉潛低谷的東西，有一天也會重見天日。

Life is a rollercoaster. Just gotta ride it. Enjoy the ride!

Some seasons you produce fruit, some seasons you prune, and some seasons you let your roots grow deep.

業 (Karma) is the belief that your actions and choices can shape your life and the next.

= The Wheel of Time/History = The Cyclicality/Seasonality of Life
Time goes through a natural three-part cycle:
1. Creation (growth)
2. Destruction (struggle, valley of stagnation)
3. Rebirth (new beginnings)

The Solstice (至日) ² reminds us: life is a beautiful cycle of renewal and retreat, each phase mirroring the other. ³ Embrace life’s natural rhythms.

好是壞的開始，壞是好的開始。

功不唐捐：所下的功夫和付出的努力都不會白費，終將獲得回報。

The Chinese Farmer

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

Dispel your narratives

This too shall pass

the ebb and the flow ⌃
marks the longest and shortest days of the year ⌃
“Renewal” signifies growth, rebirth, and new beginnings, while “Retreat” represents rest, reflection, and introspection. ⌃

The One Percent Rule

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“Tend to the small things. More people are defeated by blisters than by mountains.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier

“You climb as hard as you can … just advancing one inch at a time. That’s the secret of life.” — Charlie Munger

$1.00^{365} = 1.00$ vs $1.01^{365} = 37.8$

圖片來源：James Clear

The Compounding Effect

非洲草原毒蛇「黑曼巴」

Try to get 1% better at what your are doing every single day.

“Marginal Gains” by Sir David Brailsford

Pay attention to every little detail, and then trying to improve it by 1%, will have massive compound benefits when added together in the long run.

Marginal Adjustments

“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” — Napoleon Hill

“Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of.” — C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

For Want of a Nail
涓滴成河（Kleinvieh macht auch Mist.）
積少成多

Broken Windows Theory

每天一點點讀書進修
每天一點點肌膚保養
每天一點點拉筋伸展
每天一點點關心朋友
每天一點點照顧家人

A little bit every day — Steph Ango

A little bit of slope makes up for a lot of y-intercept

This too shall pass

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

= 這也會過去

“This too shall pass” is a phrase rooted in ancient wisdom. It reminds us of the impermanence of all things—joy and sorrow, success and failure, pleasure and pain. No state, however intense, is permanent. Everything is fleeting.

世事無常，人生的起起伏伏都會過去，無論是美好的事物或痛苦的經歷。

Time is the most valuable asset

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

“The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” — Henry David Thoreau

“An inch of time is an inch of gold but you can’t buy that inch of time with an inch of gold.” — Chinese Proverb

一寸光陰一寸金，寸金難買寸光陰

“Spend your money on the things money can buy. Spend your time on the things money can’t buy.” — Haruki Murakami

“Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any.” — Thomas Jefferson

“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.” — Bruce Lee

Time is…

the most incredible lever for growth.
the most precious non-renewable resource.
a scarce commodity.

If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.
If you don’t guard your time, people will steal it from you.
Make the day; don’t let the day make you. Make sure you are setting your schedule, not just responding to invitations from others.

You don’t need to be liked to be loved

Nothing will make you more productive than owning your time. Nothing will make you less productive than selling it.

Are you willing to trade your life with Warren Buffett?

多數人擔心把錢用完，而不是害怕浪費生命。
We often treat our time generously and our money sparingly, but it should be the other way around.

It’s easy to notice when you’ve spent money, but the loss of time often goes unnoticed until it’s too late.

Make sure you’re making intentional trades. Aim to make every minute on this Earth count for something. You can always make more money, but you can never make more time.

Being cheap with your time and generous with your money allows you to focus on what truly matters and achieve greater freedom in the long run.

You can choose to either invest, spend, or waste your time.

Time flies, but only flies back to us as a memory.

People tend to get wealthier as they get older, which is like everything becoming cheaper as you age.

But time just gets more and more expensive. We start out as time fat cats and end up in time poverty.

The older you get, the more it makes sense to spend money to save time.

In a 2019 episode of The Tim Ferriss Show podcast, investor Graham Duncan introduced the concept of a Time Billionaire—someone with over one billion seconds left to live:

“We’re so obsessed, as a culture, with money. And we deify dollar billionaires in a way that […] And I was thinking of time billionaires that when I see, sometimes, 20-year-olds — the thought I had was they probably have two billion seconds left. But they aren’t relating to themselves as time billionaires.”

When you’re young, you are rich in time—a true Time Billionaire.

To put it in perspective:

A million seconds is roughly 10 days.
A billion seconds? About 30 years.

At age 20, you likely have around two billion seconds remaining (assuming you live to 80). By 50, that number drops to just one billion.

Treat time as your ultimate currency—it’s all you have and you can never get it back. Trade it carefully. Spend it wisely, with those you love, in ways you’ll never regret.

珍惜每分每秒，以慎重而禮貌的態度對待它，就像把時間拉入自己的陣營，讓它成為可靠的夥伴。

Wander

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

“Not all those who wander are lost.” — J.R.R. Tolkien


_Source

= 漫步、閒晃、溜達 = saunter = stroll = walk in a slow, relaxed, and casual manner, with no particular destination or hurry.

Wandering is a deliberate permission to be aimless — to follow curiosity instead of a plan, to notice detours, and to prioritize discovery over productivity.

Walk without a destination: take a different street or turn at the next corner.
Read sideways: follow citations, footnotes, and tangents instead of only main body.
Micro-wanders: give yourself 20–60 minutes a day to explore a single odd curiosity with no output requirement.
Create friction for plans: remove your navigation app for a short walk, or bring only one notecard and a pen.
Keep a “wander log”: capture one surprising observation or idea after each session.

Wandering isn’t just a leisure activity — it’s a structured way to surface novelty. The key insight is that you cannot discover what you aren’t looking for by looking for it. You have to stop looking and let the discovery come to you. ¹

Penicillin, microwaves, and Post-it notes were all discovered by someone who noticed something strange while pursuing something else.

You lose track of time.
You stumble onto something you weren’t looking for.
You feel a small spark of curiosity, then follow it without judging it.
Afterward, you can point to one thing — a thought, an image, a connection, an insight, a question, a feeling — that wasn’t there before.
You return to your planned work with slightly fresher eyes.
You start to think you are wasting your time. The discomfort of doing something “unproductive” is the right signal.

Steve Jobs took long walks — sometimes barefoot — as a deliberate thinking practice. He held walking meetings and credited meandering walks with some of his best ideas.
Albert Einstein famously said, “I take my most important walks alone.” His thought experiments — chasing a beam of light, riding alongside a falling elevator — were acts of intellectual wandering that reshaped physics.
Virginia Woolf was a devoted flâneuse ². Her essay “Street Haunting” frames a walk to buy a pencil as an excuse to wander London and let the city feed the imagination.
Friedrich Nietzsche declared that “only thoughts reached by walking have value,” and his most influential works were composed during his daily vigorous hikes.
康德（Immanuel Kant）每天在固定時間散步，準時到鄰居可以用他出門的時刻校對時鐘。他一生幾乎沒有離開過故鄉柯尼斯堡（Königsberg），生活環境單純而規律。堪稱自律的典範。
散步是一種神聖的遠征與朝聖。漫遊者刻意漫無邊際地信步而走，除了步行，別無目的。對梭羅（Henry David Thoreau）來說，漫遊的人遠離家庭，拋開憂慮苦惱，他們四處流浪、無所事事，「以四海為家」；綠樹成蔭的小徑、圓潤的丘陵和蜿蜒的山谷，就是他們的棲身之處 — 寧靜祥和，無憂無慮。他們置身於行走的當下，猶如「蜿蜒的河流，尋找著通往大海的捷徑」。
逍遙/漫步學派：亞里斯多德及其門下弟子無不熱衷於散步（邊走邊討論學問）

Not caring lets us perform better

Boredom promotes creativity

Lateral Thinking

Wandering is a behavioral practice that induces diffuse mode. ⌃
Flânerie is a person who lounges or strolls around in a seemingly aimless way; an idler or loafer. The French flâneur is the archetype of the wandering observer. ⌃

Do hard things

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 7 min read

“Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.” — Seneca

“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt

一片風平浪靜的海洋無法造就一名偉大的舵手。

“One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.” — Sigmund Freud

“Nothing in this world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty.” — Theodore Roosevelt

“Hard times create strong men, strong men create easy times, easy times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.” — G. Michael Hopf

“The finest steel has to go through the hottest fire.” — Richard M. Nixon

“If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.” — CS Lewis

“Difficult and meaningful will always bring more satisfaction than easy and meaningless.” — Maxime Lagace

“I thought I’d solved a problem when really I was creating new ones by taking the path of least resistance.” — (Goggins 2018)

“Our culture has become hooked on the quick-fix, the life hack, efficiency. Everyone is on the hunt for that simple action algorithm that nets maximum profit with the least amount of effort. There’s no denying this attitude may get you some of the trappings of success, if you’re lucky, but it will not lead to a calloused mind or self-mastery. If you want to master the mind and remove your governor, you’ll have to become addicted to hard work. Because passion and obsession, even talent, are only useful tools if you have the work ethic to back them up.” — (Goggins 2018)

“I learned that by constantly doing things that are hard and making myself uncomfortable, I improve my ability to handle obstacles. I get comfortable being uncomfortable—and that’s real mental toughness.” — Jesse Itzler, Living with a SEAL: 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet

“We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.” — Jim Rohn

“Who you are is defined by what you’re willing to struggle for.” — Mark Manson

“Never to suffer would never to have been blessed.” — Edgar Allan Poe

“Everything worth doing has a hard part. If it didn’t, it would have been done already.” — Seth Godin

Do the hard thing, because after doing it, you will feel that you can do anything.

Confidence is built, not born. Manufacturing evidence of your ability to do hard things is how you create confidence when you’re feeling low.

Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.

Do hard things that really matters; audacious ideas lead to true motivation.

Do hard things, but don’t make easy things hard.

Do very hard things to make yourself feel like a savage/badass! 🐐🦍

Hard means worry: if you’re not worrying that something you’re making will come out badly, or that you won’t be able to understand something you’re studying, it isn’t hard enough.

It’s better to be a warrior in the garden than a gardener at war.

Stop wanting things to be easy. Prepare for them to be hard.

One day, a young warrior was walking to his training when he spotted his teacher, a master warrior, tending to plants in the garden.

He approached cautiously and stood quietly, not wanting to disturb the man from whom he had learned so much.

“What is it you want?” Asked the master warrior, without breaking focus from the plants.

The student replied, “Why do we train for war? Would it not be more tranquil and serene to be a gardener and tend the plants?”

The master paused, turned to the student, and smiled.

“Tending the garden is a relaxing pastime, but it does not prepare one for the inevitable battles of life. It’s easy to be calm in such a serene setting. It’s hard to be calm when under attack.”

The student nodded and turned away, satisfied with the answer, but the master wasn’t finished.

“It is far better to be a warrior tending his garden than a gardener at war.”

When we embrace |voluntary struggles, we’re better equipped/prepared for the involuntary struggles that inevitably enter our world.

Get comfortable by being uncomfortable.
Avoid unchosen suffering by choosing chosen suffering.
Fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself.
Pain from discipline is better than pain from regret.

Callous Your Mind. Develop Mental Calluses.

Hedonic Happiness & Eudaimonic Happiness

Just as hands develop calluses through repeated friction, the mind can be “calloused” through enduring hardships.
Seek discomfort intentionally to strengthen mental resilience.

人來到這個世界，就是來體驗痛苦的。

“If you have 2 choices to make and they’re relatively equal (50-50), take the path that is more difficult and painful in the short term.” — Naval Ravikant

“Easy choices, hard life. ¹ Hard choices, easy life.” — Jerzy Gregorek ² ³

“The costs of your good habits are in the present. The costs of your bad habits are in the future.” — James Clear

Short-term pain typically creates compounding long-term gain.
Short-term cost pays long-term dividend.
Every gain in life comes from compound interests. Almost all mistakes in life come from short-term thinking. The things that feel good to us in the short-term are rarely the things that are good for us in the long-term.
先苦後甘 > 先甘後苦
- Hard now, easy later.
- Always choose harder right over easier wrong.

“We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.” — C.S. Lewis

Comfort is the most seductive thing in existence. Comfort is not free. It comes at the cost of who you could become. Step into the unknown. The unknown is the foundry where you forge your chips. Everything important is uncertain. Sitting with the discomfort of that uncertainty is the hard part, the wedge that can move the world.

“We are kept from our goals not by obstacles but by a clear path to lesser goals.” — Robert Brault

When things get hard, the mental gymnastics start—you start convincing yourself that it’s ok to ease up, that the clear path to your lesser goals looks pretty darn good. At this moment, tell yourself: “It’s supposed/meant to be hard/difficult. If it were easy, everyone would do it.”

References:

The Sinatra Test: Something passes the test if a single example of success is sufficient to effectively create a halo of “credibility” for future endeavors.

“If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere.” (from Frank Sinatra’s famous song, New York, New York)

Doing the Unrealistic is Easier Than Doing the Realistic

“It’s lonely at the top. Ninety-nine percent of people in the world are convinced they are incapable of achieving great things, so they aim for the mediocre. The level of competition is thus fiercest for ‘realistic’ goals, paradoxically making them the most time and energy-consuming.” — Timothy Ferriss, The 4-Hour Workweek

You can feel sore tomorrow or you can feel sorry tomorrow. You choose.

Make Something Heavy | Anu Atluru | Working Theorys

Always do your best as possible

Delayed Gratification

Resilience

Two Types of Passion

What brings you joy in the present often conflicts with what brings you fulfillment in the future. Chasing short-term clout is a recipe for long-term misery. ⌃
“You can make a couple hard changes or you can live a hard life.” — Emily Ballesteros, The Cure for Burnout: How to Find Balance and Reclaim Your Life ⌃
“Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.” — Bruce Lee ⌃

Goggins, David. 2018. Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds. Erscheinungsort nicht ermittelbar: Lioncrest publishing. ↩¹ ↩² ↩³

Journaling

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 6 min read

“Create an environment where you’re free to express what you’re afraid to express.” — Rick Rubin

多位一體，包含了：
1. 感恩日記
2. 工作日誌
3. 訓練日誌
4. 生活觀察、體悟，還有好笑的（糗）事
5. 心情紀錄（能量條）
6. 好習慣（和壞習慣）追蹤
7. 起床時所在的城市
8. 健康紀錄
  - 起床時間
  - 第一次拿起手機時間
  - 最後一次放下手機時間
  - 就寢時間
  - etc.
是我做決定 & 採取行動の指南針 🧭

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.” — Robert Louis Stevenson ¹

Writing down daily achievements—not matter how small/tiny—gives me a sene of completeness.
Focus on the seeds, not the trees. What seeds are you planting today?
Keep a “Victory Log” to document your daily small/tiny wins to build self-belief and momentum.
David Goggins’ The “Cookie Jar (餅乾罐)” Method
- The “Cookie Jar” is a metaphorical repository of your personal victories—instances where you overcame obstacles, endured hardship, or achieved goals against the odds. Goggins refers to these memories as “cookies.”
- When facing a difficult situation, he mentally “reaches into the cookie jar” to remind himself of these past successes, reigniting motivation and reinforcing self-belief.

The Bug Book

Why? While life is short, it’s too long for our memories.

記憶是短暫的，記錄才是長遠的。比起模糊的記憶，模糊的紀錄總是比較好。
經過時間沉澱的東西，回頭看總是特別有意思。
留下生命的軌/足跡，把每個時刻的自己快照（Snapshot）起來，相信「未來的自己」一定會很感激「現在的自己」有留下紀錄（幸好當初有寫），就像是「現在的我」很感謝「過往的我」都有回顧覆盤的習慣一樣。²
- Mental Time Travel: Imagine yourself in the past and consider yourself in the present.
  - Make decisions that your 10-year-old self would be proud of.
- Reverse Mental Time Travel: Imagine yourself in the future and consider yourself in the present.
  - Make decisions that your 80-year-old self would be proud of.

Journaling is more than putting thoughts on paper—it’s a sacred dialogue with the one who knows you best: yourself.

Use daily diary as a place to ask yourself questions, then question your answers.

Journalling is a time machine. It freezes your brains thoughts. You realize the value of this when you get to see them 5–10 years later. Your brain usually creates a false narrative of the past. It’s only when you thaw old thoughts out from the freezer do you see what your brain used to look like.

E.g., feelings, emotions, thoughts, memories, special moments/occasions/events

Helps to imprison the cluttered mind and racing thoughts (梳理腦中的想法)
Helps to offload emotions/worries/anxieties
Gives the brain a moment to rest
Significantly increases cognitive functioning

Recall (by writing down)
Reflect (by reviewing what you wrote down)
Refine (by finding insights and takeaways)
Respond (by taking actions accordingly)

不管使用哪種方法，最重要的是持續地忠實記錄！

“The 1-1-1 Method” by Sahil Bloom
- 1 win from the day
- 1 point of tension, anxiety, or stress
- 1 point of gratitude
大迫傑
- 小勝利
- 小落敗
- 小發現
“Bullet Journaling (Bujo)” by Ryder Caroll

A chronological record of the day
“Shadow-Work Journaling (陰影日記)” by Keila Shaheen
“The 6 Minute Diary” by Dominik Spenst
“Morning Pages (晨間日記)” by Julia Cameron
- Three pages of unfiltered, longhand, and stream-of-conscious scribbling/free writing (自由書寫).
- About anything and everything that crosses your mind.
“Homework For Life” by Matthew Dicks
- Write down those “story-worthy” moments that happened during the day. Save the beautiful life memories. One day, those memories might save you.
“Interstitial Journaling (間歇式/流水帳式日記)” by Tony Stubblebine
- Combines note-taking, to-do lists, and time tracking in one unique workflow.
  - Similar to The “Done List” ³
    - During your day, journal every time you transition from one work project to another. Write a few sentences in your journal about what you just did, and then a few more sentences about what you’re about to do.
    - The times between work projects (i.e., when you take breaks) are the interstitial moments when you should write in a journal.
    - This approach provides a touchstone to track your progress throughout the day. It offers a sense of security, helping you avoid the misleading/false feeling of “never enough” and allowing you to internalize how much you’ve accomplished.
  - You can also flip it:⁴ Write short, simple notes on the goals before you put any effort into it. This helps you plan, strategize, and think ahead (forward thinking). It gives you focus and a clear view of the big picture. It also encourages you to add perspective to daily activities and tasks that a to-do list can’t do.
  - You can also flip it: Write quick, simple notes about your big goals before you start your day. This helps you plan, think ahead, and stay focused. It gives you a clear view of what matters, something a to-do list can’t do.
Atomic/Incremental Journaling
- Jog down keywords anytime and anywhere throughout the day, rather than sit down to write in complete sentences at a specific time each day.
The Five Minute Journal
Gratitude Journaling (感恩日記)

Mr. 6 日記

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” — Audrey Hepburn ⌃
Memory is everything. You’re doing this for your future self. Future You will want to look back at this time in your life, and find out what you were actually doing, day-to-day, and how you really felt back then. It will help you make better decisions. Future You will thank Today You. ⌃
Or: 工作日誌（Worklog） ⌃
Always start with end in mind! ⌃

Jeremy Lin’s Battle Against Pre-Game Anxiety

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

1:04 If you struggle with anxiety, you are definitely not alone.

14:21 Anxiety doesn’t define you.

20:07 Sometimes your anxiety won’t go away, but that’s okay.

21:41 If I’m a boat out at sea, I would love to never experience any winds or waves, and just be smooth sailing. But I think, in my life and your life, that’s never going to be the case. Anxiety is one of those waves were gonna come and rock the boat. […] So it’s not always where it’s like ‘Oh, I must remove it all.’ It’s learning how to manage it (and live with it). But it’s really how do I lean into my faith, how do I lean into the exercises, breathing, and different affirmations that I believe in, so that I’m anchored to the ground, even as these winds and waves come. There’s going to be some rocking and disruption, but I’m still anchored to the ground, and that’s going to keep me there standing tall. ¹

“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt ⌃

你們跟我們之間的差別

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

什麼是訊息？我就是訊息；我努力活出的生命就是我想帶給這個世界的訊息。你也是訊息；你說的每一句話、做的每一個決定，都是對這個世界的表態。希望我們帶給這個世界的，都是充滿愛與能量的訊息，也希望我們都能夠無畏無懼地活在自己的人生裡。

Death

Sun, 18 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 8 min read

“Dying is active. Dying is not what happens to you. Dying is what you do.” — Stephen Jenkinson, Die Wise: A Manifesto for Sanity and Soul

“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” — J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

“The free man thinks of death, least of all things.” — Benedict Spinoza

(Aurel and Clay 2006)

“Death. The end of sense-perception, of being controlled by our emotions, of mental activity, of enslavement to our bodies.”

Der Sinn des Lebens liegt darin, dass es aufhört.

生命的意義在於它會停止。

人生是一張單程票

Mortality

“I’m the one that’s got to die when it’s time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.” — Jimi Hendrix

“If you live each day as it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” — Steve Jobs

“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.” — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” — Mark Twain

“Why do we fear death? Why are we so afraid of death? In fact, when you are in the deep sleep phase every night, you’re essentially dead. It’s not the experience of being dead that we fear, but the time we haven’t spent on living the life we wanted or doing things we wanted to do that we fear. If you were truly living your ideal, dream, and fulfilling life on your own terms, in a way you want, I don’t think you really fear death. Why? First, you would be too busy living. Second, you don’t have any regrets.” — Naval Ravikant

“I want death to find me planting my cabbages, neither worrying about it, nor about the unfinished gardening.” — Michel de Montaigne

“The meaning of life is that it stops.” — Franz Kafka

(Albom 2006)

“The truth is, once you learn how to die, you learn how to live.” — Mitch Albom，《最後 14 堂星期二的課》（Tuesdays with Morrie, 2006）

“Almost everything…just fall[s] away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important…Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking: you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” — Steve Jobs

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.” — Steve Jobs

Awareness of death is what gives life meaning. When you truly internalize that your time is finite, the question of what deserves your limited attention becomes urgent and clarifying.

Death is scary. It’s uncomfortable to think about. So we tend to avoid it. But when we use it as a frame of reference like this, it can be a powerful tool for clarity. Internalize the scarcity of life and certainty/inescapability of death.

“Death is not the opposite of life, but a part of it.” — Haruki Murakami, Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman: 24 Stories

死亡其實就像出生一樣，是我們身體自然會經歷的階段，有一套固定的節奏和過程，並沒有想像中那麼可怕。

“Death is the destination we all share, no one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be because death is very likely the single best invention of life.” — Steve Jobs

死亡，是人生唯一確定的事。

每個人都會死，沒有人能逃避。學會面對死亡，才真正學會活著。

我們學了很多一輩子用不到的東西，卻沒學面對這件每個人都跑不掉的事。

Life is shorter than you think

唯有死亡等在路的盡頭，才能顯得出每個人活著的不同意義。人並不是因為死亡逼近了才會去想死亡，人在很小的時候就會知覺到生命是會消逝的，通常那就是長大成熟的開始，也是自覺的起點。

Death is the ultimate equalizer. We may look different, live in different places, and believe different things, but in the end, we are all the same.

最大化快樂/體驗，最小化後悔/遺憾 ¹

“We don’t beat the reaper by living longer, but by living well, and living fully — for the reaper will come for all of us. The question is: what do we do between the time we’re born and the time he shows up. Because when he shows up, it’s too late to do all the things that you always wanted to get around to. It is not the things we do in life that we regret on our deathbed. It is the things we do not.” — Randy Pausch

Don’t be on your deathbed someday, having squandered your one chance at life, full of regret because you pursued little distractions instead of big dreams.

The Dash

Write down what you want your obituary/eulogy/gravestone to say, then figure out how to live up to it.
Use this exercise to identify your true priorities in life, and then create an action plan to go after them.

Memento Mori is a Latin phrase that translates to “remember that you must die.” (mortality)

Memento Homo is a Latin phrase that translates to “remember that you are just a man or a person.”

Bronnie Ware’s “Top Five Regrets of the Dying”

“Dead people receive more flowers than the living ones because regret is stronger than gratitude.” — Anne Frank

What people most often regret before they die (Deathbed Regret): ²

I wish I had the courage to live a life true to myself, not trying to a people pleaser and lived the life others expected of me.
I wish I didn’t work so hard. ³
I wish I had the courage to express my feelings.
I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
I wish that I had let myself be happier.

To avoid these mistakes, Paul Graham inverted the regrets to five commands:

Don’t ignore your dreams
Don’t work too much
Say what you think
Cultivate friendships
Be happy

Takeaway: The biggest regrets aren’t about failing; they’re about not trying at all. No one ever said: “I wish I hadn’t tried so many things.” ⁴ or “I wish I hadn’t been so adventurous with my life.” on their deathbed. More often than not, people regret the chances they didn’t take, the dreams they set aside, and the experiences they were too afraid to pursue.

Remarks: Through history, people have gone back into their own pasts, sometime to a precious, unstructured time in their life, and often, the mind gravitates in the past to a moment of shame, some sin of anger/self-pity committed, some act of selfishness, an act of omission/shallowness, a lack of courage.

The Green Box Exercise

Personal things (letters to family, your will, mementos)
Life admin (passwords, insurance details, medical information)
Business (org charts, list of trusted advisors)
Asset (finance statements, property titles)
Final to-do lists

The Ideal End State

WHO you’d be around
WHAT you’d do with your time
WHERE you’d be
HOW things would look & feel

≈ 生前告別音樂會

As long as there is love, there will be grief, because grief is love’s natural continuation. Don’t fear sadness of loss, as it tends to sit right next to the joy.

“The way to love anything is to realize that it may be lost.” — Gilbert Chesterton
It’s not about knowing what to say. It’s about being there when nobody knows what to say. The only thing people need to hear is, “You are not alone.” And that doesn’t require words. It just requires your presence.
電影：2007 年美國劇情片《一路玩到掛 The Bucket List》→ 豁達！
生前參加自己的告別式，比什麼都滿足

Intentional Living

How to live a life

Why We Exist

The Regret Minimization Framework: The goal is to minimize the number of regrets, remorse (懊悔; 悔恨; 自責), and “acts of omission (the act of not including something or someone that should have been included)” in life. ⌃
None of them is “I wish I had earned more money.” ⌃
20 years from now, the only people who will remember that you worked late are your kids ⌃
We’re all headed towards certain death. Why stop trying? ⌃

Albom, Mitch. 2006. Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, Life’s Greatest Lesson. New York: Anchor Books. ↩

Aurel, Mark, and Diskin Clay. 2006. Meditations. Translated by Martin Hammond. Penguin Classics. London New York Toronto: Penguin Books. ↩

小野著., and 小野, 1951- author. 2012. 有些事, 這些年我才懂: 小野的人生思考. Chu ban. 臺北市: 究竟出版社. ↩

Instructions for Living a Life

Sun, 18 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

Pay attention.

Be astonished.

Tell about it.

Week 42, 2026

Sun, 18 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

「見自己，見天地，見眾生」— 電影《一代宗師》
“Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.” — Norman Maclean
“You don’t make history by following the rules, you make it by seizing the moment.” — Hollow Man (2000 film)
“Health is the greatest gift, contentment is the greatest wealth, a trusted friend is the best relative, Nibbana is the greatest bliss.” — Dhammapada
“A room without books is like a body without a soul.” — Marcus Tullius Cicero

prosumer = professional + consumer 專業消費者 = producer + consumer 產銷者（指參與產品設計或定制的消費者）
鉤織（Crochet，鉤針編織）是一種使用「單支」鉤針的慢手作技藝，和需要「兩支」針的棒織（Knitting，棒針編織）不同。鉤織常用來製作杯墊、圍巾、包包（零錢包、耳機袋）、玩偶（Amigurumi）、貓項圈。
羅德島州的新港（Newport, Rhode Island），是美國網球的起點。1881 年 8 月，第一屆美國網球錦標賽（US Open 的前身）就在這裡開打，並一連辦了 34 年，直到 1915 年才移師紐約。1954 年，國際網球名人堂（International Tennis Hall of Fame）選在同一個地方落腳。
末日準備者（Prepper，又稱生存主義者）指積極為天災、戰爭或社會崩潰等突發危機做準備，以求在困境中生存的人。
A porta-potty (= portable toilet = 流動廁所) is a self-contained, movable restroom facility that does not require pre-existing plumbing, sewer infrastructure, or running water.

Meditation

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

“Meditation is all about the pursuit of nothingness. It’s like the ultimate rest. It’s better than the best sleep you’ve ever had. It’s a quieting of the mind. It sharpens everything, especially your appreciation of your surroundings. It keeps life fresh.” — Hugh Jackman

“Meditation is to be aware of what is going on: in your body, in your feelings, in your mind, and in the world.” — Thích Nhất Hạnh

“Meditation is not about stopping thoughts, but recognizing that we are more than our thoughts and our feelings.” — Arianna Huffington

“Meditation is not escape; it is intimacy with reality.” — Jiddu Krishnamurti

“Meditation is the way in which we come to feel our basic inseparability from the whole universe.” — Alan Watts

“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” — Blaise Pascal

“One conscious breath in and out is a meditation.” — Eckhart Tolle

「靜/淨心」的意思是讓心靈平靜安寧，是一種透過觀察內在或透過特定練習（如靜坐、冥想）來讓思緒沉澱、情緒放鬆的狀態。這種半夢半醒的潛意識狀態是為了與自己更深層地連結，培養覺知，並從壓力和紛擾中獲得寧靜。

頭腦健身房

成為自己情緒的主人

Meditation is the art of doing nothing.

Meditation is the intermittent fasting for the mind.

Meditation is turning off society and listening to yourself.

Meditation is not an escape from the world, but a return to yourself.

Hiking is walking meditation.

Journaling is writing meditation.

Praying is gratitude meditation.

Showering is accidental meditation.

Sitting quietly is direct meditation.

The goal of productive meditation is to take a period in which you’re occupied physically but not mentally like walking, jogging, driving, showering, and focus your attention on a single well-defined professional, challenging problem.

幫助提升：

外在感知 Exteroception
內在感知 Interoception

在人類的身體與心靈之間，存在著一個神秘能量中心。這個特殊的中心位於我們的眉心之間，被視為智慧、洞察力和靈性連接的象徵。

Eckhart Tolle

Enlightenment ¹ is the space between your thoughts.

It’s not what we think but what happens in between that brings us peace.
Enlightenment isn’t this thing you achieve after 30 years, sitting in a corner on a mountain top. It’s something you can achieve moment to moment and you can be certain percentage enlightened every single day.

So the single most vital step on your journey toward enlightenment is this: learn to dis-identify from your mind. Every time you create a gap in the stream of mind, the light of your consciousness grows stronger. One day you may catch yourself smiling at the voice in your head, as you would smile at the antics of a child. This means that you no longer take the content of your mind all that seriously, as your sense of self does not depend on it.

Vipassana Meditation
Refocused Focused Meditation
Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a form of silent meditation developed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
loving-kindness-meditation

= 開悟 = 般若 (> 知識 + 智慧) = 啟迪 ⌃

Parkinson’s Law of Triviality

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

= 帕金森瑣碎定理 = 雞毛蒜皮定律 = 芝麻綠豆定律：議題受到關注程度和重要性成反比。

討論一千萬美元的核反應爐只要 2 分鐘，討論幾百美元的員工腳踏車棚卻要爭論一小時（因為後者大家都懂）。

在財務上，許多人也會犯一樣的錯：為了一杯咖啡省 10 元、花好幾天比價省 50 元運費（斤斤計較瑣事）；卻對高達 2% 內扣費用的金融理財產品，或是高利息的卡債視而不見。

The Parkinson’s Law

Public Speaking

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 6 min read

“When speaking to an audience, pause frequently. Pause before you say something in a new way. Pause after you have said something you believe is important. And pause as a relief to let listeners absorb details.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier

“Suggestions For Giving Talks” by Robert Geroch

Think Fast. Talk Smart. | Matt Abrahams | TEDxMontaVistaHighSchool

Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques | Matt Abrahams | Stanford Graduate School of Business,

Having anxiety under control
- : When anxiety symptoms kick in few minutes before public speaking (as in gurgling stomach, shaking limbs, etc.), just be mindful about them, acknowledge them and don’t resist them. “We simply greet our anxiety and say hallo to it.” It’s normal and natural, take a deep breath, and don’t let anxiety spiral out of control.
Reframing public speaking as a conversation with audience
- Presenting isn’t performing: There is no “right” or “wrong” way of presenting (although there are certainly “better” or “worse” ways).
- Start with questions: They are dialogic in nature. They could be rhetorical, polling, or simply asking for information.
- Using conversational language. Using an inclusive language and not distance the audience from ourselves and the speech, in addition to having a relaxed body language.
- Be in the present moment. Don’t think about the far future. This in turn will clear your mind and make you less nervous. There are some ways of becoming present in the moment such as doing pushups, walking, listening to music, tongue twisters (they can help in warming up the voice as an added benefit) or it could be anything that brings the attention and use some cognitive resources.
  - Walk out of the building before the talk
  - Count number by back
Ground rules for being comfortable in speaking in spontaneous situations
- Get out of your own way. Dare to be dull. Don’t worry about being perfect or doing stuff flawlessly. Improvise, don’t stockpile information, let your brain act spontaneously. Aiming to be perfect could be in your way due to over-evaluation, and over-analyzation which leads to freezing up.
- See things as opportunities and not as challenges or threats. Say “Yes, and…” instead of “No, but…”.
- “You need to understand the demands of the requirement you find yourself in, in order to respond appropriately.” You should be in service of audience. Don’t jump to conclusions without gathering enough information. So, slow down and listen to understand and be in touch with the receiver to fulfill your obligation as a communicator. “Don’t just do something, stand there.”
- Tell a story. Respond in a structured way. Having a structure is key to having a successful spontaneous and planned speaking. It increases processing fluency which is how effective we process information. We process and retain structured information 40% more reliably and accurately than non-structured ones. Structure helps us to memorize.
  1. The “Problem → Solution → Benefits” Structure. You firstly start talking about what is the problem, then talk about a way/ways to solve the problem, and finally, talk about the benefit of solving it. Never lose your audience. Set expectations and provide a structure to keep the listener on track, and this structure helps with that. Could be re-framed as “Opportunity → Solution [steps to achieve it] → Benefits”.
  2. The “What? So what? Now what?” Structure. Start firstly by talking about what the problem/idea is, why is it important, and then what the next steps are. This is a good formula for answering questions, and introducing people: Who they are? Why are they important? And what to do next with them?. In a spontaneous speaking situation, we have to think about two things simultaneously: what to say and how to say it. Practicing these structures is a key skill for effective spontaneous thinking. “Structure sets you free.”

Toastmasters International

Feeling nervous before giving a talk on stage?

Just sit with it, stay still, and realize that the feeling is valid. It’s an indicator that you really care about the thing you are about to do. That’s a privileged place to be.

Zone 2 Practice Session by Sahil Bloom

Before a public speaking appearance, practice your delivery while engaged in a light cardio activity—a slow jog, brisk walk, hike, stationary bike—that brings your heart rate into a Zone 2 range (60-70% of your max, or a level at which it feels elevated but you can still maintain a conversation).

When you get nervous during a talk, your heart rate starts to rise. The problem for most people (my younger self included!) is that we aren’t prepared to deliver our talk in an elevated heart rate condition.

In other words, our practice was not aligned with the conditions of the real game.

The Zone 2 Practice Session fixes that: You prepare while in the elevated heart rate state that will characterize the real game, so when the moment comes, you know what it feels like. You’re ready for it.

Next time you have a big talk or presentation to prepare for, give it a shot:

Do a few rounds of prep while out on a jog or brisk walk. It’s a weird trick, and it may feel uncomfortable at first, but it works.

Stage Fright

Pregnant Pause/Silence = A pause that…

gives the impression that it will be followed by something significant
feels like something important is happening

The goal of any pitches/presentations: understandable/easy-to-understand for others

A good presentation you should start by saying what you’ll say, say it, then conclude by saying what you said.

If you’re public speaking for the 1st time:

No more than 1 big idea
1 visual aid per slide
1 main idea per slide
Use multiple stories per idea
Use 3rd grade vocab or lower
Be okay with silence
Record yourself 30x out loud
Rewatch each
Then do it for real
And you’ll crush

Symbol: Use a visual symbol to make your idea stick.
Slogan: Find and deliver a simple, catchy slogan for the central idea.
Surprise: The human brain loves novelty. Make sure to highlight the contrarian, counterintuitive, or surprising details of the idea.
Salient: Focus, less is more.Determine the most salient pieces and deliver those succinctly. Avoid unnecessary fluff.
Story: People love stories. Use human storytelling to simplify, spark emotion, and make a presentation more relatable and memorable.

Before starting, take a moment to look around / scan the room and smile at the audience. Find someone who seems particularly engaged and keep going back to them throughout your speech.

Relationships

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 8 min read

“The longer I live, the more deeply I learn that love — whether we call it friendship or family or romance — is the work of mirroring and magnifying each other’s light.” — James Baldwin

“You don’t earn loyalty in a day. You earn loyalty day-by-day.” — Jeffrey Gitomer

“Relationships are mysterious. We doubt the positive qualities in others, seldom the negative. You will say to your partner: do you really love me? Are you sure you love me? You will ask this a dozen times and drive the person nuts. But you never ask: are you really mad at me? Are you sure you’re angry? When someone is angry, you don’t doubt it for a moment. Yet the reverse should be true. We should doubt the negative in life, and have faith in the positive.” — Christopher Pike, Remember Me

“We have to recognize that there cannot be relationships unless there is commitment, unless there is loyalty, unless there is love, patience, persistence.” — Cornel West, Breaking Bread: Insurgent Black Intellectual Life

“The best relationships are a balance of connection and freedom.” — Esther Perel

“Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.” — Mary Schmich

Time doesn’t heal anything when it comes to relationships.

The 4 horsemen of relationship apocalypse

Criticism: framing problems as the partner’s defect
Defensiveness: counterattacking, whining, being the innocent victim
Contempt: talking down from a position of superiority, insults, eye-rolling, name-calling — the most dangerous of all
Stonewalling: withdrawing from the conflict, refusing to engage ¹

“No matter how busy you are, you must take time to make the other person feel important. Everyone has an invisible sign hanging from their neck saying, “Make me feel important.” Never forget this message when working with people.” — Mary Kay Ash

Make someone else feel seen, heard, and remembered.

心若親近，言行必如流水般自然；心若疏遠，言行就如三秋之樹般蕭瑟。不怕身隔天涯，只怕心在南北。

喜歡一個人是例外，不喜歡一個人才是常態。

你我之間剛剛好的距離是：

遠不孤單，近不受傷
不會因過於親近而受傷，也不會因過於疏遠而感到孤單

愛情，是友情加上一點心動；親情，是友情加上一點血緣。

當友情成為關係的核心，你會發現那些規則和壓力都自然消失。友情是最自然、自由、自在的連結，它建立在互相欣賞、認同與信任上，不需要任何外在約束，反而更穩固。

擁有這樣的心態，你就能純粹地認識一個人，而不被世俗眼光中「應該如此」的標籤限制住 — 比如「一定要結婚」或「在家裡必須扮演某種角色」。只有放下這些不必要的框架，你才能開始真正欣賞一個人的獨特之處。

存款行為
提款行為

Outreach involves meeting new people and reconnecting with those you may not see regularly.
Connection focuses on nurturing deeper, more meaningful bonds with those already in your life.

It’s usually better to be nice than right.

≈ social intelligence/connections ≈ interpersonal dynamics ≈ human interactions

Dr. Robert Waldinger ²

Relationship satisfaction at age 50 was the single greatest predictor of physical health at age 80.
Ambivalent relationships—those that are sometimes supportive and sometimes demeaning—are the most toxic.

位置不同，少言為貴；認知不同，不爭不辯；三觀不合，浪費口舌！

Every relationship in your life can be placed within a 2 × 2 matrix based upon:

How healthy it is
How enjoyable it is

When we find ourselves in an argument or debate with someone, we often become more focused on ‘winning’ the argument rather than actually discovering the truth. When arguing, the goal is come to a consensus, not to “win.”

Remember: Life is not a debate—it’s not about winning the argument or being right. Winning an argument doesn’t make you right. Someone might win an argument and still be wrong. Being good at debating is not the same as being right.

Relationships are, by definition, a series of repeated interactions. In those scenarios, the best strategy is called tit-for-tat with forgiveness. If you only play once, the best strategy is to be selfish, according to game theory.

Never leave a conversation without asking “How can I help you?” Everyone subconsciously values reciprocity and aid.

Share with someone who wants to listen or listen to someone who wants to share.

Admiration
Connection
Commitment
Compatibility (Do we share the same core values?)

Send THANK YOU notes to people you love by regularly scrolling through recent text messages instead of scrolling on social media as a form of procrastination.

Remember: A person’s favorite sound is their name.

鄧巴數 Dunbar’s Number

Humans can maintain about 150 stable, meaningful relationships due to cognitive limits.

基於人類大腦（特別是前額葉皮質）容量的限制，我們能夠維持的穩定社交關係大約是 150 人。

The Small-World Phenomenon

Money compounds fast but trust compounds even more.

While small talk (= idle talk = chitchat) has its place ³, real bonding/conversation happens through sharing vulnerability or ambition/aspirations.

“Trouble shared is trouble halved.” — Lee Iacocca

builds unbreakable bonds that transcend time and distance.
releases oxytocin, a chemical that creates feelings of connection, trust, and empathy.

True connection often come from overcoming challenges together.

True bonds are often forged through adversity.

“Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half sorrow.” — Swedish Proverb

When one person shares good news with another, both people are happy.
When one person shares sad news with another, the act of sharing takes some of the sadness away.

If, after hanging out with someone making you feel worn out and depleted, that person is a vampire (能量吸血鬼).
- There are two red flags to avoid almost all dangerous people:
  - The perpetually aggrieved
  - The angry
If, after hanging out with someone making you feel full of energy, that person is not a vampire.

The ideal dynamic relationship involves two people who are independently strong but come together to create a deeply connected, emotionally safe, and attached bond. This is in contrast to a toxic relationship where individuals focus solely on making themselves happy and then expecting to be happy together.

While you can’t control an interrupter, what you can do is turn it into a learning experience - Rather than being offended, any time someone interrupts you, see it as a positive opportunity. Stop and hone in, understanding that this is an important issue for them.

Mean to your face but nice behind your back.

High expectations
- High Expectations without High Support is a recipe for disaster.
High support
- High Support without High Expectations is a recipe for mediocrity.

If you want to improve any relationship in your life, pull out your phone and send this message to that person: “What can I do to be a better X to you?” (partner, friend, son, etc.)

You don’t know a person until:

You travel with them.
Money is involved.
You deal with them when they’re angry.
You live with them.

1/3 的人「喜歡你」，1/3 的人「討厭你」，1/3 的人「隨便你」。

Relationships built on obligation and guilt don’t create connection — they breed pressure and resentment. True connection grows from wanting to show up, not from having to.

The Law of Inverse Charisma

by Chris Williamson

True charisma is the ability to make others find themselves charismatic.
Charisma is much less about you than how you make others feel about themselves.

Steelmanning & Strawmanning

The Go First Principle

Judge others by intentions, judge ourselves by actions

1,000 Years of Relationship Advice

Start hard conversations

How to make a conversation with anyone

Communication

Passive-Aggressive Behavior (被動攻擊行為) ⌃
The Grant & Glueck Study is one of the world’s longest studies on human development & adult life (Harvard Study of Adult Development), conducted by researchers at Harvard University. ⌃
While deep conversations are valuable, it’s also important to recognize that small talk can serve as a social lubricant. The key is to avoid getting stuck in perpetual triviality. ⌃

Spirituality

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“Being spiritual has nothing to do with what you believe and everything to do with your state of consciousness.” — Eckhart Tolle

“Religion is for people who’re afraid of going to hell. Spirituality is for those who’ve already been there.” — Vine Deloria Jr.

“One of the most spiritual things you can do is embrace your humanity. Connect with those around you today. Say, “I love you”, “I’m sorry”, “I appreciate you”, “I’m proud of you”…whatever you’re feeling. Send random texts, write a cute note, embrace your truth and share it…cause a smile today for someone else…and give plenty of hugs.” — Steve Maraboli

The world cannot be discovered by a journey of miles, no matter how long, but only by a spiritual journey, a journey of one inch, very arduous and humbling and joyful, by which we arrive at the ground at our own feet, and learn to be at home.” — Wendell Berry, The Unforeseen Wilderness: Kentucky’s Red River Gorge

Meditation, body scans, or informal mindfulness during routine tasks to develop attention and equanimity.
Dialogues with the sacred, repeating short prayers, or reflective reading of poetic or religious texts.
Small ritual acts (lighting a candle, a short gratitude practice) that mark transitions and orient the heart.
Volunteer work or compassionate acts that connect inner orientation with external behavior.
Walks, wilderness experiences, or brief solitary retreats to recalibrate perspective and experience awe.
Music, art, or journaling as ways to access and express deeper meanings.

Spiritual Elevation ↔ Spiritual Degradation/Decay

According to Vedanta, there are only two symptoms of enlightenment. The first symptom is that you stop worrying. Things don’t bother you anymore. You become light-hearted and full of joy. The second symptom is that you encounter more and more meaningful coincidences in your life, more and more synchronicities. And this accelerates to the point where you actually experience the miraculous.

Criticism

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.” — Elbert Hubbard

“The trouble with most of us is that we’d rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.” — Norman Vincent Peale

“Take criticism seriously, but not personally. If there is truth or merit in the criticism, try to learn from it. Otherwise, let it roll right off you.” — Hillary Rodham Clinton

“Against criticism we can neither protect nor defend ourselves; we must act in despite of it, and gradually it resigns itself to this.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Uncomfortable facts are often the most helpful ones.

“People who rarely receive criticism often take feedback too personally and miss opportunities to learn. People who frequently receive criticism get used to ignoring what others say and also miss opportunities to learn. The thing to focus on is the pattern. If you hear something once, don’t let it wreck your mindset. There are many ways to view the world and not everyone will agree with your approach. But if you’re hearing something repeatedly, think carefully about whether the feedback is right.”

Better get hurt by the truth than comforted with a lie. To tell the hurtful truth is brave, but to receive the hurtful truth is probably braver.

When receiving negative feedback, ask yourself:

Should I change my procedure? (What I do)
Or should I change my perception? (How I view it)

EILEEN GU: “The Ground Was Cracking Beneath Me.” | Jay Shetty

[36:39] Real resilience is being able to take constructive criticism without the emotions.

Only use the following approaches with your closest friends group.

[36:55] Constructive Criticism Circles (CCC)

“Hey guys, it’s Friday night, let’s sit in a circle and criticize each other!” 🤣

[39:37] We have to say to each other’s face the things we say behind each other’s back.

Manage the gap between expectations and reality

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“The first rule of a happy life is low expectations. If you have unrealistic expectations you’re going to be miserable your whole life. You want to have reasonable expectations and take life’s results good and bad as they happen with a certain amount of stoicism.” — Charlie Munger

“One of my great advantages is that I have very low expectations, and I mean that. Most Stanford graduates have very high expectations, and you deserve high expectations because you come from a great school, you were very successful, you are on top of you class. Obviously, you were able to pay for tuition, and you’re graduating from one of the finest institutions on the planet. You are surrounded by other kids that are just incredible. You naturally have very high expectations. [However,] people with very high expectations have very low resilience.” — Jensen Huang

“Actual circumstances don’t make much difference in all of these cases. What generates all the emotion is just how big the gap is between expectations and reality. […] You want to feel a gap between what you expected and what actually happened. And the expectation side of that equation is not only important, but often it’s more in your control than managing your circumstances.” — Morgan Housel

💯 The expectation is so low & The reality is so high

I want to experience as many moments where “expectations are set so low, and the reality exceeds them so high” as possible in my life.

Satisfaction

= Reality - Expectations

= What you have - What you want.

Lowering desires/expectations can increase satisfaction.

有些人只要一碗陽春麵就能滿足一整天；有些人吃完滿漢全席，仍然食之無味。

Mentorship is dated, build a panel of advisors instead

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

Add a handful/group of individuals with different perspectives and lenses to your mental panel, allowing you to ask questions/advice/feedback.
- When faced with a dilemma, ask one of them, “What would you do?”
You might not know them personally, and they might not know each other neither.
- While a real panel of advisors is invaluable, an imaginary panel has advantages: it’s not limited to people you can call, and it requires no one else’s time.
  - A great example: Podcasts
    - A unique opportunity to hear experts and thought leaders talk you through their experiences and decision-making processes.
    - You can choose to be “mentored” by industry leaders or inspiring professionals, even if they have no idea who you are.
    - Their insights are freely available/accessible, tailored to your schedule, and infinitely revisitable at anytime!
A few key features of the group members:
- Unbiased (ideally not family)
- Diverse experiences, perspectives, lenses, mindsets ¹
- Willing to provide raw feedback and candor
- Vested interest in your success (i.e., they want to see you win)
Consider your Braintrust as your life giants—you will always see further by standing on their shoulders by adopting the views from them / tapping into the minds of them.
智囊團：由 5 到 10 個不同背景的人（網路人士也行，不一定要在現實生活中認識），組成你的個人顧問群。

also known as a “scrub-down”
is a committee of questioners set up to critically review a proposal and/or help someone prepare for a difficult oral examination.

EILEEN GU: “The Ground Was Cracking Beneath Me.” | Jay Shetty

Only use the following approaches with your closest friends group.

[36:55] Constructive Criticism Circles (CCC)

“Hey guys, it’s Friday night, let’s sit in a circle and criticize each other!” 🤣

[39:37] We have to say to each other’s face the things we say behind each other’s back.

The Medici Effect

Lateral Thinking

Systems Thinking

Diversity is key to your panel’s success, as it brings a broader range of ideas. ⌃

The Ground Was Cracking Beneath Me

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

[30:29] I train like I’ve never won, and I compete like I’ve never lost.

[36:39] Real resilience is being able to take constructive criticism without the emotions.

[36:55] Constructive Criticism Circles (CCC)

“Hey guys, it’s Friday night, let’s sit in a circle and criticize each other!” 🤣

[39:37] We have to say to each other’s face the things we say behind each other’s back.

Peace from mind

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

“I once asked a monk how he found peace. “I say ‘yes,’” he’d said. “To all that happens, I say ‘yes.” — Kamal Ravikant, Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It

“The resting place of the mind is the heart. The only thing the mind hears all day is clanging bells and noise and argument, and all it wants is quietude. The only place the mind will ever find peace is inside the silence of the heart. That’s where you need to go.” — Elizabeth Gilbert

“Don’t let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.” — Dalai Lama

“When you find peace within yourself, you find a quiet joy that makes you happy to be alive.” — Peace Pilgrim

“Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.” — Ronald Reagan

“Let your heart be quiet; clarity follows.” — Parker J. Palmer

“The resting place of the mind is the heart. The only thing the mind hears all day is clanging bells and noise and argument, and all it wants is quietude. The only place the mind will ever find peace is inside the silence of the heart. That’s where you need to go.” — Elizabeth Gilbert

Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it.

Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal.

Not having the urge to explain or defend yourself is real inner peace.

Quiet your mind
Soothe your soul
Heal your heart

情緒穩定：不容易因小事而生氣、焦慮或沮喪（陰情不定），常發出會心和真誠的微笑。
接受力強：不強烈抗拒現實，也不強迫它一定要發生。
內在滿足感：即使外在環境不理想，也能保持心裡的平衡與愉悅。
清晰思考：頭腦清楚，不容易陷入負面思緒漩渦。
自我覺察：能用觀察者的角度察覺自己的情緒波動。
少比較：不過度與他人比較，對自身現況感到滿足。
不會想要批判自己，也不會想要批評別人。
呼吸平穩：呼吸自然、均勻，不急促，在面對日常壓力時心跳不會過快。
專注當下：能投入眼前的事物，能享受生活中的每一個時刻，不過度擔憂過去或未來，甚至不知道什麼叫作擔心。
反應冷靜：遇到衝突或壓力情境時，能保持理性回應。
規律生活：有良好的作息、飲食與運動習慣，生活節奏穩定。
對別人的愛意與慈愛分外有感，並讓愛傳出去。
與大自然有充分連結和感應，內心經常充滿感激。

《般若波羅蜜多心經》第一句「觀自在菩薩」，點出欲得「自在」，須在「觀」字下工夫。「觀」即內觀自覺：以正觀、正思惟，覺察每個起心動念，不比較、不計較、不強求，使「六根」¹ 接觸「六塵」²，而不生貪欲執取，就能漸漸消除貪瞋癡三毒，擺脫煩惱、痛苦的束縛，讓心得得到清淨，回歸靈明善良的本性。

接收資訊的感官：眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意。 ⌃
感官所接觸的對象：色、聲、香、味、觸、法。 ⌃

Solitude

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“Solitude gives birth to the original in us.” — Thomas Mann

“To live alone, one must be either a beast or a god, says Aristotle. Leaving out the third case: one must be both — a philosopher.” — Nietzsche

“Remember: the time you feel lonely is the time you most need to be by yourself. Life’s cruelest irony.” — Douglas Coupland, Shampoo Planet ¹

“I’m here to tell you that the path to peace is right there, when you want to get away.” — Pema Chodron


_{Being alone is addicting}

Staying alone is better than staying with the wrong.

其實人跟樹是一樣的，越是嚮往高處的陽光，它的根就越要伸向黑暗的地底。 — 尼采

To shine in the light, you have to embrace the boredom in the dark.

There are many elements of living a good life, but the first and most foundational is to love yourself and enjoy spending time with yourself.

Go do things on your own / Take yourself on dates so you learn to trust your mind and view it as a welcome companion. If someone declared, “Tomorrow you must spend the day alone” the hope is that you would reply, “That sounds like a good day!”

The person who is at ease within finds every other space larger and more enjoyable. ²

Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think. Enjoy yourself, while you’re still in the pink. The years go by, as quickly as a wink.

Lonely is a freedom that breathe easy and weightless and lonely is healing if you make it.

“Within you is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.” — Hermann Hesse ⌃
Source: https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1/july-24-2025 ⌃

Anti-Patterns in Software Blogging

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

Meandering is the most common mistake in software blogging.
When a developer starts reading a blog post, they’re trying to answer two questions:
1. Did the author write this for someone like me?
2. How will I benefit from reading it?
Give yourself the title and the first three sentences to answer both questions.
Preamble (e.g., a subtitle, a bio, an image, or a quote) still counts as meandering.
Remember: Everything you put in the reader’s path is extra work that chips away at their finite supply of focus. Give the reader a compelling reason to continue reading. Make it in the title and the first three sentences of your blog post.

Minimize assumptions about the reader’s background knowledge, especially for a technical term.
Tip: Think of a person you know in real life. Read your article as that person and identify which terms feel unfamiliar.

❌ Assign firewall rules to prevent external traffic from reaching your database.

✅ A firewall is a system that restricts how hosts and networks communicate with an app. You can increase your web app’s security by configuring firewall rules to only allow inbound requests to your database server when they originate from your app server.

Instead of relying on a link to do the work for you, summarize the relevant information behind a link. Namely, link to useful resources, but make them a bonus rather than a prerequisite. Keep the reader on the page. Your target reader should be able to enjoy and understand your article from start to end without clicking any links (or even hovering for tooltips)!

❌ In part one, we learned about quintuply linked lists and how they can 100x your daily LOC output. In today’s post, I’ll show you how goto statements let you scrunkmax (a term I invented in part one — remember?).

It’s fine to refer to your previous posts, but never do it in the very beginning. Assume most readers haven’t read your previous articles. Summarize what was relevant rather than expecting the reader to go read all your prior posts.

Leaders are readers

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 11 min read

“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” — Harry S. Truman

“Man is what he reads.” — Joseph Brodsky

“Books are the mirrors of the soul.” — Virginia Woolf

“I am a part of everything that I have read.” — Theodore Roosevelt

“The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them.” — Mark Twain

“Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.” — Jim Rohn

“There are so many people who have lived and died before you. You will never have a new problem; you’re not going to ever have a new problem. Somebody wrote the answer down in a book somewhere.” — Will Smith

“What really knocks me out is a book that, when you’re all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn’t happen much, though.” — J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” — George R.R. Martin

Keep in mind that whenever you pick up a good book to read, you are taking an extensive journey into the mind of the author. You have immediate access to the greatest minds of the past and present, and can absorb decades of their toiling research and experience in just a matter of hours/days/weeks!

The amount of value you can get from a book is astronomical. You’ve got years, if not decades, of someone’s research compiled down into something that will only take you a few hours to read.

Reading is a conversation. All books talk. But a good book listens as well.

和古人對話、和先賢聖哲交朋友

“Never feel obligated to finish a book—treat it as a piece of information on the web.”

Treat books as blogs and chapters as blog posts by roaming/stopping at will.
When deciding what to read, just read whatever grabs you. When it stops grabbing you, put it down.
Ruthlessly quit a book you’re reading whenever it no longer inspires/resonates you. (必要時要勇敢地放棄正在讀的書)

“Read what you love until you love what you read.”

“I skip 2/3 of my books. The reason I skip 2/3 is because they’re embarrassing. They don’t sound like good books to read. They’ll sound trivial or silly. Who cares? I don’t have to tell everybody everything I read. I read all kinds of stuff other people consider junk or even reprehensible. I read all kinds of stuff I disagree with because they’re mind bending.”

“The truth is, I don’t read for self-improvement. I read out of curiosity and interest. The best book is the one you’ll devour.” ¹

“I always spent money on books. I never viewed that as an expense. That’s an investment to me.”

“Read enough, and you become a connoisseur. Then you naturally gravitate more towards theory, concepts, non-fiction.”

One sign you haven’t done enough reading is if you find yourself agreeing with whatever book you read last. At first, it’s easy to be swayed by any reasonable argument. Once you’ve read a lot, you can see that even the best arguments have limitations.

“If you’re trying to learn how to drive a car or fly a plane, you should read something written in the modern age because this problem was created in the modern age and the solution is great in the modern age. If you’re talking about an old problem like how to keep your body healthy, how to stay calm and peaceful, what kinds of value systems are good, how you raise a family, and those kinds of things, the older solutions are probably better. Any book that survived for two thousand years has been filtered through many people. The general principles are more likely to be correct.”

They are more likely to contain enduring truths.

Do not read books in the same year they are published.
Not all books are equal. Have a reading razor / quality filter for books. (永遠都有讀不完的新書，所以要慎選！)
Use “The Lindy Effect” to guide your reading choices: a book that has lasted ten years will likely last ten more; one that has endured for millennia will probably endure much longer. Time is the ultimate filter for lasting value. (時間是考驗一本書能否傳世不朽的試金石。)
Quake Books are books that have:
- had the most profound impact on me
- changed me at a deep level
- “shaked” my view of the world → “View Quake”
- opened up my mind to something new
- given me many ’aha!’ moments

“Fools read fast. Geniuses reread.” — Maxime Lagace

Quality Over Quantity: It’s better to deeply understand a few transformative books than to skim hundreds superficially.
The beauty of a great book is that it changes with you. As you grow, your perspective shifts, and the same book reveals new meaning each time you return—what you see at 35 is not what you saw at 25. You will either find more resonance or pick up new ideas.
A good book gets better at the second reading. A great book at the third. Any book not worth rereading isn’t worth reading at all.
好書重覆讀過無數遍後，文字就會：
- 像血液般流入體內，深入骨髓。
- 如魔音穿腦般，在腦中反覆迴盪。
每個人都有那麼一本「命定之書」，它改變我們的思維、選擇、行為和習慣，甚至整個人生路徑；但如果沒有大量閱讀，就很難遇到那本命定之書。

“One should not read like a dog obeying its master, but like an eagle hunting its prey.” — Dee Hock

以終為始：Active reading begins with asking questions and seeking answers. Books are most useful when they solve a problem you’re facing now. The best book for you is the one that speaks to your current situation.

To truly internalize what you read, write about it. Highlighting or scribbling in the margins isn’t enough—you need to synthesize, connect, and get to the core of the ideas.

Reading without taking notes is useless. Smart readers synthesize and apply what they read—not to memorize, but to refine their worldview and extract actionable insights. (閱讀的目標不是確認舊觀點，而是拓展新視野。)

Use information dense areas ² or sight words ³ to fill/prime your brain with the relevant context/patterns.
Find IQ + AA = Insights, Quotes, and Actionable Advice
- An insight (洞見、洞察) is a realization that changes the way you think, ideally changes the way you behave.
  
  “Insight is the smallest unit of truth that is actionable. If you cannot act on it, it is just an lifeless abstraction.” — Kunal Shah
- 畫重點時，專注在讓你有「醍醐灌頂、腦洞大開、被敲到頭、觸電感」般感受的文字段落：
  1. 顛覆你舊有觀念、讓你改變看法及反思的句子：「原來還可以這樣想！」
  2. 能夠解決你當前困惑的觀點：「這正是我需要的答案！」
  3. 讓你內心激動或強烈共鳴的語句：「就是這個！」
  4. 引發新想法、啟發新思路的概念
  5. 簡潔有力的金句
ICE 閱讀法 by 愛瑞克：快速篩選、重點細讀
- I = Image（印象）
- C = Choose（選擇）
- E = Explore（探索）

Incremental Reading

Meaning “reading in portions”
Instead of a linear reading of articles one at a time, the method works by keeping a large reading list of electronic articles or books (often dozens or hundreds of them) and reading parts of several articles simultaneously in each session
Similar to “Syntopical/Comparative Reading by Mortimer Adler, the synthesis of a certain idea/concept/topic drawn from multiple sources.”

Speed Reading (速讀)

Unit: words-per-minute (wpm)
Inefficiencies (to be voided/minimized)
- Fixation
  - The positions where your eyes stop as you’re scanning a line of text
  - We don’t read in a straight line, but rather in a sequence of jumping snapshots (called saccades). Each ends with a fixation.
- Subvocalization
  - The process of internally pronouncing the words in a text while engaging in silent reading
- Back-skipping
  - Subconscious re-reading via misplacement of fixation
- Regression
  - Conscious re-reading
  - Going back and reading the same stuff you just read
How?
- Begin/end each line focusing on the third word in from the first/last word
  - This makes use of the horizontal peripheral vision span/field that is otherwise wasted on margins
    - Untrained readers use central focus and spend 25-50% of their time “reading” margins with no content
    - 不要讀每一行的第一個字和最後一個字 → To reduce eyeball movements
- Use a pen (with the cap on) or finger as an visual guide/pointer/pacer/tracker/indicator to trace underneath each line
- Read words in chunks. Don’t focus on just one word at a time, but take in multiple words at once. The goal is to increase the number of words registered per fixation.

For non-fiction and self-help, don’t feel bound to read cover to cover. Jump around, follow your curiosity, and actively connect ideas across topics (主題式閱讀 Synoptical/Comparative Reading ⁴)—you’ll gain far more value than reading straight through.

But if a book is highly recommended or grabs you from the start, read it cover to cover. Some chapters may drag, but the real gems often come at the end—don’t skip the final pages.

The best reader with the best comprehension with the best focus.

Book readers tend to live longer than non-book readers. (Bavishi, Slade, and Levy 2016) suggests that reading books may not only enrich the mind but also extend life—giving readers more time to enjoy them.

Prefer “audiobooks” over “physical books”. Research shows that listening is a better way to absorb information.

It’s important to read unconventional books as well, not just New York Times Best Sellers.
It is more productive to read around one’s field (breadth) than in one’s field (depth).

To judge a book, open to a random page in the middle and see how you like it. I recommend page 87. Close enough to the beginning that it’s still written for a beginner, but deep enough that you’re well past the introduction.

Reach out to writers—whether bestselling authors or niche bloggers—whose work resonates with you. This helps deepen your understanding. Additionally, you foster real human connection and open unexpected doors to potential mentorships, collaborations, or friendships. Most readers remain silent, your gratitude will be rare—and memorable.

“Reading should be a pleasure, not a chore.” — Joan Rivers ⌃
THIEVES: (1) Title (2) Headings (3) Introduction (4) Emphasized words (i.e., bold and italicized words) (4) Visual Aids (5) End of Chapter Questions (6) Summary ⌃
Words that you can recognize instantly without sounding them out (or use any strategies to decode). ⌃
Synoptical reading is reading various books and articles on the same topic, finding and evaluating the contradictions, and forming an opinion. ⌃

Bavishi, Avni, Martin D. Slade, and Becca R. Levy. 2016. “A Chapter a Day: Association of Book Reading with Longevity.” Social Science & Medicine 164 (September): 44–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.07.014. ↩

Storytelling

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“The shortest distance between a human being and Truth is a story.” — Anthony de Mello

“Human thinking depends on metaphor. We understand new or complex things in relation to things we already know.” — Jonathan Haidt ¹

“Analogies work because they feel like accommodation, in that they allow us to keep one foot in what we know while we seek new ground with the other. Studies of science learning show that presenting a new idea along with new evidence fails to remove misconceptions. The new idea plus the new evidence cannot overpower the embedded misconception. But if we take the same new idea and support it with an analogy to a valid idea that’s already set in the learner’s mind, then the misconception becomes vulnerable.” — Leidy Klotz, Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less

The best way to share knowledge is to tell a story.

A good storyteller with a decent idea will always have more influence than someone with a great idea who hopes the facts will speak for themselves.

Storytelling is the art of strategically withholding information. Before you begin, you must decide which details to conceal until the very end—to keep the audience in suspense.

As Anton Chekhov ² said, “One must never place a loaded rifle on the stage if it isn’t going to go off.” (Chekhov’s Gun) Every element in a story must serve a purpose. If it doesn’t, it’s a false promise—and should be removed entirely.

Once the essential pieces are in place, the storyteller’s task is to stretch the tension. When the audience finally reaches the nail-biting moment of truth, you don’t rush to the answer—you linger there.

Think of the climax of a blockbuster film: the action never resolves in seconds, even if that’s how long it would realistically take. Every punch is slowed down. Every detail is magnified.

In other words, storytelling isn’t just the art of withholding information—it’s also the art of time dilation.

Storytelling Engagement = Novelty × Resonance

The cat sat on a mat. → The cat sat on a dog’s mat.

Basic
- past → present → future
- setup → tension → resolution
Advanced
- Dan Harmon’s story circle
- Kurt Vonnegut’s story graphs
- Gustav Freytag’s pyramid of storytelling

People often wonder why so many unthoughtful people end up in government. The answer is easy: Politicians do not win elections to make policies; they make policies to win elections. What’s most persuasive to voters isn’t whether an idea is right, but whether it narrates a story that confirms what they see and believe in the world.

Every great storyteller I’ve studied shares one hidden instrument: vocal rhythm.

It’s the music behind the words — the way they play with:

Speed — slowing down for weight, speeding up for excitement.
Volume — whispering to draw you in, rising to lift you up.
Enthusiasm — letting emotion color the tone.
Staccato and rhyme — adding pulse and pattern.

But above all, vocal rhythm is the art of purposeful silence.

Simple
Unexpected
Concrete
Credible
Emotional
wrapped in Stories

Use more metaphors/analogy as linguistic tools to convey profound truths and complex ideas. ⌃
著名的俄國作家、劇作家 (Playwright) 和醫生，被譽為「世界三大短篇小說家（Short Story Writer）」之一。Some of his most famous works include the plays The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters, and The Cherry Orchard. ⌃

Cultivate a strong bias towards action

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 10 min read

“To be is to do.” — Immanuel Kant

“Nothing will work unless you do.” — Maya Angelou

“A man is but the sum of his actions.” — Mahatma Gandhi

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” — Walt Disney

“It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

“Strategy is a commodity, execution is an art.” — Peter Drucker

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” — Michael Scott

“Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Not everyone who chased the zebra caught it, but he who caught it, chased it.” — African proverb

“The actions of men are the best interpreters of their thoughts.” — James Joyce

“It isn’t what we say or think that defines us, but what we do.” — Jane Austen

“Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.” — Thomas Jefferson

“You do not write your life with words. You write it with actions. What you think is not important. It is only important what you do.” — Patrick Ness, A Monster Calls ¹ ²

“You can’t climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger

“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” — George Bernard Shaw

“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” — Michael Jordan

“The universe doesn’t give you what you ask for with your thoughts - it gives you what you demand with your actions.” — Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

(Pressfield 2003)

“The professional has learned that success, like happiness, comes as a by-product of work. The professional concentrates on the work and allows rewards to come or not come, whatever they like.” — Steven Pressfield, The War of Art ³ ⁴

Life is a game of awareness and action: Awareness to understand something’s importance and action to execute on that importance.

“Our culture has become hooked on the quick-fix, the life hack, efficiency. Everyone is on the hunt for that simple action algorithm that nets maximum profit with the least amount of effort. There’s no denying this attitude may get you some of the trappings of success, if you’re lucky, but it will not lead to a calloused mind or self-mastery. If you want to master the mind and remove your governor, you’ll have to become addicted to hard work. Because passion and obsession, even talent, are only useful tools if you have the work ethic to back them up.”

“The problem with smart people is they can come up with a good reason for not doing anything. They are smart enough to find the cracks, to foresee the challenges, and to talk themselves out of the idea. They are experts at justifying their lack of courage or lack of action with an intelligent excuse. But there will always be reasons to not do something, and this is particularly true of anything worth doing. We value those moments in which we overcame challenge, not those in which we avoided it. Ultimately, action is a choice. The choice to emphasize the reasons for doing it despite the reasons you have for avoiding it.” — James Clear

“Action kills anxiety. You only feel afraid of doing the thing when you’re not doing the thing. Once you’re doing it, you just focus on doing it. If you want to get fit, go to the gym. Right now. If you want to build a business, find one thing you can do and do it. Right now. If you want to expand your network, start sending cold DMs. Right now. If you want a romantic partner, join a group where you might meet someone. Right now. The more you procrastinate, the worse you’ll feel. Get in the arena. It’s ironically easier to be in it than anxiously watching and waiting on the sidelines.” — Charles Miller

不做不知道，做了才知道，犯錯沒關係，輸得起就好。 — 郝旭烈

“A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.” — George S. Patton

You are what you pretend to be

You are your actions. Your actions are you. Your self-image doesn’t matter as much.

When you realize what you need to do, it doesn’t mean that’s who you need to be. You can just pretend.

The real gap is between doing nothing and doing something.

The first minute of action is worth more than a year of perfect planning.

Action doesn’t have to be perfect for it to be right. The most perfect outcomes are often just a byproduct of a large volume of imperfect actions.

Those who wait for the perfect idea rarely move; those who act, even imperfectly, invite better ideas to emerge. Open the door.

Slack started as an internal chat tool for a video game that never took off.
Twitter began as a side project within a company called Odeo.

Neither came from waiting for the perfect idea—they were born from action.

Creating more collisions and generating more data through motion.

Action, not motion. — You don’t want to merely be planning. You want to be practicing.

Act first, insight second. Motivation starts with action.

Your actions speak so loudly, I cannot hear what you are saying.

Stop fearing the regret of action and start fearing the regret of inaction. The regret from inaction is always more painful than the regret from action. Nobody gets to their deathbed and says, “I’m sorry for trying so many things.”

Krummes Holz gibt auch gerades Feuer. = Crooked logs also make straight fires.

When people talk about traveling to the past, they worry about radically changing the present by doing something small, but barely anyone in the present really thinks that they can radically change the future by doing something small.

不要「眼高手低」⁵，當一個「用手思考」的人。

Remember: The world is run by people no smarter than you. Talent and intelligence are abundant. Courage is not. The most successful people aren’t the smartest. They’re the ones who had the courage to act. They’re the ones who stayed curious long enough for compounding to kick in. They aren’t more talented than you. They just took action when you didn’t.

“All know the way; few actually walk it.” — Bodhidharma

知易行難 ➞ 知行合一：人在「知道」（想動）和「做到」（行動）之間有很大的鴻溝

Stated Priorities: Priorities that people say they have
Demonstrated Priorities: Priorities that people’s actions show they have

If someone observed my actions for a week, what would they say my priorities are? Does my actions align with my intention?

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage.” — Dale Carnegie

Every single thing you want in life is on the other side of something you don’t want to do. The answers you seek are found in the actions you avoid.

The clarity you seek is found in the walks you skip.
The body you seek is found in the workouts you avoid.
The purpose you seek is found in the focused work you neglect.
The success you seek is found in the hours of execution you put off.
The relationships you seek are found in the hard conversations you delay.

What answers are hidden in the actions you avoid?

One day, you’ll be gone. Life is full of ‘laters.’

I’ll prioritize my health later.
I’ll create more freedom later.
I’ll spend more time with my kids later.

But here’s the harsh truth: later often means never. Most of the things you promise to do later won’t be possible by the time you get around to them.

Your health won’t wait for you.
Your kids won’t be five years old forever.
Freedom and fulfillment won’t magically appear on their own.

Either design the life you want now—or be prepared to live with regret later. It’s never too late.

Later is the default mindset.

Later is the acceptance of your fate.

Later is where your dream life goes to die.

Later is the self-limiting word of the broken.

There is no later, because later you’ll be dead.

“Wanting more information is often just a form of procrastination.” — Russ Roberts

“If more information was the answer, then we’d all be billionaires with perfect abs.” — Derek Sivers

Information is abundant, action is hard. Execution is everything.
Ideas are cheap. It’s the execution of ideas that really separates the sheep from the goats.

Knowledge is as vital to life as air. Just as no one should be denied the right to breathe, knowledge should be freely accessible to all. Yet, like air that must be inhaled to sustain life, knowledge only becomes truly valuable when it is applied—mere possession is not enough.
EXECUTION is more important than the tactic itself.
Solve the “Knowledge” problem first (by gathering information), then the “Execution” problem (by creating evidence pool).
- But be aware of The Information-Action Gap (= The time lag between receiving information and acting on that information)
- “If information isn’t nurtured with action, it loses its power.”
Remember, inspiration unused is merely entertainment. To get new results, you need to take new actions.

Tutorial Hell

Pragmatism 實用主義

Ask for forgiveness, not permission

Things That Aren’t Doing the Thing

The Man in the Arena

Remember: Talk does not cook rice. (別光說不練。) You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do. You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do. ⌃
年輕人暢談正在做的事，老年人細數曾經做過的事，愚昧者高論想做的事。 ⌃
“The professional learns to recognize envy-driven criticism and to take it for what it is: the supreme compliment. The critic hates most that which he would have done himself if he had had the guts.” — Steven Pressfield, The War of Art ⌃
“The artist cannot look to others to validate his efforts or his calling. If you don’t believe me, ask Van Gogh, who produced masterpiece after masterpiece and never found a buyer in his whole life.” — Steven Pressfield, The War of Art ⌃
比喻要求標準高，而實行能力低。 ⌃

Goggins, David. 2018. Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds. Erscheinungsort nicht ermittelbar: Lioncrest publishing. ↩

Pressfield, Steven. 2003. The War of Art: Break through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles. New York, NY: Grand Central Publ. ↩

The Story of the Cracked Pot

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read


_{不完美就是一種完整。}

There was an old man who lived in a village in India. Every morning, he would place a long stick across his back, hang a water pot from each end, and walk several miles to the river to get fresh water for his family.

But the two water pots were not the same. One had a series of small cracks in its side, causing it to leak.

The old man would fill both pots at the river, but by the time he got back to his home, the cracked pot would be half empty, the water having leaked out during the walk.

The cracked pot grew increasingly ashamed of its inability to complete the task for which it was made. One day, while the old man filled the two pots at the river, the cracked pot spoke to him.

“I’m sorry. I’m so embarrassed that I cannot fulfill my responsibilities as well as the other pot.”

The old man smiled and replied, “On the walk home today, rather than hanging your head in shame, I want you to look up at the side of the path.”

The cracked pot reluctantly agreed to do as the old man asked. As they left the riverbank and started on the path, he couldn’t believe his eyes.

On his side of the path was a beautiful row of flowers.

“You see,” the old man said, “I’ve always known you had those cracks, so I planted flower seeds along your side of the path. Each day, your cracks helped me water them. And now, I pick these flowers to share their beauty with the entire village.”

You are the cracked pot. Perfectly imperfect. Remember that. ¹

The story of the cracked pot is a reminder that our perceived flaws and shortcomings can be sources of unexpected value. What we see as weaknesses may, in the right context, become gifts to others.
The old man’s wisdom lies in his ability to see potential where others see imperfection. He doesn’t try to fix the pot; instead, he works with its nature, turning a flaw into a source of beauty.
The cracked pot’s journey mirrors our own struggles with self-acceptance. We often compare ourselves to others, feeling inadequate or ashamed of our “cracks.” Yet, these very cracks may be watering flowers we cannot see.
The flowers along the path are a metaphor for the positive impact we have on the world, often without realizing it. Our vulnerabilities, mistakes, and limitations can inspire, comfort, or help others in ways we may never know.
The story encourages us to embrace our imperfections, to trust that we have a unique role to play, and to look for the hidden good that comes from our struggles.

Practice self-compassion. Recognize that everyone has cracks, and that’s what makes us human.
Look for ways to use your unique experiences to help others.
Remember that value is not always measured by conventional standards of success.

“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” — Leonard Cohen

“Just because you are happy it does not mean that the day is perfect but that you have looked beyond its imperfections.” — Bob Marley

修真養性，服食導引，卻病延年，沖舉可俟。 —《東周列國志》第 87 回

比丘常帶三分病，是助道因緣。

You are not perfect, nor should you try to be. Your flaws attract the right people you want to be around and filter out those who don’t belong.

Being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. It means that you decided to look beyond the imperfections.

Wabi-sabi

kintsugi

You are not perfect, nor should you try to be. ⌃

Week 41, 2026

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

The only one who can tell you ‘you can’t’ is you, and you don’t have to listen.
“We don’t have to think alike to love alike.” — Francis David
“Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.” — Frank Zappa
“Never become used to anything you love. It blunts the edge of appreciation.” — Richard Laymon
“If you need a machine and don’t buy it, then you will ultimately find that you have paid for it and don’t have it.” — Henry Ford

靚（ㄌㄧㄤˋ）女是粵語及廣東、廣西一帶的方言，指漂亮的女生/美女，也是日常生活中，對女性的禮貌稱呼。
收養/領養 (Adoption) 指依法把他人的孩子成為自己的子女，建立正式且長期的親子關係；寄養 (Fostering) 則是短暫代替原生家庭照顧孩子，孩子的法律親子關係不變。簡單說：收養/領養＝永久的避風港，寄養＝暫時的避風港。
The Moment of Truth = an occasion when something important happens that tests someone or something and that will have an effect on the future 關鍵時刻；考驗人的時刻
Swear by something = to believe strongly that something is effective or useful 非常相信（某物有效或有用）
月光海：指滿月之夜的月光，在波光粼粼的海面上形成筆直的反射光帶，宛如鋪了一條銀色大道。在花蓮、台東等東海岸地區最常見，因為鄰近太平洋，且光害少。

The “Consistently Good Rather Than Occasionally Great” Principle

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

“Long-term consistency trumps short-term intensity.” — Bruce Lee

“Success is the product of daily habits—not once-in-a-lifetime transformations.” — James Clear

Doe maar gewoon, dan doe je al gek genoeg.

表現得正常/普通就好了，因為那已經足夠瘋狂。 — 荷蘭諺語

「配速」很重要！

Am I running at a pace I can maintain for a year?
Don’t aim to be consistently great; aim to be great at being consistent.
Show up at 70% every day rather than 110% once in a while.
Mastery follows consistent/constant work.
Intensity makes a good story. Consistency makes progress. Consistency beats intensity.
Remember, the sum of consistent, boring, ordinary performances adds up to something extraordinary. The next time you feel the urge to do something dramatic, come back to the mantra: No unforced errors.
Average effort, sustained over above-average time, produces way-above-average results.

Never overextend yourself. Taking on too much can be just as counterproductive as doing too little.

The Compounding Effect

You can achieve anything if you focus on one thing at a time

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

If you chase two rabbits, you catch none.

“Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.” — Alexander Graham Bell

“The only way to gain enough efficiency to complete The Art of Computer Programming is to operate in batch mode, concentrating intensively and uninterruptedly on one subject at a time, rather than swapping a number of topics in and out of my head.” — Donald Knuth

Multitasking (多工) is a myth. Focus on completing one task at a time in series/sequence; avoid multi-task in parallel.¹

Unitasking (單工): Do one thing at a time, and do it extremely/exceptionally well. Don’t half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing. If you’re half in, you’re actually all out.

Unitasking and deep work are two sides of the same coin.

Avoid “priority ping-pong” — stay committed to one task at a time. Batch similar tasks together to minimize context switching.

Context switching = Fragmented
No context switching = Focused

The Cost of Interrupted Work

refers to the ability to focus one’s attention a particular stimulus while filtering out a range of other stimuli (i.e., noise)

Your brain is a supercomputer, but it can…
- only have one thought at a time.
- really focus/concentrate on one thing at a time
Humans can only direct their attention to one thing at a time.

In The Happiness Hypothesis, New York University psychologist Jonathan Haidt describes the key distinction of “automatic processing” and “controlled processing” as it relates to multitasking:

Controlled processing is limited — we can think consciously about one thing at a time only — but automatic processes run in parallel and can handle many tasks at once. If the mind performs hundreds of operations each second, all but one of them must be handled automatically.

Increased Errors: Each switch risks losing focus on important details or skipping steps, especially if the tasks are complex or require high concentration.
Longer Completion Time: The time taken to re-focus and re-establish where we left off adds up, sometimes resulting in doubled or even tripled task durations.
Cognitive Fatigue: Constantly redirecting attention can exhaust the brain, leading to hinder your creativity and reduce overall decision-making quality.

“Age quod agis”

Do what you are doing. = Do well whatever you do. = Concentrate on the task at hand.

When walking, walk. ² When sitting, sit. When eating, eat. Don’t wobble.
Use lunch time for lunch.
When drinking tea, just drink tea.
If you want to live a quiet life, live a quiet life.

ichigyo-zammai (一行三昧) is a Zen term that translates to ‘one practice concentration’’, or “single-task focus”.

Ichigyo-zanmai is the practice of doing things to the best of one’s best ability; putting your whole self into the task at hand, nothing less.

Focus is about saying no

Being indistractable is superpower

Multitasking isn’t always bad — you just have to make sure the conditions are right. The key distinction lies in automatic vs controlled processing (as Haidt describes it). Tasks that are highly practiced, routine, or performed on “autopilot” can run in parallel with others — walking while talking, folding laundry while listening to a podcast. However, checking email during a strategy meeting is not “being efficient” — it is partitioning your attention and missing context from both. ⌃
走路不看景，看景不走路。 ⌃

99% of effort is wasted

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

(Jorgenson and Ravikant 2021)

“I do believe that 99% of effort in life is ‘wasted’. If you look back at all the term papers you wrote, all the classes you took, all the people you dated, and all the things you stressed about. 99% of them didn’t matter; they were inconsequential; and there were a few 1% decisions that did matter.”

“I think most people are working too hard. I think most people are just basically spinning wheels. The older you get, the better you get at just declining work that you know is useless. I have this theory that 99% of work that you do is useless. You still have to do it because it’s iterating your way to the 1% that is useful. But, in an ideal world, if you are omniscient, you would just cut to the 1%.”

“You should be very thoughtful and realize in most things (relationships, work, even in learning) what you’re trying to do is find the thing you can go all-in on to earn compound interest. When you’re dating, the instant you know this relationship is not going to be the one that leads to marriage, you should probably move on. When you’re studying something, like a geography or history class, and you realize you are never going to use the information, drop the class. It’s a waste of time. It’s a waste of your brain energy. I’m not saying don’t do the 99 percent, because it’s very hard to identify what the 1 percent is. What I’m saying is: when you find the 1 percent of your discipline which will not be wasted; which you’ll be able to invest in for the rest of your life and has meaning to you, go all-in and forget about the rest.”

It’s important to know that you cannot skip the 99%. The wasted effort is the cost of exploration. You cannot know in advance what the 1% will be. The term papers, the bad dates, the failed projects — they are the iterative search process that surfaces the few opportunities worth going all-in on.

This is the same logic that underpins venture capital: most investments fail, but the few that succeed return enough to justify all the losses.

The Pareto Principle

Eat the biggest frog first thing in the morning

Jorgenson, Eric, and Naval Ravikant. 2021. The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness. Place of publication not identified: Magrathea Publishing. ↩

Adaptability

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one most adaptable to change; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself.” — Charles Darwin ¹

“Arrange whatever pieces come your way.” — Virginia Woolf

“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.” — Stephen Hawking

“The only thing predictable about life is its unpredictability.” — Remi Ratatouille

“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” — Albert Einstein

“Consistency is about being adaptable. Adaptability is the way of consistency.” — James Clear ²

“You can suffer the pain of change or suffer remaining the way you are.” — Joyce Meyer

“Change may not always bring growth, but there is no growth without change.” — Roy T. Bennett

“When you are finished changing, you are finished.” — Benjamin Franklin

“The capacity to adjust and improvise is arguably the single most critical human ability.” — Will Smith, Will

“Until you change how you get things done, you’ll never know what works best.” — Roy T. Bennett

易窮則變，變則通，通則久。 — 《易經．繫辭下》³

“The art of life is a constant readjustment to our surroundings.” — Kakuzo Okakura

“It’s easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it’s easy in solitude to live after our own; but great people keep with the sweet independence of solitude in the midst of a crowd.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Adaptability (& Flexibility) is the single most powerful trait in life—the ability and willingness to pivot quickly and follow new information or evidence.

The highest intelligence isn’t knowing—it’s adapting. Knowledge matters, but the ability to learn, unlearn, and change course/direction matters more. The rigid hold on to what was; the adaptable move with what is and flow toward what will be.

You’ll only go as far as your ability to absorb life’s punches and pivot (軸轉) on the fly.

If you do not bend, you will break.

“There is nothing permanent except change.” — Heraclitus

“Nothing endures but change.” — Heraclitus

Fear uncertainty and you fear life. To fear the unknown is to fear life itself. Life without unpredictability isn’t life, not for human beings.

Who Moved My Cheese?

This too shall pass

目標刻在鋼板上，方法寫在沙灘上。

鋼板堅固難以改變。大方向、理想或最終目的必須牢固。無論遇到任何挫折，都不應輕易放棄初衷。
沙灘上的字跡隨時會被海浪沖走。做事的方法和步驟需要保持彈性。當原本的方法行不通時，就要順應環境，動態調整。

The Learners vs The Learned

Life is chaotic

The Ship of Theseus

In the struggle for survival, the fittest win out at the expense of their rivals because they succeed in adapting themselves best to their environment. ⌃
In theory, consistency is about being disciplined, determined, and unwavering. In practice, consistency is about being adaptable. Don’t have much time? Scale it down. Don’t have much energy? Do the easy version. Find different ways to show up depending on the circumstances. Let your habits change shape to meet the demands of the day. Adaptability is the way of consistency. ⌃
指事物發展到極限或陷入困境（窮）時，就必須求變化（變）；經過變化後，就能突破障礙，使事物通達順暢（通）；能夠通達順暢，才能保持長久的發展（久）。 ⌃

Comparison is the thief of joy

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

”Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.” — William Faulkner

“Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle.” — Jon Acuff

“Don’t waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long and, in the end, it’s only with yourself.” — Mary Schmich

“Be your unapologetically weird self.” — Chris Sacca

“Don’t compare your inside to someone else’s outside.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier

夫唯不爭，故天下莫能與之爭。 —《老子道德經》第二十二章

Because he doesn’t compare himself with others, no one can compare with him.

比較 = 攀比

人比人，氣死人；蛋餅比蛋餅，起士蛋餅…

If you want to compare yourself with someone else, study ultra-successful people.

Comparison is useful as a point and destructive as a loop.

Compete against yourself. Always look in.

Compare yourself…

to who you were yesterday (past self), not to who someone else is today.
against your personal benchmarks.

Stop comparing your day 1 to everyone else’s day 1000.

「社會就是地位的階梯，比較的結果決定處境。」— The Broken Ladder (破階效應)

Don’t follow the crowd. Run your own race. Free yourself from society’s advice, because most of them have no idea what they’re doing.

The best way to diminish your achievement is to compare it to someone else’s.

When you compare yourself with others, or have the desire to be like other people, you start doing things that aren’t aligned with your true self, abandoning your awesome uniqueness, and engaging in a competitive zero-sum game.

Every ounce of energy you spend comparing yourself to others is an ounce that could have been spent on developing yourself.

The only time you should look in someone else’s bowl is to see if they have enough.

每個人面對的環境與際遇都不同，就像不同時間、不同角度的陽光，自然造成影子的長短不同，無法比較。
陽光一移，影子就變。就像人生的不同階段，成就與低潮會交替。你現在的「短影子」，不代表你永遠渺小。
影子是自己的一部分，無論它變成什麼形狀，仍然屬於你。和別人的影子比較，只會忘了自己本身的輪廓。真正該留意的，不是別人影子的樣子，而是你是否還在向著光走。
影子永遠跟著你走，它提醒你：真正的比較對象，其實一直都是「昨天的自己」。

To improve, compare little things.

Marketing strategies
Exercise technique
Writing tactics

To be miserable, compare big things.

Career path
Marriage
Net worth

Comparison is the thief of joy when applied broadly, but the teacher of skills when applied narrowly.

There’s a saying I love:

At 18, you worry about what people think of you.
At 40, you stop caring what people think of you.
At 60, you realize nobody was thinking about you at all.

Don’t let your movie get put on pause watching someone else’s play out.

You should be too busy working on your grass to notice others is greener. Let the improvement of yourself keep you so busy that you have no time to criticize others. Water your own grass. Focus on bettering yourself.

Be primarily internally driven

Specialization is for insects

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

“At some level, all humans are broad. We’re all multivariate/multifaceted, but we get summarized in pithy ways in our lives.” — Naval Ravikant

“Exploration is how you discover what works. Persistence is how you make the most of what already works.” — James Clear

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.” — Robert A. Heinlein

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” — Thomas Huxley

“Someone with B+ intelligence in several fields likely has a better grasp of how the world works than someone with A+ intelligence in one field.” — Morgen Housel

Hybridize > Generalize > Specialize

Before you discover what you love: fewer commitments, more experiments. After you discover what you love: fewer experiments, more commitments.

You should explore a range of pursuits early in your career and life, with that exploration leaving you better equipped for the exploitation phase when you go deeper on the arena that provides you with maximum leverage.

Many people call themselves “generalists” as a way to avoid specializing, but what’s far more valuable is to become a polymath—a true generalist with the ability to quickly pick up any specialty, at least to the 80/20 level, and apply that knowledge to make smarter trade-offs.

The jack of all trades, is a master of none(, but still better than a master of one).

Renaissance Man
A person with wide-ranging, multi-disciplinary knowledge & skills
博學多聞的通才

Emilie Wapnick’s TED Talk “Why some of us don’t have one true calling”

Multipotentiality/Multipotentialite is someone with many interests and creative pursuits.
Three “superpowers” that multipotentialites have:

橫的一橫：表示這個人懂很多不同領域的東西（廣度），像是通才，可以跟各種人溝通，知道很多事情的大概。
一條腿：表示這個人在某一個領域特別厲害（深度），是專家。

像是一個會很多東西的老師，但數學特別強，可以幫忙教其他老師數學的那種感覺。

橫的一橫：還是一樣代表懂很多事情（廣度）。
兩條腿：表示這個人不只在一個領域很厲害，而是在兩個（以上）不同的領域都有深度的專業。

像是一個不只數學很好，還非常會寫程式的老師，兩邊都能深入研究，也能幫大家做跨領域的事情。

類型	廣度	深度	適合做什麼
T 型人才	✅	一個領域深入	合作溝通 + 擅長一件事
Pi 型人才	✅	兩個領域都很深入	跨領域合作、創新、架橋兩領域的問題

Don’t specialize, hybridize

Specific Knowledge

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

“Specific knowledge is found much more by pursuing your innate talents, your genuine curiosity, and your passion. It’s not by going to school for whatever is the hottest job.” — Naval Ravikant

“Very often, your specific knowledge is observed and often observed by other people who know you well and revealed in situations rather than something that you come up with.” — Naval Ravikant

The defining property of specific knowledge is that it cannot be trained for. If it can be taught in a classroom, it can be mass-produced: someone else can be trained to do it too, and eventually it can be automated.

Specific knowledge sits on the other side of that line. It is built from:

Innate characteristics — things you were, in Naval’s words, “genetically encoded” for;
Childhood soft skills — learned so early in life that they are almost impossible to teach later;
Brand-new domains — things so new that nobody else knows how to do them yet;
On-the-job pattern matching — building judgment inside a highly complex environment (investing, running a fleet of trucks, weather forecasting), the domain of cognitive apprenticeship.

Everything can be learned, but the most interesting things cannot be taught.

Explicit knowledge and tacit knowledge — the taught vs the learned

Because specific knowledge is hard to replicate, it acts as a competitive moat: society cannot yet easily train other people to do it, and it cannot be outsourced or automated. Combined with accountability and leverage, it is what lets you get paid for being you rather than for performing a generic, interchangeable function.

You rarely find specific knowledge by sitting down and thinking about it — it is found by looking back at your own life and seeing what you were already good at.

Naval’s own example: as a teenager he wanted to be an astrophysicist, but his mother had already noticed that every time they walked past a pizza parlor, he would critique their pricing, toppings, and ordering process. She told him he would go into business — and she was right; his curiosity about science and his instinct for business combined into technology.

People who know you well often see your specific knowledge before you do. Useful questions to surface yours:

What came easily to you that others found genuinely hard?
What did you do as a child, unprompted, for hours at a time?
What do people keep coming to you to ask for help with?
What would you do even if nobody paid you for it?

The most reliable signal for specific knowledge: it should feel like play to you, but work for others. 做起來像呼吸一樣簡單的事 — something you do as naturally as breathing.

When the work is a full expression of who you are, you don’t need to summon motivation to do it, and anyone who has to force themselves simply cannot outlast you. This is why you can’t beat someone who genuinely enjoys the work itself — and why half-hearted pursuit is fatal: if you’re not 100% into it, someone who is will outperform you, not by a little but by a lot, because ideas compound and leverage multiplies.

“Someone with B+ intelligence in several fields likely has a better grasp of how the world works than someone with A+ intelligence in one field.” — Morgen Housel

Specific knowledge is rarely a single skill — it is often a rare combination of skills. It is brutally hard to be the top 1% in any single field, but far easier to be in the top 25% of two (or more) skills, and the combination itself is what becomes hard to replicate.

Creativity is just connecting things

Naval’s example: a naturally formidable salesperson who adds a psychology degree doesn’t just get better at sales — the degree becomes leverage that multiplies the talent they already had. The same logic explains the value of a polymath who is a strong writer and a strong coder, or an engineer and a domain expert.

Thanks to the law of diminishing returns, you don’t need to excel in every foundational skill — you only need sufficient competence in each one, then stack them.

Specialization is for insects

Why is it so hard to just do the work?

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 8 min read

“The work you do while you procrastinate is probably the work you should be doing for the rest of your life.” — Jessica Hische

Resistance is an internal force that prevents us from doing the work we’re meant to do. Steven Pressfield, in The War of Art, defines Resistance as the invisible, self-protective force that opposes any act of creative or meaningful work. It is not laziness, nor a lack of discipline — it is something more primal, rooted in the fear of vulnerability, uncertainty, and the potential failure inherent in pursuing what matters.

It can be categorized as fear, procrastination, self-doubt, self-sabotage, distraction, arrogance, perfectionism, and rationalization.

(Pressfield 2011)

“The enemy is Resistance.”

“Resistance cannot be seen, touched, heard, or smelled. But it can be felt. We experience it as an energy field radiating from a work-in-potential. It’s a repelling force. It’s negative. Its aim is to shove us away, distract us, prevent us from doing our work.”

“Rule of thumb: The more important a call or action is to our soul’s evolution, the more Resistance we will feel.”

“Ignore false negatives. Ignore false positives. Both are Resistance. Keep working.”

(Pressfield 2003)

“Resistance will tell you anything to keep you from doing your work. It will perjure, fabricate; it will seduce you. Resistance is insidious. It will assume any form, it will deceive you. It will lie. It will promise anything to get a deal, then break it the minute your back is turned. If you take Resistance at its word, you deserve everything you get. Resistance is always lying and always full of shit.”

“Resistance by definition is self-sabotage.”

“Resistance is experienced as fear; the degree of fear equates to the strength of Resistance. Therefore the more fear we feel about a specific enterprise, the more certain we can be that that enterprise is important to us and to the growth of our soul. That’s why we feel so much Resistance. If it meant nothing to us, there’d be no Resistance.”

”Resistance will bury you. It will bury you under a mountain of guilt, fear, self-doubt, and shame. You will live a shadow life. You will live the life you are not meant to live. You will feel unfulfilled. You will feel like something is missing. You will wonder what it is. That is Resistance.”

Pressfield’s rule of thumb is brutally honest: The more important a task is to your soul’s evolution, the more Resistance you will feel. By this logic, Resistance is not a sign you’re on the wrong path — it’s a signal that you’re precisely where you need to be.

Beyond internal Resistance, there is also sludge ¹ — the external, systemic friction that makes doing the right thing unnecessarily difficult. Coined by behavioral economist Cass Sunstein in his book Sludge, this concept describes the administrative and environmental barriers that drain our time and willpower: confusing paperwork, convoluted workflows, excessive choices, poor interface design.

At the personal level, sludge can take the form of:

Overly complex planning systems
A cluttered workspace that discourages starting
A phone bloated with endless notification distractions
Decision fatigue from too many micro-choices before the real work begins

Reducing sludge — simplifying your environment, automating decisions, removing unnecessary steps — is a force multiplier for getting the work done.

“Accept the initial agitation.” by Andrew Huberman

Andrew Huberman offers why starting feels so hard. When we attempt to engage in focused work, the brain releases norepinephrine and adrenaline — the same chemicals involved in the stress response. This creates a feeling of agitation, discomfort, and mental chaos. Most people interpret this feeling as a sign that they’re not ready, not capable, or not in the right mood — and they stop.

But Huberman reframes this entirely: The agitation is not a barrier to focus. It is the gateway to focus.

I think we need to get comfortable as a culture in trying to understand our species and how we work, that the early stages of hard work and focus are gonna feel like agitation, stress and confusion, because that’s the norepinephrine and adrenaline system kicking in. None of us would expect to walk into the gym and do our PR lift, or, you know, a performer go do something without warming up. The brain also needs to warm up and start to hone in which circuits are gonna be active. And it’s unreasonable for us to think, “Oh I’ve got an hour, I’m gonna plop down and write beautifully for an hour my best work.” We need to accept that there’s a period of agitation and stress that accompanies the dropping into these highly concentrated states.

The agitation and stress that you feel at the beginning of something and when you’re trying to lean into it and you can’t focus is just a recognized gate. You have to pass that through that gate to get to the focus component. And then if you can reward the effort process you really start to feel joy and low levels of excitement in the effort process. That’s that buffering of adrenaline. That’s that feeling like, yes, I’ve got a lot of adrenaline in my system but I’m on the right path. It feels good to walk up this hill, so to speak. And when you start to bring those neural circuits together you really start to create a whole set of circuits that are designed to be exported to any behavior you want. So if it’s writing a book, great, if it’s podcasting, great, if it’s building a business, great. If it’s, you know, building a terrific relationship, great, then the circuits that mother nature is designer incredibly generic so that we could adapt to whatever it is that we need to do. And I think the misunderstanding around how these circuits work, has led to this idea that there’s some secret entry point maybe marked flow on the door and there’s a trampoline up to that door and you just open that door and you’re gonna be in it. And nothing could be further from the truth. And anyone who’s done well in any career or athletic pursuit knows this, but unfortunately there’s a kind of obsession with the idea that it’s all supposed to feel good and it does feel good but there’s a whole staircase in which it feels kind of lousy.

What people don’t realize is that mental focus follows visual focus. Now in blind people, it’s slightly different, it follows auditory focus, but in most people, your visual focus as you bring that into really sharp relief, that image of your book and you stare at you’re gonna feel some agitation and your mind’s gonna be jumping all over the place. But if you wait just a couple minutes, the rest of the world will disappear. I think this is sort of like the flow state people are looking for. But remember the gate of entry is one of which you have to wade through some sewage before you can swim in clear water. That’s the way I always think about it.

The brain, like a muscle, needs a warm-up. Expecting to sit down and immediately produce brilliant work is like expecting to walk into a gym and hit a personal record on the first rep. The first few minutes — sometimes the first 10–20 minutes — will feel like “wading through sewage before swimming in clear water.”

The key insight: The feeling of resistance and agitation is not a signal to stop. It is a sign that the focusing circuits are activating. If you can endure the initial discomfort, the mental fog clears, the world falls away, and the work begins to flow.

I sometimes say to myself, “Forget how you feel right now” when I’m feeling unmotivated, uninterested, or low on energy. That’s the mindset I always return to.

Feelings are fleeting. Motivation is unreliable. The desire to do the work will not always precede the act of doing the work — in fact, for hard or meaningful work, motivation almost always follows action, not the other way around. This is what the research on behavioral activation confirms: Action precedes motivation. By committing to the physical act of sitting down, opening the document, writing the first sentence — regardless of how you feel — you trigger the very motivational circuits that were absent a moment earlier.

I used to set a timer and force myself to stay in the chair, enduring the initial agitation. But over time, I built the endurance to work for long, uninterrupted hours of stretches. The initial agitation, once dreaded, becomes familiar — even welcomed — because you know what lies on the other side.

A nudge tips the scales. Sludge blocks the path. ⌃

Pressfield, Steven. 2003. The War of Art: Break through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles. New York, NY: Grand Central Publ. ↩

———. 2011. Do the Work. Unabridged. Grand Haven, MI: Brilliance Audio. ↩

現在開始卸力訓練就不累

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

對該卸力的部位用力，該用力的部位卻無法好好用力。 ¹

先知道自己該在哪用力、在哪卸力，訓練才有方向

需要訓練用力
1. 臀大肌下部
2. 大腿後側上部內側（膕繩肌）
3. 腋下後側
4. 腹腔內壓（肚臍下方）
5. 內收肌
需要訓練卸力
1. 肩膀上部、肩膀側面（三角肌）
2. 胸大肌、肱二頭肌
3. 脖子後側、咬肌
4. 肩胛骨之間（菱形肌）
5. 腰部、臀中肌
6. 大腿前側、大腿外側
7. 前脛骨、小腿肚

用力 ≠ 一直緊繃

該用力的部位也無須一直出力，只需維持「隨時能用力、隨時能產生反應」的狀態，而非持續緊繃

腹壓：一切用力的核心

腹壓由內核心肌群（橫膈膜、腹橫肌、骨盆底肌、多裂肌）合作產生
腰椎下方結構本就不穩，必須靠肌肉輔助
該用力時提高腹壓 → 軀幹像穿上束腹般穩定 → 根基穩了，手腳才能放鬆，動作才會輕盈

該穩的部位沒力，該鬆的部位卻緊繃。 ⌃

Titanic

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

“I mean, I got everything I need right here with me. I got air in my lungs, a few blank sheets of paper. I mean, I love waking up in the morning, not knowing what’s gonna happen or who I’m gonna meet, where I’m gonna wind up. Just the other night I was sleeping under a bridge and now here I am, on the grandest ship in the world, having champagne with you fine people. I figure life’s a gift and I don’t intend on wasting it. You don’t know what hand you’re gonna get dealt next. You learn to take life as it comes at you… to make each day count.” — Jack Dawson’s “First Class Dinner” Speech

“A woman’s heart is a deep ocean of secrets.” — Rose

“Promise me you’ll survive. That you won’t give up, no matter what happens. No matter how hopeless.” — Jack

Jack: “Step up on the railing. Hold on, hold on. Keep your eyes closed. Do you trust me?”

Rose: “I trust you.”

Jack: “Open your eyes.”

Rose: “I’m flying, Jack.”

Addition by subtraction

Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“Simplify, then add lightness.” — Colin Chapman, founder of Lotus Card

“Legos encourage endless adding, especially when you have a dad who supports your habit. In Jenga (樂高), the rules promote balance. Jenga forces us to subtract first, requiring that we pull out a block from one of the lower levels before we add to the top level. Sure, Lego’s adding approach has been good for business; but so has Jenga’s mandate to subtract first. It was the game’s novel subtracting rules that Leslie Scott copyrighted, to the tune of one hundred million copies sold.” — Leidy Klotz, Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less

Cut the redundant. Keep the essential.

The Christmas Tree Effect by David Epstein

Daniel Coyle told me briefly about a tactic called the “subtraction game.” Here’s what he had to say:

Modern work is nightmarishly insidious about adding stuff to our plates. The cure is to get your group together and ask: What do we still do that is adding needless friction, or is no longer useful — and then stop doing those things.

The Christmas Tree Effect describes the human tendency to solve problems by adding more components, features, or solutions, similar to how a Christmas tree is adorned with more and more ornaments each year, often leading to an overburdened and less effective final product. Coined by David Epstein, this effect highlights how our natural instinct to be proactive and add to a system can ultimately detract from its efficiency by increasing complexity without addressing fundamental issues.

Over-adding
Accumulation
Lack of subtraction

What can we remove? by Steph Ango

Why is it so much easier to add than to remove? Maybe because we attach our identity to what is visible. But there is a difference between the ornamentation that defines our style and the vestigial burdens we carry.

Remember those who did the invisible work of removing. Their legacy was not to build a sand castle, but to care for the beautiful beach on which we play.

The path of removal

Strider Balance Bikes


_Source

Simple is beautiful

Why You Need to Subtract: The Vasa Effect

Sodium Percarbonate

Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

= 過碳酸鈉

特性
- 使用溫熱水（約 30–50°C）效果最好，冷水效果差。
- 分解後為水、氧氣和碳酸鈉，對環境無毒且不污染水源，比一般市售清潔劑更環保。
- 具有腐蝕性與刺激性，且對多種材質有限制，使用時若不注意容易造成物品損壞，並建議戴手套。
應用
- 下水道和排水孔：可以分解管線內的油垢和食物殘渣，達到良好的防蟑效果 🪳
- 洗衣：與洗衣精一起加入；頑垢可先浸泡再洗 → 除蟎
- 洗衣機：清洗內槽污垢、去除霉味
- 廚房：抽油煙機油垢、抹布、茶垢、咖啡漬、碗盤頑漬
- 浴室：磁磚污垢、黃斑、霉菌
禁忌
- 不可洗蛋白質纖維：如羊毛、蠶絲、皮革等衣物，會受損或縮水。
- 不可碰特定金屬：如鋁製品、銅器等，容易導致腐蝕、變色或發黑。
- 破壞表面塗層：上了油漆或有特殊塗層的表面、深色衣物，可能會脫落或褪色。
- 切勿混用清潔劑：❌ 絕對不能與酸類（如檸檬酸、醋）與含氯漂白水混用，以免中和失效和產生危險氣體。
⭐️ 與「小蘇打」和「檸檬酸」，都是經濟實惠的家用清潔劑！
- 過碳酸鈉：屬於強力清潔，適用於深層清潔與殺菌。
- 小蘇打：較溫和，適合輕度去污，無漂白作用，適合日常清潔與除臭。

Week 40, 2026

Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.
“What we save, saves us.” — Barbara Kingsolver
“Buy this car to drive to work. Drive to work to pay for this car.” — Handshakes, Metric
“The world is moving so fast that the person who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it.” — Elbert Hubbard
“Great things happen to those who don’t stop believing, trying, learning, and being grateful.” — Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

Moana：意指「大海」或「寬廣海域」，象徵祖先的航道、文化的流動與未知的探索。在 Epeli Hauʻofa 提出的「群島之洋」（Our Sea of Islands）概念中，大洋洲不再是支離破碎的小島，而是因海而連結的整體。
「駐村」（Artist-in-Residence，簡稱 AIR）是指藝術家、創作者或研究員獲主辦單位邀請或申請通過，在特定空間進行一段時間（通常為數週至數個月）的進駐與創作。
「慢食」（Slow Food）是 1980 年代，起源於義大利人 Carlo Petrini 的全球性飲食運動。它反對現代速食文化中「快、便宜、大量、標準化」的趨勢，以「優質、純淨、公平」（Good, Clean, Fair）為核心精神。慢食提倡維持單個生態區的飲食文化，試圖重新建立人與土地、食物之間的關係。近年來，國際慢食協會推動 Ark of Taste（味覺方舟），記錄世界各地瀕臨消失的傳統食材。
豆汁是北京代表性食物。它不是豆漿，而是以生產澱粉或冬粉過程中產生的綠豆下腳料，經過發酵後製成的飲品。通常呈灰綠色，喝起來味酸，且帶有發酵味與豆腥味。
嬉皮士（Hippie）是 1960 年代興起於美國的青年運動，反對戰爭、消費主義、傳統權威與僵化的社會規範，崇尚和平、自由、反戰與回歸自然。他們常以長髮、寬鬆服裝、公社生活等方式，實踐非主流社會的生活。嬉皮精神的核心不只是「反主流」，而是重新追問：「我們一定要按照社會規定的方式生活嗎？」。

Be a habit and routine machine

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 9 min read

“Outer order contributes to inner calm.” — Gretchen Rubin

“We are what we repeatedly do every day. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” — Will Durant

“Routine, in an intelligent man, is a sign of ambition.” — W.H. Auden

“Inspiration will help you take the first step. Habits will get you across the finish line.” — Zander Fryer

“Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement. The same way that money multiplies through compound interest.” — James Clear

“The purpose of a habit is to remove that action from self-negotiation. You no longer expend energy deciding whether to do it.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier

“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.” — F. Matthias Alexander

“Habit is far more dependable than inspiration. Make progress by making habits. Don’t focus on getting into shape. Focus on becoming the kind of person who never misses a workout.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier

(Currey 2013)

“In the afternoon, I run for 10km or swim for 1500m (or do both), then I read a bit and listen to some music. I go to bed at 9:00 pm. I keep to this routine every day without variation. The repetition itself becomes the important thing; it’s a form of mesmerism. I mesmerize myself to reach a deeper state of mind.” — Haruki Murakami

“Habits and practice are very interrelated. What we practice will become a habit.” — Thomas M. Sterner, The Practicing Mind: Developing Focus and Discipline in Your Life Master Any Skill or Challenge by Learning to Love the Process

“Only habits of order are formed can we advance to really interesting fields of action — and consequently accumulate grain on grain of willful choice like a very miser — never forgetting how one link dropped undoes an indefinite number. The more of the details of our daily life we can hand over to the effortless custody of automatism, the more our higher powers of mind will be set free for their own proper work. There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision, and for whom the lighting of every cigar, the drinking of every cup, the time of rising and going to bed every day, and the beginning of every bit of work are subjects of express volitional deliberation. Full half the time of such a man goes to the deciding or regretting of matters which ought to be so ingrained in him as practically not to exist for his consciousness at all. If there be such daily duties not yet ingrained in any one of my hearers, let him begin this very hour to set the matter right.” — excepts from Daily Rituals by Mason Currey ¹

“It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It’s what we do consistently.” — Tony Robbins

Routines are habits layered on top of each other.

Your habits are the silent architects of your life. How you spend your days is how you spend your life.

Most habits are metastable.

“On average, it takes more than 2 months before a new behavior becomes automatic — 66 days to be exact.” — James Clear

Repeating a particular motion sixty times a day over twenty-one days will form a new habit.

A single habit or lifestyle change that has an outsized impact on everything else in your life.

“Dreams are built on discipline; discipline is built on habits; habits are built on training. And training takes place in every single second and every situation of your life.” — Will Smith, Will

Intention → Action → Practice → Consistency → Habit → Simply Who You Are

The 95% Compliance Rule by Sahil Bloom

More often than not (= usually)

Focus on 95% compliance with any routine. It’s high enough to get the benefits of the structure, but leaves room (unstructured times) for the 5% chaos where a lot of incredible memories are made.
Don’t be too rigid. A routine is a tool you pick up, not a cage you climb into, and the very structures meant to serve you can quietly start to own you. Structure should give your days a spine, not a straitjacket. Build routines you can bend without breaking, because the best routine is the one you can break: a rhythm you are afraid to interrupt is no longer discipline, but dependence.

(Duhigg 2014)

Habits that…
- set off a chain reaction that extends to all aspects of a person’s life
- lead to a cascade of other habits that are much easier to accomplish
- act as an anchor, grounding your boat to the ocean floor so it doesn’t get pulled out to sea during a tumultuous storm
建立一個核心習慣，自然帶動其他好行為
- 例如：每天運動 → 睡得更好 → 飲食更健康
「上游習慣」會順水推舟「下游習慣」

Bookend Habits

Habits that tightly structure the beginning and ending of your day
- AM Bookend: The morning ritual that primes you for productivity
- PM Bookend: The evening ritual that primes you for recovery
Analogy
- Books on a shelf will topple over if you don’t give them support. Bookends provide structure on either end to keep the books in their best state! The contents of your days are like a set of books. You can never predict what will happen during the course of a day. Some days will have you toppling left, and other days you’ll topple right. But by creating your own set of “bookends”, you set up yourself to be better supported and show up at your best every day.
Create a positive ripple effect and help set the tone for a smooth and productive day.

Habit that are small, often subtle actions that occur almost unconsciously, yet they have the potential to significantly influence our state of mind.
They happen at a moment called “The Point of Contact”.

習慣，若不是最好的僕人，就是最壞的主人。

— Nathanael Emmons

Good habits are hard to form, but easy to live with. Bad habits are easy to form, but hard to live with.

The costs of your good habits are in the present. The costs of your bad habits are in the future.

Time will multiply whatever you feed it. Good habits make time your ally. Bad habits make time your enemy.

Good habits stockpile ease. Bad habits postpone pain.

好習慣，替未來的自己累積財富；壞習慣，替未來的自己累積債務。

Philosophy: Everyday is easier than someday.

“If you have good habits, time becomes your ally. All you need is patience.” — James Clear

“Success is not about having one good day, it’s about having good habits every day.” — James Clear

Why is it so important to form good habits? They allow you to offload cognitive resources, enabling routine operations to run automatically in the background (背景處理) while you focus on other life demands.

Good habits have a “blast radius” — Those around you are watching. Be a light for those looking to grow.

When determining the size or complexity of a new habit ask yourself: “What can I stick to—even on my worst day?” Start there. Master the art of showing up. Then advance.

Have “Accountability Partners” ²

Creating positive rituals is the most powerful means we have found to effectively manage energy in the service of full engagement. Look at any part of your life in which you are consistently effective and you will find that certain habits help make that possible:

If you eat in a healthy way, it is probably because you have built routines around the food you buy and what you are willing to order at restaurants.
If you are fit, it is probably because you have regular days and times for working out.
If you are successful in a sales job, you probably have a ritual of mental preparation for calls and ways that you talk to yourself to stay positive in the face of rejection.
If you manage others effectively, you likely have a style of giving feedback that leaves people feeling challenged rather than threatened.
If you are closely connected to your spouse and your children, you probably have rituals around spending time with them.
If you sustain high positive energy despite an extremely demanding job, you almost certainly have predictable ways of ensuring that you get intermittent recovery.

Philosophy: None is better than sum.

There are 3 ways to break a bad habit:

Eliminate it entirely.
Reduce it.
Substitute it. ³

Golden Rule: Don’t resist craving, redirect it; keeping the cue and the reward and just replacing the routine.

“Cold turkey” refers to suddenly and completely stopping a habit or addiction, especially something like smoking, drinking, or drug use, without tapering off (gradual quitting) or using substitutes. It’s often used when someone decides to quit abruptly, with no gradual reduction or medical aid.

The phrase can also be used metaphorically, like: “I went cold turkey on social media.” Meaning the person quit all at once.
Quitting cold turkey can be effective but also intense, often leading to withdrawal symptoms (戒斷症狀) depending on what’s being quit.

The Two-Day Rule

See also: William James on Habit ⌃
Or: Public Commitment Pledge ⌃
Most people overlook this one. (Mostly neglected) ⌃

Currey, Mason. 2013. Daily Rituals: How Artists Work. New York: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ↩

Duhigg, Charles. 2014. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. Random House Trade paperback ed. New York Times Bestseller. New York, N.Y: Random House Trade Paperbacks. ↩

Delayed Gratification

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life. Where you stumble, there lies your treasure.” — Joseph Campbell

“All things are difficult before they are easy.” — Thomas Fuller

Satisfied Later > Happy Now

為未來鋪路

Caveat: Delay gratification in the extreme just results in no gratification. (or it’s called obsession)

The reason most people fail instead of succeed is they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment. Everything you want in life is on the other side of something that sucks.

That suck might be 100 workouts.
That suck might be 100 bland meals.
That suck might be 100 hours of focused work.

Remember: Nothing worth having in life should be easy. The things that matter in life are supposed/meant to be hard/difficult to build. If it were easy, everyone would do it. That’s part of the journey toward growth and part of struggle/craft pushing through the discomfort. The best things in life require that upfront pain. Embrace the suck.

Every single thing you want in life comes at a cost. There is always a cost of entry (入場費). An unavoidable price you must pay to achieve the things you say you want.

Hard work is a cost of entry for business success.
Discipline is a cost of entry for physical health.
Practice is a cost of entry for skill mastery.

Focus on your likes (long-term fulfillment), not your wants (short-term pleasure).

You may not want to exercise, but you like how it makes you feel.
You may not want to write, but you like the feeling of accomplishment.
You may not want to wake up early, but you like the calm beauty of morning.

Remark: Wanting is the desire you feel before doing something. Liking is the satisfaction you feel after doing something. Let your likes guide you. The trick is to remember that the joy comes not from the start, but from the finish.

(Rubin 2025)

“Happiness doesn’t always make us feel happy. Living up to our values, challenging ourselves, facing our mistakes, depriving ourselves… these aims make our lives happier, but they don’t always make us feel happy in the moment.” — Gretchen Rubin

Delayed gratification isn’t about surrounding yourself with temptations and hoping to say no to them. No one is good at that. The smart way to handle long-term thinking is enjoying what you’re doing day to day enough that the terminal rewards don’t constantly cross your mind.

Do hard things

Stanford Marshmallow Experiment

Rubin, Gretchen. 2025. Secrets of Adulthood: Simple Truths for Our Complex Lives. First edition. New York: Crown. ↩

Every single day, chop wood, carry water

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 7 min read

“We are what we repeatedly do.” — Aristotle

“There isn’t anything that isn’t made easier through constant familiarity and training. Through training we can change; we can transform ourselves.” — Dalai Lama

“The wedding (or honeymoon holiday) is an event, love is a practice. The graduation is an event, education is a practice. The race is an event, fitness is a practice. The heart, mind, and body are endless pursuits.” — James Clear

“There are no quick fixes. But, by taking action just a little bit every day, you will build up a powerful reservoir of confidence, self-esteem, and discipline.” — Scott Allan

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” — Confucius

If you want to succeed, both in markets and life, the first rule is you have to survive, you have to stay in the game.

“Our culture has become hooked on the quick-fix, the life hack, efficiency. Everyone is on the hunt for that simple action algorithm that nets maximum profit with the least amount of effort. There’s no denying this attitude may get you some of the trappings of success, if you’re lucky, but it will not lead to a calloused mind or self-mastery. If you want to master the mind and remove your governor, you’ll have to become addicted to hard work. Because passion and obsession, even talent, are only useful tools if you have the work ethic to back them up.”

[@leeBeWaterMy2020]

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times” — Shannon Lee ¹ ²

“Dreams are built on discipline; discipline is built on habits; habits are built on training. And training takes place in every single second and every situation of your life.” — Will Smith, Will

“Don’t stop. Don’t even think about stopping until you get there, and don’t give much thought to where ‘there’ is. Whatever comes, just don’t stop.” — Phil Knight

“Every day of our lives, we are on the verge of making those slight changes that would make all the difference.” — Mignon McLaughlin

“Mastery is not a function of genius or talent, it is a function of time and intense focus applied to a particular field of knowledge.” — Robert Greene

“Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still.” — Chinese Proverb ³

Persistence can change failure into extraordinary achievement.

圓規為什麼可以畫圓？因爲腳在走，心不變。人為什麼不能圓夢？因爲心不定，腳不動。

騏驥一躍，不能十步，駑馬十駕，功在不舍。

專心致志聰明才智

只有累積，沒有奇蹟。

There is a Zen Buddhist saying: “What do you do before enlightenment? Chop wood, carry water. What do you do after enlightenment? Chop wood, carry water.”

The task doesn’t change. Only your relationship to it does.

最無聊的練習，沉澱出最扎實的基本功（groundwork）

“No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell.” — Carl Jung

“When the root is strong, the fruit is sweet.” — Bob Marley

先為不可勝，以待敵之可勝 —《孫子兵法》

蹲馬步 — 持續地把每件瑣 (碎的小) 事循序漸進、按部就班地做好才是成功的關鍵。
一步一步來，有一才有二
Take one step at a time. Walk before you run.
「修身、齊家、治國、平天下」

Behaviors are unlikely to stick unless they are repeated.

Lessons are unlikely to stick unless they are repeated.

Love is unlikely to stick unless it is repeated.

The practice solidifies.

細水長流

螞蟻搬象

希臘神話中薛西佛斯 (Sisyphus) 推石頭的故事

Sisyphean: 形容「永無盡頭而又徒勞無功的任務」

瀝青滴漏實驗 (The Pitch Drop Experiment)

The “Consistently Good Rather Than Occasionally Great” Principle

Continuous effort, not strength or intelligence, is the key to unlocking our potential.

Doing a thing once is nothing special. You’re only a legend if you can do it back to back to back with thousands of hours of meticulous preparation.

大樹不是一夜之間就可以長出來的 — 你必須在多年前就種下樹苗，經過多年的悉心培養與照料，最後才能享受綠蔭。

4

The None-Zero Day Principle — becoming one is non-zero.

Embrace the daily mundane activities / ordinary actions. Find the lifelong rhythm.

“It’s easier to hold your principles 100 percent of the time than it is to hold them 98 percent of the time.” — Clayton M. Christensen, How Will You Measure Your Life?

“To keep on going, you have to keep up the rhythm.” — Haruki Murakami, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

“Somerset Maugham once wrote that in each shave lies a philosophy. I couldn’t agree more. No matter how mundane some action might appear, keep at it long enough and it becomes contemplative, even meditative act.” — Haruki Murakami, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

英國作家毛姆曾寫道：「每次刮鬍子都蘊含著一種哲學。」我深表認同。無論一個動作看起來多麼平凡、無聊，只要持續夠久，它就會變成一種深沉的、近乎冥想般的行為。

It’s easier to keep up than to catch up.
It’s easier to stay motivated when you have momentums.

The One Percent Rule

恆毅力 (Grit) = perseverance and passion for very long term goals

Slow and steady wins the race.

Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another.
Don’t mistake hustle for grit. Real grit is finishing what you start when it’s no longer exciting. It’s important to knowing when to grit and when to quit.

芬蘭語 Sisu

Committing yourself to Constant And Never-Ending Improvement

“Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” — Pablo Picasso

Inspiration is merely the reward for working every day.

Daily work beats natural gift every time. I may be weak, but I am consistent like the sunrise. My weakness becomes strength when I feed it with work.

Show up, then show up again

Be ware of blind consistency

Something small, every day

我不怕練一萬種拳的人，但我怕一種拳練一萬次的人。 ⌃
The only dangerous competitors are the hyper-focused ones. ⌃
做該做的事，該發生的事就會發生。 ⌃
Every day (identity) is easier than most days (negotiation). ⌃

Goggins, David. 2018. Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds. Erscheinungsort nicht ermittelbar: Lioncrest publishing. ↩

Kindness

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” — Mark Twain

“Kindness is as important as knowledge.” — Megan Smith

“Kindness is universal. Sometimes being kind allows others to see the goodness in humanity through you. Always be kinder than necessary.” — Germany Kent

“Kindness begins with the understanding that we all struggle.” — Charles Glassman

“Treat everyone with politeness and kindness, not because they are nice, but because you are.” — Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

“Each planet has its own orbit agenda. Think of people close to you as planets. Sometimes it’s nice to just watch them orbit and shine.” — Yoko Ono

“It only takes a split second to smile and forget, yet to someone that needed it, it can last a lifetime.” — Steve Maraboli

“Help others for all the times that you have been ignored. Be kind to others, for all the times that you have been scorned.” — Ming-Dao Deng

“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the greatest intention.” — Khalil Gibran

“There is no single act of greatness, just a series of small acts done with great passion or great love.” — Joe Dominguez, Your Money or Your Life

“A gentle word, a kind look can work wonders.” — William Hazlitt

= 仁慈 = 慈悲

It’s always nice to be nice.

A gentle word turns away storm.

Sometimes the greatest act of kindness is…

to pretend you haven’t already heard that story before.
to not tell people that they have a sunburn, bug bite, or zit.

There is no small act of kindness. Every act of kindness creates a ripple with no logical end. Every compassionate act makes large the world.

Treat everyone as equal, regardless of status or age. Avoid hierarchical thinking.

You are how you treat people when nobody’s watching. Character is who you are when nobody’s watching.

You can tell a lot about someone’s character by the way they treat service staff like waiters, guards, cashiers, etc.

觀察一個人對待服務生/侍者的態度，就可以大致看出一個人的真實性格。若是採取冷漠和輕視的態度，或是命令的口氣，就可以知道這個人不適合長期來往，因為有很大的機率，他們內心有一種優越感，認為自己比別人高級，缺乏站在他人角度思考的同理心。

Treating people with deference — whether they’re above you (superior), beside you (peer), or below you (subordinate) — invites appreciation and earns lasting respect.

善的循環

Being early can be a form of generosity. You wait, so they don’t have to.
Leaving something unsaid can be a form of generosity. You don’t always need the last word.
Delivering your work on time can be a form of generosity. You make life easier for everyone downstream.
Not taking things personally can be a form of generosity. You give people the space to say things imperfectly.

Courtesy and kindness cost nothing, except for the time it takes to shift your attention away from yourself.

Empathy

The Small-World Phenomenon

Kintsugi

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

Kintsugi—the Japanese practice of repairing broken pottery with gold, rendering a new piece that is more exquisite than it was before the break.

The Story of the Cracked Pot

Self-compassion

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

“The man who renounces himself, comes to himself.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“A moment of self-compassion can change your entire day. A string of such moments can change the course of your life.” — Christopher Germer

“I must also have a dark side if I am to be whole.” — Carl Jung

“What you deny subdues you. What you accept transforms you.” — Carl Jung

“Compassion is not complete if it does not include oneself.” — Allan Lokos

“Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.” — Buddha

“Instead of shaming your emotions, try to understand what they are telling you.” — Lindsay C. Gibson

“The truth is: Belonging starts with self-acceptance. Your level of belonging, in fact, can never be greater than your level of self-acceptance, because believing that you’re enough is what gives you the courage to be authentic, vulnerable and imperfect.” — Brene Brown

“If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.” — Jack Kornfield

“The goal is not to show how great you are to others, but how vulnerable you are to yourself.” — Maxime Lagace

“As you gain fame, as you gain fortune, as you gain position and seniority, people will treat you better. — They will hold doors open for you. They will get you a cup of tea and coffee without you even asking. — None of that stuff is meant for you. That stuff is meant for the position you hold. It is meant to the level you have achieved of leader or success or whatever you want to call it, but remember: you will always deserve a Styrofoam cup.” — Simon Sinek

“Harsh self-criticism activates the sympathetic nervous system (fight/flight) and elevates stress hormones. Self-compassion, on the other hand, triggers the mammalian caregiving system and hormones of affiliation and love such as oxytocin.” — Marc Brackett, Permission to Feel: The Power of Emotional Intelligence to Achieve Well-Being and Success


_Source

Stop hating yourself for everything you aren’t. Start loving yourself for everything you are.

Love yourself first, because that’s who you’ll be spending the rest of your life with.

人生，就是要適時地放過自己、停止自我攻擊。永遠要寬容、慈悲地對待自己。展現自我同情。

“You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” — Dhammapada

If you truly loved yourself, you would never harm another.

Being kind to others is mostly about your actions. Being kind to yourself is mostly about your thoughts.

接納自己的第一步是停止拿自己和別人比較。

“The first step to accepting yourself is to stop comparing yourself to others.” — Joe Duncan

To embrace oneself fully, to understand our imperfections, to accept one’s truth, and still maintain the desire for growth and change, is to live a fulfilling life. Forgive yourself. You are a human, not a machine.

Embrace every aspect of yourself (your entirety), including strengths and weaknesses, rather than striving for an unattainable ideal of perfection. You are a perfectly imperfect person. You are whole in your own right. When you authentically manifest your deep presence in the world, every action becomes a natural expression of your truth. Truth is more than just honesty or the absence of lies. It is a deeper connection to who you truly are, an alignment with your soul. 💪

Be forgiving with your past self. What’s done is done. We just need to tweak the system rather than beating ourselves up.

I soothe myself by using a term of endearment in my head. Whenever I make a mistake, feel down, or get flustered, I gently tell myself, “It’s okay, sweetie.”

You don’t need to solve every problem right now, only those that stand in your way.

A Letter to My Body

The Reitoff Principle

The most productive people prioritize intentional rest

Your relationship with yourself sets the tone for every other relationships you have

Wabi-sabi

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

侘 = wabi = ㄔㄚˋ
寂 = sabi = ㄐㄧˊ

接受不完美的日式生活美學

The Story of the Cracked Pot

Wu Wei

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 5 min read

“Nature never hurries, yet everything is accomplished.” — Lao Tzu

道常無為而無不為。

“We do so much, we run so quickly, the situation is difficult, and many people say, “Don’t just sit there, do something.” But doing more things may make the situation worse. So you should say, “Don’t just do something, sit there.” Sit there, stop, be yourself first, and begin from there.” — Thích Nhất Hạnh, Being Peace

“Don’t underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.” — A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” — A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

“Doing nothing often leads to the very best of something.” — A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

“Better remain silent, better not even think, if you are not prepared to act.” — Annie Besant

Wu Wei (無為) is a cornerstone concept in Taoism, most prominently expounded in the Tao Te Ching (道德經) by Lao Tzu and the Zhuangzi (莊子) by Chuang Tzu. It describes a mode of being in which action arises naturally ¹, without forced, strenuous effort ² — like a tree growing toward sunlight or water finding its way downhill. ³

In the Taoist worldview, the Tao (道) — the fundamental principle underlying all reality — operates through Wu Wei. The Tao does not try to create the seasons or shift the tides; it simply does what it does by virtue of being what it is.

A concept meaning inexertion or effortless action (like breathing)
A state of personal harmony and free-flowing
≠ 什麼事都不做、整天無所事事
It doesn’t mean inaction, laziness, or passivity, but rather not forcing things unnaturally. Just as water flows best when unobstructed, life unfolds most harmoniously when we don’t constantly interfere.
= 無為而治，不為自己的利益和欲望做事
- 「取天下也，恆無事；及其有事也，不足以取天下。」
- 「我無為而民自化，我好靜而民自正，我無事而民自富，我無欲而民自樸。」

Philosopher Alan Watts believed that Wu Wei can be described as “not-forcing.”

The drift of things; going with the flow. It is the art of sailing, rather than rowing.
The river is not pushed from behind, nor is it pulled from ahead. It falls with gravity.

Doing nothing can be surprisingly productive. I’ve experienced Wu Wei in my life when I’ve chosen not to immediately act on something, embrace stillness, or simply do nothing.

The paradox is that Wu Wei requires immense discipline to achieve, yet the result appears completely natural.

A jazz musician improvises freely — but only after thousands of hours of practice.
A master archer releases the arrow without aiming — but only after years of refining form.
A skilled calligrapher does not think about each brushstroke — the years of practice have been internalized so thoroughly that the brush moves “by itself.”

Wu Wei is the fruit of deep preparation, not its absence.

萬物都有個「相對性」，自然也有一個「順序」。若能順應這個自然運作的原理，與其共存，你就不需要再多做什麼，因為自然是經過長時間才形成的東西，早就達成一個「平衡」的狀態。

發呆比賽（Space-Out Competition）是由韓國視覺藝術家 Woopsyang 於 2014 年發起的行為藝術活動，旨在反思現代社會高壓、過勞與追求效率的生活型態。比賽中，參賽者必須在指定時間（通常約 90 分鐘）內維持「什麼都不做」的狀態，且不能使用手機、不能交談，也不能睡著。看似簡單，實則極具挑戰，藉此邀請人們重新思考「放空」的價值，以及在忙碌生活中保留片刻喘息與覺察的重要性。⁴

Sit for three minutes, follow two rules:

Don’t do anything.
Be content.

By “don’t do anything,” I mean don’t move, don’t fidget, don’t indulge any thoughts or daydreams. You’re allowed to breathe, and blink.

By “be content,” I mean be completely okay with your experience of doing nothing. Don’t try to change anything, and don’t get impatient with what’s happening. Be completely okay for three minutes.

It’s oddly difficult to do nothing, and while you’re doing nothing, it’s oddly difficult to feel at ease. There’s such a strong urge to do something: look around the room, rehash a conversation, explore your incisors with your tongue, wiggle your toes, anything. When you stop doing everything and just exist, you almost feel like you’re dying.

Niksen，荷蘭引以為傲的生活哲學，也就是無所事事。

Mr. Donothing

Why do some animals spend so much time just doing nothing?

Not caring lets us perform better

Ego-less, unattached ⌃
Ego-driven, attached to outcome ⌃
Observe nature. The river does not push the current; the tree does not strain to grow. They simply follow their nature. ⌃
being left alone with their thoughts ⌃

How Money Actually Works

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

“It’s a very human ingredient called belief. This guy believes gold is valuable and so does this guy… If someone believes that gold is valuable and so does another person that belief turns metal into a system.”

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned on my journey from a hundred million to a hundred billion dollars it’s that wealth begets more wealth.”

“When you have wealth and ownership of assets in a capitalistic system, you become impervious, you can build a fortress of wealth that just keeps growing.”

“This isn’t a broken system. This is a system working exactly how it was designed by policy choices and decisions.”

People making $1,000,000/yr have convinced people making$ 100,000/yr that people making $30,000/yr are the problem.

Quit hitting the snooze button

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“Snooze button is a dream killer. When you press the snooze button, you’re killing your dreams. So, don’t touch the snooze button.” — Jocko Willink

“The test is not a complex one: when the alarm goes off, do you get up out of bed, or do you lie there in comfort and fall back to sleep? If you have the discipline to get out of bed, you win—you pass the test. If you are mentally weak for that moment and you let that weakness keep you in bed, you fail. Though it seems small, that weakness translates to more significant decisions. But if you exercise discipline, that too translates to more substantial elements of your life.” — Jocko Willink, Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win

Unsere Träume können wir erst dann verwirklichen, wenn wir uns entschließen, einmal daraus zu erwachen.

當我們決定從夢中醒來時，我們才有可能實現自己的夢想。


_Source

When you wake up in the morning, you have two choices: go back to sleep, or wake up and chase those dreams.
When you hit snooze, you’re telling your hopes and dreams that they can wait.
Remember why you are doing this: You get only one life, one that is not rewarded for staying in bed, one that does not move forward because you stole an extra five minutes of your life.
- If you want more sleep, you need to get to bed earlier, not wake up later.
- Going back to sleep for a few minutes actually leaves you more tired/lazier/groggier than waking up immediately. Set your alarm and stick to it.
- You cannot miss out your magical time in the morning. You cannot miss out the only opportunity to win the morning and the entire day.

Snerdle

The Breeze at Dawn

At Dawn

The Breeze at Dawn

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don’t go back to sleep.

You must ask for what you really want. Don’t go back to sleep.

People are going back and forth across the doorsill where the two worlds touch.

The door is round and open. Don’t go back to sleep.

Fame

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” — William Shakespeare

“You want to be rich and anonymous, not poor and famous.” — Naval Ravikant

“It’s better that it’s earned fame. The fame you get by serving others is an earned fame which give you respect.” — Naval Ravikant

“Popular is even weirder. Turns out, it’s not the same thing as having friends at all.” — Meg Medina, Merci Suárez Changes Gears

is a “social debt.”

Don’t volunteer information. Don’t tell people more than they need to know. Respect your privacy. ¹

You must learn to enjoy life without needing an audience to see that you are enjoying life.

Travel and tell no one. Live a true love story and tell no one. Live happily and tell no one.

People ruin beautiful things.

People can’t ruin what they don’t know. Privacy is power. Don’t overshare.

Keep quiet about your… (不要張揚這些事)

Income
Big Plan
Love Life
Next Move
Family Issues

The better people get to know one another, the more differences they tend to notice—and the more likely they are to dislike each other.

Never try to be famous — it’s a trap.

Less eyes on you = more freedom

高處不勝寒

「戥秤」是用來稱量金、銀或貴重藥材等微小單位的精密小秤。這句話比喻「群眾的眼睛是雪亮的」或「紙包不住火」，鄰里對你家的經濟狀況、財產或收入往往心中有數，常用來勸人腳踏實地、坦蕩做人，不要虛張聲勢或刻意裝窮。

Becoming famous is amazing.
Being famous is a mixed bag ².
Losing fame is miserable.

Manage the gap between expectations and reality

The richest people in the world have full-time security teams whose sole job is to monitor, protect, and scrub that personal information from public records and data brokers. ⌃
形容某種人事物或經歷中，同時包含好與壞、優與劣的元素。 ⌃

Information Overwhelm

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 7 min read

資訊爆炸/洪流的時代
- In the age of…
  - Information abundance/overload
  - Infinite information on the internet
- We all live in a consumption-oriented life. Fast consumption, constant consumption, more consumption.
- The internet has democratized access to information — but without commensurate wisdom in filtering it, more access often leads to more noise, not more signal.
“The Never-Ending Now” by David Perell
The web collapses time, making everything feel immediate and equally urgent. We lose the ability to distinguish between what matters in the current moment and what matters in the long run.
數位焦慮 FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)
Most of us only consume contents created…
- within the last 24 hours (e.g., news)
- recommended by the “For You” algorithm (e.g., YT videos, SM feeds)
Functional Illiteracy

Just-In-Case → Just-In-Time
- It’s not enough to use information for “something” — it needs to be immediate and important. If “no” on either count, don’t consume it. Information is useless if it is not applied to something important or if you will forget it before you have a chance to apply it.
- Most “Just-In-Case” information sits in bookmark folders, read-it-later queues, and saved-for-later tabs — never to be seen again. Treating information as a resource to be “stockpiled” misunderstands its nature: information degrades in relevance over time.
Reactive → Proactive

See: Human Sponges
- Develop the habit of asking yourself, “Will I definitely use this information for something immediate and important?” before consuming any content
- Shift from passive consumption (“What does the internet say?”) to active inquiry (“What am I curious about today? What do I genuinely want to understand?”).
- Proactive consumption means setting an intention before opening a feed, video, or article.
  
  “The key is to stop foregrounding the tool — the stream — and learn instead to change our relationship to information, to cultivate a more mindful and intentional state of mind about when, why, and how we take things in.” — David Sax, The Revenge of Analog
  - What question am I trying to answer?
  - What problem am I trying to solve?
Answer → Questions

See: How to ask good and right questions
- The internet is exceptional at giving you answers — but terrible at teaching you which questions are worth asking. In a world where ChatGPT, Google, and Wikipedia can surface an answer to almost anything in seconds, the scarce skill is no longer finding answers — it’s formulating the right questions.
- A good question cuts through the noise. Time spent refining your question is time spent sharpening your filter. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, every answer will seem relevant — and none will truly serve you.
Fast, excessive consumption → Slow, gradual engagement
- Skimming replaces reading. Headlines replace articles. Clicks replace understanding.
- Speed is the enemy of depth. Slow reading. Slow watching. Slow thinking. Slow down.
FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) → JOMO (Joy Of Missing Out)
- “Try to get to the bottom of things, not stay on top of things.”
- 不要害怕錯過資訊，因為如果是真的很重要的資訊，它會再次出現在我們眼前
  
  就跟手機來電一樣，如果真的很重要，對方會再打一次；如果沒有再次來電，代表沒有很重要。
- Practice strategic ignorance. Be selectively ignorant. Sometimes, choosing what to pay attention to and letting go of the rest is true bliss. ¹
  
  Ignorance is bliss. (無知便是福。)
  
  “Half the skill of being educated is learning what you can ignore.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier
  
  “Ignore topics that drain your attention. Unfollow people that drain your energy. Abandon projects that drain your time. Do not keep up with it all. The more selectively ignorant you become, the more broadly knowledgeable you can be.” — James Clear
- News Sobriety
- JOMO is not about apathy — it’s about liberation. The freedom to say, “I don’t need to know that, and I’m okay with not knowing it.”
The Laundry Cycle Mentality
- Think about the areas of your life where you are placing unnecessary pressure on yourself to have everything in a “completed” state, e.g., to-read pile (Read-It-Later → Never-Read-It).
- Perhaps that area is better viewed as a RIVER than as a BUCKET — as a dynamic cycle, not a static state.
- Your reading list, inbox, and watch-later queue are not tasks to be completed — they are streams to be sampled. Dip in, take what’s useful, and let the rest flow past.
Build a note-taking habit and an idea-capturing system
- The act of writing something down in your own words forces comprehension. If you can’t explain it simply, you haven’t understood it yet.
- Cognitive Offload: instead of trying to hold everything in your head, trust the system to hold it for you. This frees mental bandwidth for higher-order thinking.
Consume less. Reflect/Review or Create/Produce/Make/Build More.
- Embrace low-information-diet to avoid the “Mental Squeeze Point”
- Spend more time connecting dots (convergent exploiting) than you do collecting them (divergent exploring)
- Water your digital garden: regularly review and prune your notes. A neglected capture system becomes just another source of overwhelm.
- Strive for a balance between consuming and digesting information—because if you only take in content without truly processing it, you’re likely to forget most of what you encounter.
- If you decide to consume something:
  - Consume what you are going to create
    
    “The number of hours I spend consuming should never equal or exceed the number of hours I spend creating.” — Nicolas Cole, The Art and Business of Online Writing
    - Mindset Shift: Consumer → Producer
    - 帶著「輸出」的前提去「輸入」（Writing Worth Reading）
      
      當我吸收這些資訊/知識後，我要寫一篇可以公開發表的筆記或部落格文章！
  - Only consume quality contents that have stood the test of time.
    
    Hype erodes. Quality persists.
    - The Lindy Library
    - Brain Attic
  - Read fewer forecasts and more history. Study history to predict the future.
    
    “History never repeats itself. Man always does.” — Voltaire
    
    “Learn enough from history to respect one another’s delusions.” — Will Durant
    
    “Reality will pay you back in equal proportion to your delusion.” — Will Smith
    - It’s all just history repeating itself (Historic Recurrence).
    - Humans tend to repeat the mistakes humans make.
    - History provides the longest possible dataset for understanding human behavior. In a world obsessed with the new, the old becomes a genuine competitive advantage.

“We are drowning in information but starved for wisdom.” — E. O. Wilson

“Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?” — T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land and Other Poems ²

Knowledge is cumulative. Intelligence is selective. It’s a matter of efficiency versus effectiveness.

“To attain knowledge add things every day. To attain wisdom subtract things every day.” — Lao Tzu

Information is raw, abundant, and cheap. Knowledge is processed, organized, and connected to experience. Wisdom is knowing which knowledge to apply, when, and why.
Transforming information into true, critical knowledge requires focused attention and memory consolidation.
The pipeline: Data → Information → Knowledge → Wisdom. Most of us stop at the first step — data consumption — and mistake it for the last.
批判 & 獨立思考的能力至關重要

但要小心「無知的樂觀（dumb ignorant）」 ⌃
智慧是知識的恰當運用 ⌃

Supplements

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“Be the kind of person who takes supplements, then skip the supplements.” — Michael Pollan, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual

Effervescent Tablets (發泡錠)

Supplement to Microspike Dopamine

500mg of Phenethylamine (PEA) + 300mg of Alpha-GPC (+ 500mg of L-Tyrosine) prior to a hard workout or focused cognitive work

聰明藥/認知增強劑 (= Smart Drugs = Cognitive Enhancers = Brain Supplements = Nootropics)

micro dose of LSD ¹
Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN)
- Dosage: 1 gram daily (pharmaceutical quality)
- NMN serves as a building block for NAD+, crucial for producing energy at the cellular level
Resveratrol
- Dosage: 1 gram daily with yogurt
Quercetin
- Dosage: 500mg
Metformin
- Dosage: 800mg at night
Vitamin D3 & K2
Omega-3 Fish Oil
- Taken nightly
Alpha Lipoic Acid + Coenzyme Q10 = Statins
Caffeine
Glutamine
Alpha GPC
L. Tyrosine
Creatine

紅景天

Supplement Choice
- ✅ Vitamin C, Zinc, *Fish Oil (Omega-3), Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3
  - Should ideally be taken with a meal for optimal absorption
- ❌ Multivitamins
Supplement Form
- ✅ Pills, Tablets, Capsules (w/o sweeteners)
- ❌ Chewable Tablets, Powders, Liquids, Gummies (w/ sweeteners)
Don’t take them with hot drinks like coffee or tea, but with water or orange juice
Don’t double up if you miss a dose, just take it at the next scheduled time
Keep supplements in a cool, dry, and dark place
It’s okay to swallow supplements in forms of pills, tablets and capsules while fasting (i.e., on empty stomach), since they do not carry added sugar or calories and are unlikely to affect insulin levels. Therefore, you can safely take them during your fasting window without having to break your fasted state.
魚油中包含的兩種脂肪酸 (2 types of omega-3 fats)
- EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid)
- DHA (Docosahexanoic Acid)
The Depot Effect: supplements are gradually released for hours and thus provided to the body through smaller “portions”, which are distributed throughout the day
Resveratrol: (1) a chemical mostly found in red grapes and products made from these grapes (e.g., wine) (2) helpful for type 2 diabetes
蝦清素

Evidence-based Analysis on Supplements & Nutrition | Examine

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/542554-taking-lsd-was-a-profound-experience-one-of-the-most ⌃

How to use AI effectively

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 6 min read

The dumbest person you know is currently being told “You’re absolutely right!” by ChatGPT.

AI 是想法的「放大器/加速器」，而不是想法的「產生器」。¹

一種是找「陪練」，一種是請「代打」。

The intended roles AI should play: Treat it as a collaborative partner—an assistant, co-worker, helper, coach, or adviser—not a contractor to whom you completely delegate your tasks and offload your responsibilities. Remember: What you outsource will atrophy.

AI is an eager intern or new grad hire, not a senior engineer. Give it the work nobody else wants, check every output, and never hand mission-critical work to it.

Analogy:

「0 到 1」的突破仰賴人類的創造力，而 AI 工具則擅長將「1 到 100」的流程高效擴展。
備料 → 煮飯 — 人類準備原料（想法、脈絡、上下文、線索），AI 負責烹調上菜
點 → 線 + 面 — 人類提供零散點子，AI 將其串聯成有結構的成果
AI 是龍；人類是騎士

The Bicycle of the Mind

AI is not just a tool, but an extension of our will, allowing us to accomplish feats that were once thought impossible.

“We humans are tool builders. […] And so for me, a computer has always been a bicycle of the mind. Something that takes us far beyond our inherent abilities.” — Steve Jobs

人類的價值：定義問題＋用全域視野調度 AI 工具
人：決定什麼是對的事；AI：負責把事情給做對

For many tasks, the human is the bottleneck, not the model, because the difficult part is in communicating to the model exactly what kind of solution the human wants. The information is “in the model” already, but it takes a very smart human to pull it out.
所有的瓶頸（Bottleneck）最終都回歸到人類自己身上 — 那就是「你的認知能力」與「你知不知道自己要什麼」

I think before I prompt. I clarify the problem, my perspective, and what I actually believe before asking a machine to weigh in.
I write before I refine. I force myself to produce a bad first draft before touching any tools.
I decide before I optimize. I form an initial core judgement by myself, then use tools to pressure-test or improve it.

Prompt Engineering (提示詞工程)
Context Engineering (脈絡工程)
Harness Engineering (駕馭工程)

Remember to be kind to AI. Saying “please” can actually improve accuracy by signaling to the model that you’re issuing a command rather than asking a question, which helps narrow the search space.

Develop an experimental mindset when using AI—treating it as a partner to learn from through trial and error.

AI tools are a force multiplier. Not for code generation ², but for the hardest part of software development: learning new things, and applying them appropriately. Don’t use it solely to gather information. Treat it as a personalized learning companion/tutorial to explore ideas and deepen your understanding of key concepts. ³ Be sure to take notes along the way.

Never consume “LLM copy-pasta” without scrutiny. ⁴ Always validate the information and think critically using your own understanding.

In my opinion, the biggest issue is the complete lack of problem-solving and debugging skills. The second is an over-reliance—you can’t do anything without it guiding you step by step.

A good LLM serves as a great groove-greaser / a productivity catalyst—helping you dive into focused work (e.g., boilerplates) or more informed research faster. It’s invaluable for filling in the gaps. ⁵ For example, onboarding faster into unfamiliar codebases—ask AI to explain, summarize, or navigate the code.

AI tools are ironically way more useful for experienced devs than novices.

Bad programmer + AI = Lots of bad code
Medium programmer + AI = Lots of medium code
Great programmer + AI = Lots of great code

Low-skill developers can produce bad code much faster, while high-skill developers can produce good code even faster.

Best practices for using AI in VS Code

⭐️ Write natural language comments before coding:
- Helps in generating more relevant code
- Works well for boilerplate and repetitive tasks
Use Copilot as an assistant, not a replacement :
- Still apply your own coding knowledge
- Use Copilot to explore alternative solutions
- Never blindly accept Copilot’s suggestions—review for:
  - Correctness (logic, syntax, and expected output)
  - Security risks (avoiding hardcoded secrets or unsafe patterns)
  - Performance considerations
Keep chat history relevant. Provide the right context.
- Reference files, folders, or symbols in your prompt by using #<file name>, #<folder name>, or #<symbol>.
- Drag and drop files, folders, or editor tabs onto the chat prompt.
- Add problems, test failures, or terminal output to your prompt.
- Add images or screenshots to your prompt.

修潤，而非生成。 ⌃
Why? They often hallucinate confidently.（一本正經地胡說八道/講幹話、似是而非、包裝得煞有其事） ⌃
Surface knowledge is easy. Real knowledge still has to be earned. ⌃
Even when you copy code from elsewhere, you should always type it out manually. Why? It helps reinforce the syntax and structure in your mind. By physically typing the code, you engage more actively with it, which can lead to better understanding and retention. ⌃
Most of a software engineer’s work doesn’t involve writing everything from scratch, but rather adapting new requirements into layers of code shaped by generations of other engineers. In these situations, what’s truly needed is patience—and a deep understanding of how others have built and thought through the system. ⌃

Prompt Engineering

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

Source: Prompting Best Practices - Claude

Set the frame first. Give a role in the system prompt, patterned as expert + task: “You are a helpful coding assistant specializing in Python.” Be explicit about format and constraints, and use numbered steps when order or completeness matters.
Be imperative, clear, and concrete. Ask for the change, not for suggestions; say what to do, not what to avoid.
- Less effective: “Can you suggest some changes to improve this function?”
- More effective: “Change this function to improve its performance.”
Explain why. The model generalizes from the reason, not just the rule.
- Less effective: “NEVER use ellipses.”
- More effective: “Your response will be read aloud by a text-to-speech engine, so never use ellipses, since the engine won’t know how to pronounce them.”
⭐️ Structure the input. Tag each content type with XML — <instructions>, <context>, <input>, <examples> — so instructions don’t blur into data, and show 3–5 relevant, diverse examples for anything with a repeated format.
- Tag the long or ambiguous part and leave short details inline: wrap the pasted code in <code>…</code>, but mention the language as a plain sentence — “The code is written in Python.”
Long input first, question last. Put documents above the query, and have it quote the relevant passages into <quotes> before answering.
⭐️ Ask it to reason, then to check itself. “Think thoroughly” beats a hand-written step-by-step plan, and a self-check against explicit criteria catches errors in coding and math.
- Give it somewhere to think (chain of thought): “In a <scratchpad>, brainstorm 3 options and give a brief rationale for each.”
Match the prompt’s style to the output you want. Markdown-heavy prompts breed markdown-heavy answers; for long-form writing, ask for flowing prose and reserve lists for genuinely discrete items.
Dial the aggression down. “CRITICAL: you MUST…” now over-triggers on current models — plain “Use this tool when…” is enough.
Ask for above and beyond explicitly. Current models follow instructions literally instead of inferring ambition.
- Less effective: “Create an analytics dashboard.”
- More effective: “Create an analytics dashboard. Include as many relevant features and interactions as possible. Go beyond the basics to create a fully-featured implementation.”
Ask for clarifying questions. End every prompt with “before answering, ask as many clarifying questions as needed” — it forces hidden assumptions into the open before the model commits to an answer.
Define every term that matters. Spell out each important term so nothing is assumed or vague.
Constrain scope and set the brakes. Only the requested or clearly necessary changes; confirm before anything destructive, hard to reverse, or visible to others.

Source: ChatGPT Prompt Engineering for Developers - DeepLearning.AI by Andrew Ng

Start general, then get specific. Open broad, then add constraints in follow-ups:
- “Generate a Calculator class.”
- “Add methods for addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and factorial.”
- “Don’t use any external libraries and don’t use recursion.”
Break the task down. Instead of “build a meal planner app,” ask for one function at a time: ingredients → recipes, recipes → shopping list, recipes → weekly meal plan.
Iterate instead of rewriting. Refine with follow-up prompts:
- “Write a function to calculate the factorial of a number.”
- “Don’t use recursion and optimize by using caching.”
- “Use meaningful variable names.”

The best way to create prompts is to ask the AI agent to create them for you.

Getting Started with AI: Good Enough Prompting

Be primarily internally driven with intrinsic motivation

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 6 min read

“Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.” — Napoleon Bonaparte

“The appetite for applause counts amongst the lowest of human character traits.” — Jan-Willem van der Rijt

“It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.” — Dhammapada

“In our culture we tend to equate thinking and intellectual powers with success and achievement. In many ways, however, it is an emotional quality that separates those who master a field from the many who simply work at a job. Our levels of desire, patience, persistence, and confidence end up playing a much larger role in success than sheer reasoning powers. Feeling motivated and energized, we can overcome almost anything. Feeling bored and restless, our minds shut off and we become increasingly passive.” — Robert Greene, Mastery

“Self-respect is produced by inner triumphs, not external ones.” — David Brooks, The Road to Character

內（在）驅（動）力

Humans are socially conditioned in nature — we are driven for external and social validation from others.

(Pink 2011)

Autonomy: being in control and able to guide both what we do and how we do it
Mastery: our desire to continually be improving and learning and bettering ourselves
Purpose: working towards something we think is worthwhile. Having a North Star to aim for and a reason it’s worth doing what we’re doing.

Self-Determination Theory (SDT) distinguishes between intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. SDT suggests that human thriving occurs when three basic psychological needs are met:

Autonomy — Feeling in control of one’s own actions and decisions.
Competence — Feeling capable and effective in one’s activities.
Relatedness — Feeling connected to others.

The theory argues that when the three basic needs are satisfied, people are more likely to be intrinsically motivated.

Your external reality is often a manifestation of your internal reality. Don’t look out, look in.

Focus on the Inner Scorecard, not the external/social approval/validation/affirmation/rewards (追求外在成就 ¹)

“Compete externally and you compare. Compete internally and you improve.” — James Clear

Internal Competitiveness means you want to get better than your past self. This makes you happy.
External Competitiveness means you want to beat other people. This makes you unhappy.

Autotelic people (成長心態) enjoy the journey as they work toward a goal.
Exotelic people (定型心態) only care about reaching the goal, no matter what.

The Djokovic Rule: Do You Like Hitting The Ball?

In 2015, during a high-profile “Lunch with the FT” interview with the Financial Times, tennis legend Novak Djokovic was asked about the drivers behind his exceptional, relentless on-court success.

His response was simple:

I can carry on playing at this level because I like hitting the tennis ball.

When the interviewer asked whether there were professional players who don’t enjoy it, he continued:

There are people out there who don’t have the right motivation. I can see it. But I don’t judge. I completely respect everybody’s freedom of choice. If it works for them…

Djokovic’s ultimate competitive advantage is his intrinsic love for the mundane, repetitive daily grind of the sport. He sustains greatness because he genuinely loves the process itself.

Good Questions

Would you rather be the world’s greatest lover, but have everyone think you’re the world’s worst lover? Or would you rather be the world’s worst lover but have everyone think you’re the world’s greatest lover?
If the world couldn’t see your results, would you rather be thought of as the world’s greatest investor but in reality have the world’s worst record? Or be thought of as the world’s worst investor when you were actually the best?
Would you still be interested in buying/learning ²/doing this thing if you cannot show it to anyone or tell anyone about it except yourself?

David Brooks - Résumé Virtues (履歷美德) & Eulogy Virtues (悼詞美德)

“Decide what you would like your obituary to say, and live the life to deserve it.” — Warren Buffet in his final letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders

The Two Side of Our Natures, which are at war with each other. We happen to live in a society that favors Adam I, and often neglects Adam II.

(Soloveitchik 2006)

Adam I	Adam II
the ambitious side of our nature	the humble side of our nature
wants to conquer the world	wants to obey the world
savors accomplishments	savors inner consistency and strength
asks how things work	ask why we’re here
motto is “success”	motto is “love, redemption, and return”
run by external/economic logic: input leads to output, risk leads to reward, etc.	run by internal/inverse/moral logic: you have to give in order to receive, you have to surrender to something outside yourself in order to gain strength within yourself, you have to conquer the desire in order to get what you want, you have to forget yourself in order to fulfill yourself, you have to lose yourself in order to find yourself, etc.
built by building your strength	built by fighting your weaknesses

In a scene from the television series Yellowstone, Travis gives Jimmy a piece of hard-earned advice drawn from years on the rodeo circuit:

Travis: So why do you do it?

Jimmy: I don’t know, I like the lights, I like the crowd, I like the…they f*cking like me.

Travis: What about the horses? Do you like them?…

Let me tell you something, Jimmy. To be any good at this game…you gotta do it for the horse.

And where you’re going, a horse is going to be your only f*cking friend and you two are going to have to figure it the f*ck out.

And that’s all cowboyin’ is…

It’s you and a horse, doing a job, trying like hell to not let the other down.

Don’t chase, attract

Comparison is the thief of joy

You don’t need to be liked to be loved

Mastering yourself is superpower

Why we exist?

The Motivation Triangle

皆為身外之物 ⌃
Pride is the enemy of learning. ⌃

Pink, Daniel H. 2011. Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us. Paperback ed. Edinburgh: Canongate. ↩

Soloveitchik, Joseph Dov. 2006. The Lonely Man of Faith. 1st Three Leaves Press ed. New York: Doubleday. ↩

The Lollapalooza Effect

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“The wise man looks for all the bellwethers, all the forces at work, and how they combine.” — Charlie Munger

“When you get lollapalooza effects, you get extreme outcomes, not just a little more, but a lot more.” — Charlie Munger

≈ The Synergy Effect

The Lollapalooza Effect, a term popularized by Charlie Munger, describes situations where several different psychological tendencies, incentives, or forces act together in the same direction, resulting in outcomes that are far more extreme than the sum of their parts. ¹ ²

For example, in the stock market, a combination of social proof, authority bias, and incentive-caused bias can lead to speculative bubbles, where asset prices rise far beyond their intrinsic value.

Similarly, in marketing, companies may use scarcity, social proof, and reciprocity together to drive consumer behavior to an extreme, such as during Black Friday sales.

Munger often cites the example of The Milgram Experiment, where obedience to authority and commitment bias combined to produce shocking levels of compliance.

Systems Thinking

Multiple compounding factors combine together to create something greater than its individual components. ⌃
Combined action of multiple forces can lead to extreme behaviors, decisions, or events, which are significantly more pronounced than what would be expected from any single factor. ⌃

Plant-based Diet

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

Carnivore vs Vegetarian

全/純素
五辛素
蛋奶素
鍋邊/方便素
海鮮素

↔ 寬葉羽衣甘藍 (Collard Greens)
有「青菜女王」之稱，和花椰菜一樣也是十字花科家族的一員，被視爲排毒抗癌聖品。

Eat the rainbow - 30 types of plants per week

紫色地瓜
山苦瓜

Plant-based diets may increase the risk of stroke, but this can be mitigated by restricting salt intake and ensuring adequate B12.

https://darebeets.com

Week 39, 2026

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“The best revenge is not to be like that.” — Marcus Aurelius
“You don’t need anyone’s permission to live your dream.” — Arlan Hamilton
“Approach the game with no preset agendas and you’ll probably come away surprised at your overall efforts.” — Phil Jackson
The best never get bored with the basics.
人生沒有最好的選擇，只有在選擇之後，做到最好。

網路用語 YMMV 是「Your Mileage May Vary」的縮寫，意思是「見仁見智」、「因人而異」。它被當作一種免責聲明，表示分享的觀點僅供參考。
口絡（ㄌㄨㄛˋ）muzzle：套在動物嘴上的籠套或罩子，又稱「口套」，用來防止動物咬人或亂吃東西。
原畫（original artwork）：可直接看到藝術家的筆觸、修改痕跡 ↔ 印刷品/複製品（reproduction）：如轉印貼紙/明信片
浙醋：是一種以糯米釀製、並加入紅米麴，而呈現紅褐色澤的食醋。
太平洋三大島群是指美拉尼西亞（Melanesia）、密克羅尼西亞（Micronesia）與玻里尼西亞（Polynesia）。美拉尼西亞包括新幾內亞、斐濟、索羅門群島等；密克羅尼西亞包括關島、帛琉、馬紹爾群島等；著名的「玻里尼西亞三角」由夏威夷、紐西蘭與復活節島構成，並包含薩摩亞、東加、塔希提等島嶼。三者名稱分別源自希臘文，意為「黑色島嶼」、「小島嶼」與「許多島嶼」。

The Art of Start, Stop, and Finish

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

Start slow. Finish fast.
Start cautiously. Finish strong.
Start before you’re ready. Stop before you’re exhausted.
Be naive to start. Be Show up, then show up again to finish.
Always finish what you’ve started. Never start what you can’t finish.

Temptation Bundling

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“Temptation bundling involves pairing an activity that is good for you in the long-run with an activity that feels good in the short-run.” — Katherine Milkman

“The idea behind temptation bundling is to link an action you want to do with an action you need to do, making it more likely you’ll do the hard thing because the fun thing is bundled with it.” — James Clear

by Katherine Milkman (Milkman, Minson, and Volpp 2014) (Kirgios et al. 2020)

≈ Multichannel Multitasking by Nir Eyal

≈ Mutimodality Mutitasking by Ali Abdaal

A “forcing function” refers to something that drives a desired outcome.

在討厭的事物中，附加喜歡的事物。
Linking something you enjoy with pursuing a valuable goal that might be a bit of a drag.
Pair the thing you SHOULD be doing with something you WANT to do.
Attach something you LOVE to the thing you HATE—give yourself the reward while you do the hard thing.

Temptation bundling works by leveraging the brain’s reward system. When you pair a necessary but unpleasant task with a genuinely enjoyable one, the anticipation of pleasure overrides the natural resistance to effort. This reduces the psychological friction of starting, which is often the hardest part of any task.

From a behavioral economics perspective, temptation bundling helps solve a present bias problem: we discount future rewards too steeply, so we avoid hard work today even when it benefits tomorrow. By injecting immediate pleasure into the equation, the present-moment calculus shifts in favor of action.

It also reduces the ego depletion effect—the idea that self-control is a finite resource that gets exhausted throughout the day. When temptation bundling removes the need for pure willpower, you can sustain productive behaviors for longer without burning out.

Temptation bundling can be a powerful way to achieve more without exerting much self-control.

For temptation bundling to be effective, the pairing must be exclusive—the enjoyable activity should only be accessible while doing the challenging one. This creates scarcity, which amplifies the perceived value of the reward. Common patterns include:

Auditory exclusivity: Reserve specific podcasts, audiobooks, or playlists solely for workouts or chores.
Visual exclusivity: Save certain TV shows or movies only for treadmill time or household tasks.
Environmental pairing: Designate a specific location or setup (e.g., a favorite café) exclusively for focused deep work.
Temporal bundling: Schedule pleasure-first tasks back-to-back with obligation tasks so one naturally leads into the other.

#BLOG

Save your favorite Netflix series for when you’re ironing, folding laundry, doing dishes, or handling other household chores.
Pair treadmill time with pleasure: watch a Netflix show or listen to a podcast only while walking.
Turn mealtime into balance training by standing on a balance board (or Praep^® Pods ) as you eat.
Reward study sessions: allow yourself a special treat—like a vanilla latte—only when you’re heading to the library to get work done.
Make workouts irresistible by reserving your most-loved audiobooks or podcasts exclusively for exercise time.
Transform errands into indulgence: only get a pedicure while catching up on overdue work emails.
Redefine tough meetings: treat yourself to dining at your favorite restaurant, but only when meeting with that difficult colleague.
Sneak in fitness: do bodyweight squats while brushing your teeth.

The Premack Principle

Kirgios, Erika L., Graelin H. Mandel, Yeji Park, Katherine L. Milkman, Dena M. Gromet, Joseph S. Kay, and Angela L. Duckworth. 2020. “Teaching Temptation Bundling to Boost Exercise: A Field Experiment.” Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 161 (November): 20–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2020.09.003. ↩

Milkman, Katherine L., Julia A. Minson, and Kevin G. M. Volpp. 2014. “Holding the Hunger Games Hostage at the Gym: An Evaluation of Temptation Bundling.” Management Science 60 (2): 283–99. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2013.1784. ↩

Weekly Plan

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

Spend the first 15–20 minutes at the beginning of each week to reflect on your progress from the past week and gather insights to improve this week.
1. Roll over unfinished, important tasks to this week.
2. Drop or delete anything that no longer matters.
Define what a “win” looks like for the week ahead with 3–5 big picture goals.
Translate each weekly goal into smaller, actionable tasks throughout the week.
Keep your plan dynamic and realistic: Add/adjust action items during the week. Reassess priorities midweek if needed.
Measure progress, not results: Focus on consistency of action (input) over outcome (output). Score yourself on execution rate: What % of planned tasks have been done?

Protect the child inside you

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

“The adults do not exist. There is just giant children figuring things out.” — George Mack

“Many teachers think of children as immature adults. It might lead to better and more ‘respectful’ teaching, if we thought of adults as atrophied children.” — Keith Johnstone, Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre

Skin Care

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 9 min read

Sleep: 充足的睡眠

The best skin care is sleep.
Nutrition: 均衡的飲食 (& 大量白開水) → 蛋奶類是大忌！
Exercise: 規律的運動

臉部黃金酸鹼值 (pH 值) = 5.5
- 所以絕對不能用鹼性的「肥皂」洗臉，會造成「過度清潔」而破壞皮脂膜
「粉刺」和「痘痘」都是從「皮脂腺分泌的皮層油脂堵塞毛囊」發展而來的
關於「閉鎖性 (內包) 粉刺」
- 因為它沒有開口，必須比平常更用力才能擠出來，這時通常已經擠到「發炎」了，後續還有可能因為細菌「感染」而轉變成痘痘，進而形成痘疤，非常得不償失!
- 清除關鍵：「去除表面的角質堆積」
  - 當毛孔有了開口後，粉刺就有自體/動浮出來的機會 (粉刺是一種代謝廢物，身體也不會再把它們吸收回去)
酸類
- 「治痘&抗痘」取向 (適合膚況不佳時擦)
  - 水楊酸 (BHA, Salicylic Acid)
- 「抗老」取向 (適合膚況佳時擦)
  - 果酸 (AHA)
    - 乙醇酸/甘醇酸 (Glycolic Acid)
  - A 酸
- #TODO 杏仁酸
- #TODO 杜鵑花酸
- #TODO 玻尿酸不是酸
  - 「玻尿酸」和「膠原蛋白」是肌膚最自然的保濕屏障。
維生素 A 類
- Retinol (A 醇)
  - lower concentration of the active retinoic acid ingredient
  - available over the counter (OTC)
- Retinoid (A 醛)
  - higher concentration of the active retinoic acid ingredient
  - often only available with a medical prescription
「刷酸煥膚」: 調理痘痘粉刺肌膚最好的辦法是「長期持續地」使用「弱酸性」產品，去除毛孔內堆積的老廢角質
- 大原則:「酸類保養品」不宜每天使用 (早 C 晚 A)，會過度清潔，易致痘，每周 2-3 次就好，可以跟「保濕類保養品」交互論替使用

Pimple 面皰/粉刺
Acne 痘痘
Dermatologists 皮膚科醫生
Fragrance 芳香劑
Exfoliate (v.) 去角質
Exfoliant (n.) 脫落的死皮
PA (= Protection Grade of UVA) → UVA 的防護能力
SP (= Sun Protection Factor) 防曬係數 → UVB 的防護能力
Cleanser 洗面乳
Toner 化妝水
Lotion/Misturizer 面霜/乳液/乳霜
Essence (較稀の) / Serum (較濃稠の) 精華液

CeraVe
Eucerin
La Roche-Posay (理膚寶水)
Neutrogena (露得清)

步驟越簡單、保養品越少越好！

Use natural products with simple ingredients like tallow, coconut oils, etc.

Your skin is your largest organ. Why put things on your skin that you’d never put in your body?
Carefully and gently pat your face dry using finger tips until the skin is left slightly damp
- It takes only a minute or two more
- It avoids friction and hygiene issues
噴/擦完 Face Mist 或 Toner 後，務必要做「鎖水」的動作 (上面霜)
Apply the cream into your skin using small, upward, circular motions
- Never drag downward on your skin!
- Why? As you age, gravity pulls your skin downward, causing sagging and wrinkles

過度清潔 (洗臉) /保養 (尤其是酸類)、頻繁醫美雷射、經常去角質 or 敷面膜
Towel Drying: After washing your face, avoid using a towel to dry it. Instead, let it air dry naturally (or use your hands to fan it) to prevent bacteria growth and reduce the risk of acne.
用手摸臉 (尤其是沒有洗手的時候)
- Touch face or mouth with dirty hands
用手擠壓或妙鼻貼拔除「閉鎖型 (內包)」粉刺
皺眉 (frown)
Getting hair products on the face

洗臉時要用和人體體溫相近的「溫水」(約攝氏 25 度上下)
- ❗️避免使用熱水：會導致皮膚乾燥和加速皮膚老化
從容易出油的 T 字部位開始塗抹泡沫
動作要輕柔：潑溼 + 潑洗，以指腹在臉上畫圈按摩、輕輕按壓

皮膚科醫生常說：

乾燥型痘痘 = 屏障壞掉 + 過度補償出油

⭐️ Signs that dehydration may be involved:

Oiliness: When the skin gets parched, it often overcompensates by producing excess sebum, leaving you feeling oily (and tight).
Tightness: Skin feels tight or taut after washing.
Texture: Fine surface flakiness or rough patches coexisting with shine.
Poor absorption: Serums/lotions sit on top instead of absorbing.
Systemic signs: Thirst, low urine output, dark urine.

很多長痘的人為了「抗油」會：

不擦乳液
只用控油產品
卸妝過度
用太強的洗臉產品

結果：皮脂分泌更旺盛，長更多痘痘。

用溫和不緊繃的洗面乳
一定要使用保濕乳液或凝霜

Hydrate the skin with water-binding ingredients first, then use an oil to lock in that moisture.
若有擦酸類或痘痘藥 → 更要保濕！否則乾燥會讓刺激加倍、痘況更糟……

Cleanser
- 輕度清潔，把臉上的油光洗掉即可
- 用量約晚上的一半
Anti-blackhead/points toner (粉刺調理水)
Vitamin C
Moisturizer
- 要在臉濕潤的狀態下使用，才能達到保濕的效果
- Don’t neglect your neck!
⭐ Sunscreen
- You should wear sunscreen every single day of the year, no matter what the weather is like, because when you are outside, you are constantly exposed to UV radiation
  - Even when it’s cloudy/overcast days, UV rays can still penetrate through the clouds
  - 防止 Photoaging & Skin Cancer
  - Truck Driver Face: the result of sun damage after years and massive hours behind the wheel driving a truck
  - The easiest way is to sneak our sunscreen into the products we already wear every day. For example, SPF moisturizers combine hydration and UV protection into one step.
- Apply sunscreen when going out for long time. Do reapply every 3-4 hours or depending on the level of sun exposure.
- 選用有以下標示的防曬乳
  - SPF 30–50
  - PA++++
  - Broad spectrum: UVA + UVB
- What about vitamin D? Many studies have shown that oral vitamin D supplementation leads to more improvement in blood levels than sun exposure

Cleanser
- Silicone Facial Cleasing Brush
  - Gently move the brush over your face in circular movements
  - The optimal application time per cleaning is 1 min, 20 sec per application area
- 徹底清潔重點部位
  - 鼻翼 + 鼻頭
  - T-zone
  - U-zone (下巴)
- 臉頰部分輕柔地帶過就好
Peeling/Exfoliating Gel
- 每周一到兩次
Retinol/Retinoid (Vitamin A)¹ or 酸類 ² 之精華液
- 擦之前要確保臉是乾的
- 用量抓豌豆大小即可
- Excellent daily addition to a skincare regimen for anyone who is not pregnant/breastfeeding
Moisturizer
- 可以減少精華液對皮膚的刺激
- Don’t neglect your neck!

利用凡士林極佳的「鎖水保濕」效果，在完成基本的「補水」保養後，「局部性」塗抹薄薄一層，形成保護膜（保鮮膜）鎖住水分，使肌膚滋潤。
避免大面積、全臉、無死角地塗抹凡士林，否則容易造成毛孔阻塞、粉刺滋生，特別是油性肌膚或本身已有痘痘困擾的人。

初期建議先三天塗抹一次，使用一段時間後，若無乾燥脫皮現象，再慢慢增加使用頻率 (視膚況而定) ⌃
剛開始使用時會有所謂的「爆痘期」，這是因為酸類正在發揮作用，將毛孔內已經成型的粉刺慢慢代謝出來。在這段期間，可能會引起發炎/感染，最後變成痘痘 ⌃

Always start small

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little; do something.” — Sydney Smith

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” — Mother Teresa

“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” — Mother Teresa

“Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things, I am tempted to think there are no little things.” — Bruce Barton

Minimum Viable Action

If something feels too hard to start, it just means the first step isn’t small enough.

Anything above zero compounds positively

One doesn’t seem like much, but it’s something real. At zero, you’re still dreaming.
Two is twice as good as one, but one is infinitely better than zero.

Start with the 2-minute version of the task you are procrastinating

If it’s a report: Open the document and type the title.
If it’s a workout: Put on your sneakers and stand outside.
If it’s an intimidating email: Write the subject line and the greeting.
If it’s a messy room: Clear off one small surface.

The 2-minute version isn’t about progress; it’s about breaking the seal of inertia. Shrink the task until the resistance vanishes.

You’re always 5 good minutes away from feeling better.
- 5 minutes of exercise—your energy shifts.
- 5 minutes of writing—your mind clears.
- 5 minutes of reading—your perspective changes.
- 5 minutes of breathwork—your body resets.
- 5 minutes of conversation—your mood improves.
Whenever the day feels overwhelming and tough, try to ask yourself: What’s the best way I can spend my next 5 minutes?
5 minutes of present energy is worth more than an hour of scattered energy.

If you’re having trouble sticking to a new habit, try a miniature (2-minute) version until it becomes automatic.
Take tiny baby steps. Do less than you’re capable of, but do it more consistently than you have before.
不靠衝勁，靠低門檻開始

千里之行，始於足下。

Running one mile has more in common with running a marathon than sitting at home.
Investing $100 has more in common with being a millionaire than being broke.
Writing one sentence has more in common with writing a book than never writing one.

Every race starts with one step. Every fortune starts with a small deposit. Every book begins as one sentence.

❌ 失敗為成功之母
✅（微）小成功為成功之母

“You can lose yourself one small compromise at a time. You can transform yourself one small win at a time.” — James Clear

Do one rep of something that takes you out of your comfort zone every single day. Harness the power of small wins.

The One Percent Rule

Just focus on the next decision

The Starfish Story

Heart Rate Variability

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

Heart Rate Variability (HRV, 心率變異度) is the change in time between consecutive heartbeats, measured in milliseconds ¹ — not how fast your heart beats, but how unevenly it beats.

HRV is a biomarker of resilience and adaptability.

Suppose your heart beats 60 times per minute. You might imagine:

1 second → ❤️ → 1 second → ❤️ → 1 second → ❤️

But a heart beating 60 times a minute does not beat exactly once a second.

Your actual heart might do:

0.92s → ❤️ → 1.05s → ❤️ → 0.98s → ❤️ → 1.08s → ❤️

The variation in the time between each heartbeat is HRV.

And here’s the surprising part: a healthy heart doesn’t beat perfectly regularly. Your nervous system is constantly adjusting your heart based on breathing, movement, stress, sleep, digestion, etc.

You can feel this yourself: when you inhale, your heart speeds up slightly; when you exhale, it slows down.

Imagine two people whose average heart rate is exactly 60 bpm:

Person A:

1.00s → 1.00s → 1.00s → 1.00s

Person B:

0.90s → 1.10s → 0.95s → 1.05s

Both average 60 bpm, but Person B’s heart rhythm is responding more dynamically.

That’s why HRV can be a proxy for autonomic flexibility — how much room the system has to shift gears instead of being stuck in one mode.

Sympathetic nervous system = accelerator
Parasympathetic nervous system = brake
Autonomic flexibility = how smoothly you can use both

A healthy nervous system doesn’t tell the heart, “Stay at exactly 60 bpm.” It constantly makes tiny adjustments based on what you’re doing. Generally, higher HRV can indicate greater autonomic flexibility.

Sleep — the single biggest lever, especially consistent sleep—wake times
Regular aerobic exercise (endurance athletes typically have high HRV)
Slow, paced breathing at ~6 breaths per minute (Coherent Breathing) — it maximizes beat-to-beat swings and trains the baroreflex
Meditation and other relaxation practices

Watch the trend, not the reading. One low morning is noise; a week-long drift is a signal.

Short readings (1–5 min, e.g. a morning spot check) are sensitive to breathing, posture, and movement; 24-hour readings average all of that out.
Higher isn’t automatically better. Heart rhythm disorders and acute illness can also inflate the number.
HRV is a proxy, not a verdict — one input among many, not a scoreboard for your life.

HRV is expressed in milliseconds (the gap between beats), never in beats per minute. ⌃

Trust your gut

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 6 min read

“Intuition is the whisper of the soul.” — Jidda Krishnamurti

“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” — Albert Einstein

“Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.” — Paulo Coelho

“It takes time to develop your gut, but once it’s developed, don’t listen to anything else.” — Naval Ravikant

“The more knowledge you have, the more you’re free to rely on your instincts.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger

“Following your convictions means you must be willing to face criticism from those who lack the same courage to do what is right. It’s called the road less traveled.” — Donald Trump

The worst decisions in life are made when you allow your head to talk you into something when your gut already said no.

How many times have you allowed your head to convince you that something made sense, even when you knew it didn’t feel right?

Or, how many times have you allowed your head to convince you that something didn’t make sense, even when your gut told you it did?

The gut is the ultimate decision-maker; the head just rationalizes it after the fact. For any important decision, wait until your gut answers with conviction.

Never let your head outsmart your gut.

Don’t trust the coin (you flip); trust your inside guts.

跟著內心的感覺走。

Trust your ears 👂 more than your eyes 👀

For major (non-technical) decisions, trust your gut.

If it doesn’t feel right, it’s not right.

A hunch can be seen as a quick, focused form of intuition, while intuition encompasses a more general sense of understanding or knowing.

A scorpion is sitting on the bank of a river, unable to cross to the other side because it can’t swim.

The scorpion sees a frog in the water and asks, “Can I ride on your back to get to the other side?”

The frog is understandably hesitant and replies, “No, you’ll sting me!”

The scorpion was ready for this concern and answers, “No, I wouldn’t do that, because if I sting you, we’ll both drown.”

The frog, convinced by this response, agrees to the arrangement, but when they’re halfway across the river, the scorpion stings the frog in the back.

As it starts to sink, the frog asks, “Why did you do that? Now we’re both going to die!”

With its last breath, the scorpion shrugs, “I couldn’t help it. It’s my nature.”

The most common interpretation of the story is that we should trust in our intuition about the danger someone poses to us. The frog’s instinct was correct, but it was swayed by the words of the scorpion, which put it in danger. The scorpion is the person whose nature makes them dangerous to you. Never let their words convince you otherwise.

Where?
1. Head
2. Chest (Heart)
3. Gut
How?
- Look for a YES signal in ALL three areas; that is the only situation in which you should say yes. If they’re not all saying yes, then it’s a no.
- You get a tingling feeling on the back of your neck. This sensation may not come around that often, but when it does, you know it.

In an interview at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, Apple CEO Tim Cook talks about how intuition led him to Apple and how intuition develops over time.

I don’t think that you’re born with a gut. I think the gut matures and gets better and better over time. And the struggle that most people have I think, is learning to listen to it and figuring out how to access it in some way.

Even though I’m an engineer and an analytical person at heart, the most important decision I’ve made had nothing to do with any of that. They were always based on intuition. ¹

I remember forming my list of pluses and minuses and I could not get the chart to work out the way that I wanted it to. I wanted something to say, you know, this says I should go to Apple, but it would not. Nothing financially would do that. I talked to people I trusted that knew me and they said, “This is not what you should do.” It wasn’t so easy. And people said, “You know, you are just crazy. You are working for the top PC company in the world. How could you even think of doing this? You’ve lost your mind.” ² And yet that voice said, “Go west, young man. Go west.” And sometimes you just have to go for it.

Learn to listen to your gut — and start trusting it a little more. In the West, we live in a head-driven culture, one that believes every problem can be explained or reasoned through. Yet we forget that some of our deepest intelligence doesn’t come from thought at all — it comes from the quiet wisdom embedded in the body.

Spirituality ³, religion, Buddhism — or any path you follow — will eventually teach you that you are more than just your mind. You are more than your habits, more than your preferences. Modern humans don’t live enough in their bodies, nor in their awareness. We live mostly in our heads — in an endless internal monologue. But that monologue isn’t truly you; it’s programming absorbed from society and shaped by the environment of your early life. You’re essentially DNA reacting to early environmental influences, recording both good and bad experiences, then using those memories to prejudge everything that follows. Over time, you rely on those patterns to predict and control the future. As you age, the sum of your accumulated preferences grows immense — and these habitual reactions become runaway freight trains that dictate your moods.

Side Note: Steve Jobs began each morning by asking himself, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” He believed that “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.” ⌃
At that time, Apple held only as little as 4 percent of the computer market. ⌃
是一個放下自我意識的過程。 ⌃

Look for single decision that removes hundreds or thousands of other decisions

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

“Don’t make a hundred decisions when one will do.” — Jim Collins

“Instead of freaking out about these constraints, embrace them. Let them guide you. Constraints drive innovation and force focus. Instead of trying to remove them, use them to your advantage.” — 37Signals, Getting Real: The Smarter, Faster, Easier Way to Build a Web Application

“Fashion fades, only style remains the same.” — Coco Channel

“Style is consistent constraint. Having a style collapses hundreds of future decisions into one, and gives you focus. Style gives you leverage. Every time you reuse your style you save time. A durable style is a great investment. Collect constraints you enjoy.” — Stephan Ango

“Sometimes constraints can be freeing. It’s just less things that we have to think about.” — Matthew Marquardt

從源頭切斷：哪一種決定可以把水龍頭關起來？🚰

Finding the One Decision That Removes 100 Decisions | The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss

Week 38, 2026

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“You have to work hardest for the things you love most.” — Carol S. Dweck
“Home is where all your attempts to escape cease.” — Naguib Mahfouz
“We can’t control the level of talent we’ve been given. We have no control over the nature of our gift. What we can control is our self-motivation, our self-discipline, our self-validation, and our self-reinforcement. We can control how hard and how smart we work.” — Steven Pressfield
寧為太平犬，不做亂世人。
“As you take your eyes off the false prize, you put them on the real prizes: friends, family, sharing, caring, learning, meeting challenges, intimacy, rest, and being present, connected, and respected. In other words, those best things in life that are free. Like all things natural, building this wealth takes time, attention, patience, and reciprocity.” — Vicki Robin, Your Money or Your Life

「干碟」是四川/重慶火鍋桌上不可或缺的乾式沾料，與「油碟」（香油＋蒜泥＋蠔油等）形成兩大蘸（ㄓㄢˋ）料流派。常見配方：乾辣椒粉、花椒粉、碎花生、白芝麻、鹽，吃法：把燙好的食材直接在上面「滾」一圈，讓粉末均勻附著。選干碟的人通常是「無辣不歡」的重口味愛好者，因為乾粉的辣度比油碟更直接、更濃烈。
寫字樓 = 辦公大樓 = Office Building，是香港、澳門和廣東地區的常用語。
全球三大航空聯盟：星空聯盟（Star Alliance）、天合聯盟（SkyTeam）及寰宇一家（oneworld）。他們透過代碼/航線/票務共享、機場貴賓室共用及哩程互通，為旅客提供更好的轉機便利性。
In Japanese, Gakuen (学園) translates to “academy” or “school”.
Dog Days 酷暑時節；淡季 refer to the hottest time of the year, which in the northern hemisphere is usually between early July and early September. Dog days can also refer to a period of stagnation or inactivity suggestive of hot, sultry weather when it can be difficult to summon the energy required for hard work.

Idealism vs Materialism

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

Idealism (literally “mind-only-ism”) is the position that mind, consciousness, or ideas are fundamental, and that matter is either a construction of minds or an expression of a mind-like principle.

主觀唯心論 (Subjective idealism) — George Berkeley: 存在即被感知 (esse est percipi). Objects have no existence apart from a perceiving mind; the world stays stable and shared only because it is continuously perceived by God.
客觀唯心論 (Objective idealism) — Plato’s 理型 (Forms), Hegel’s 絕對精神 (Absolute Spirit / Geist), 朱熹的「理」: the order of the world is itself a kind of Idea, independent of any individual mind.
先驗唯心論 (Transcendental idealism) — Kant: we can never know 物自身 (the thing-in-itself, Ding an sich); experience is always already shaped by the mind’s own forms — space, time, causality. In effect: 我們看到的不是世界本身，而是世界配上我們的認知介面。See The Map Is Not the Territory.
唯識 (Yogācāra, “consciousness-only”) — 萬法唯識: experience is the ripening of 種子 (karmic seeds) stored in 阿賴耶識 (ālaya-vijñāna, the storehouse consciousness).
泛心論 (Panpsychism) — the modern cousin: consciousness is a basic feature of matter everywhere, like mass or charge; complex minds are combinations of simpler ones.

Materialism / Physicalism is the position that matter and energy (物質) are fundamental, and that mind, consciousness and ideas are products of physical processes rather than their source.

唯心主義 ≠ 理想主義 The Chinese 唯心 sounds like 理想, but it is not “having ideals” or 「想太多」 — it is a claim about what reality is made of.
唯物主義 ≠ 物慾主義／拜金 Materialism as metaphysics is not 「愛錢」 or 「只在乎物質享受」 — that is consumerism. Marx’s materialism is in fact one of the sharpest critiques of money-worship.
唯心主義 ≠ 否認物質世界存在 Most idealists do not deny that chairs are solid; they argue that the chair’s solidity is mind-dependent, not mind-independent.
唯物主義 ≠ 否認意識存在 Only the eliminativist fringe dismisses experience itself; most physicalists take consciousness to be real — just not fundamental.

Wealth Creation

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“Concentration produces wealth. Diversification protects wealth.” — James Clear

Your true wealth is the quality of your attention. What you pay attention to—expands.

It is the one resource that is strictly finite, non-renewable, and equally distributed to every human being at the start of each day. The person who spends ten thousand hours passively scrolling social media and the person who spends ten thousand hours mastering a craft arrive at very different destinations, even if their incomes at year one were identical.

You should only have to get rich once, and if you are going to swing for the fences, you still have to be sure that once you hit it, you will never bet it black again.

“You will get rich by giving society what it wants but does not yet know how to get. At scale.” — Naval Ravikant

Your wealth is proportional to the number of lives you impact and the value you provide. To become wealthy, solve significant problems or create value that affects as many people as possible.

Local impact — Solve a specific problem for a small number of people at a high margin of value. A personal trainer who transforms a client’s health, a consultant who saves a business, a teacher who changes a student’s trajectory.
Scaled impact — Solve a common problem for many people at a moderate margin of value. A software tool that saves millions of people five minutes each, a book that shifts thousands of readers’ perspectives, a YouTube channel that educates hundreds of thousands.
Transformational impact — Solve a fundamental problem for society at any scale. The inventors of the polio vaccine, the architects of the internet, the creators of operating systems that democratize computing.

Reframe wealth creation as a service problem rather than a extraction problem. The question shifts from “how do I get more?” to “how do I give more?”

The traditional model of wealth-building trades time for money: one hour of labor for one hour of pay. This is a linear relationship with a hard ceiling — there are only 24 hours in a day. To escape this ceiling, you must decouple your income from your time.

This decoupling happens in three primary ways:

Leverage — Using capital, technology, or people to multiply the output of your effort. Code is a form of leverage: write once, serve millions. So is capital: invest once, earn perpetually. So is media: create once, reach indefinitely.
Ownership — Building or acquiring assets that produce value without your direct involvement. A business you own but do not operate. Intellectual property that generates royalties. Real estate that produces rental income. These are the engines of lasting wealth.
Compound Interest — Not just in finance, but in skills, relationships, and reputation. Small, consistent investments produce exponential returns over long time horizons. The person who reads one book per week for a decade, or who writes publicly for five years, or who maintains a network of genuine relationships for a lifetime, experiences compound growth that no burst of effort can replicate.

Wealth, then, is not something you chase. It is something that emerges naturally when you consistently invest your attention in solving valuable problems at scale, while protecting what you build from the asymmetric risks that would undo it.

Career Advice

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 14 min read

“I would highly recommend (to) anyone who wants to start a business: first do two years working in somebody else’s small business. You’ll have access to information about revenue, profits, and costs. You might participate in meetings where negotiations happen. You’d work in an environment where you’re an integral part of the team. If you’re just one cog in a machine that has thousands of employees, you don’t really get to learn very much. You’re trained in very narrow and specific skill sets.” — Daniel Priestley

The best opportunities often look like tiny cracks, not open doors. Opportunities rarely feel obvious in the moment. Capitalizing on them requires one part awareness (to spot the tiny crack) and ten parts courage (to dive through it).

“Glass Doors”
- Opportunities where you can see exactly what’s there
- It’s obvious win, with a tangible payoff
“Wooden Doors”
- Opportunities where you can’t see what’s on the other side until you put in the effort to knock and go through them
- It’s opaque upfront, with only the potential for an outsized payoff

You don’t get anywhere by accumulating thousands of transactional connections. You get somewhere by building genuine relationships.

Acting in the service of others
Creating value for those around you
Giving with no intention of receiving in return

Stop networking, start building.

Networking is saying “I’m friends with you to hopefully leverage your influence for my personal benefit.” Friendship is saying “I want more for you than from you. Seeing you win makes me happy.” Friendship is the way.

Networking is not about connecting yourself to others, but connecting other people to other people.

When you meet someone that you want a relationship with, you gotta think how can I add value to their life. Not vice versa

“Say Yes, Then No” — Say “yes” until you’re truly able to say “no.”

You should say yes frequently as you explore the possibilities, and then say no frequently as you double down on what works.

Learn when to be the worker bee and when to be the queen bee.

Take the job you want to have, not the job you want people to see you have.

At every job you should either learn or earn. Either is fine. Both is best. But if it’s neither, quit.

If you don’t like politics, never work at a big company. If you don’t like work, never work at a small company.

Good upper management avoids surprises and keeps managers in the loop on what we are doing. The amount of context we think we are over-communicating is usually the right amount.

Always communicate more than feels necessary. Literally ask questions until someone tells you that you’re asking to many questions.

Ask for early code reviews
Start design discussions early
Announce releases and milestones visible to the team
Raise potential risks and failure modes before they become incidents

Over-communication prevents surprises, aligns expectations, and builds trust.

When in doubt, communicate.

練習「協調」和「搓湯圓」的技能

言簡意賅＋長話短說
第一句話就講重點/結論

Truthful Communication: speak the truth in a spirit of truth

Honest, open, and authentic conversations: 一五一十 > 掩蓋/隱瞞事實

Always communicate your accomplishments. Always make your work visible. Visibility compounds impact. Make sure that people understand the value you’re creating. Demonstrate excellence in everything you do. Keep a Brag Document.

發送任何電子郵件、訊息之前，確保你想要接收者做的事情非常清楚。

如果你想要行動，不要寫信，直接去告訴那個人你想要什麼。

Replace “Is it clear to you?” with:

Am I making it clear to you?
Am I making it easy for you to understand?
Do you have any doubts in mind?

Never avoid hard conversations. Talk about the elephant in the room.

You’ll never regret: Ask questions to get more clarity.
You’ll always regret: Make a decision based on a story in your head.

Early feedback is usually better than late criticism. Nobody likes getting bad news , but everyone appreciates clarity.

Quality
- Do I have a quality standard?
- Can my work be published directly?
Expertise
- Do I have an expertise that will help the company move forward?
Collaboration
- Am I a team player?
- Does 1 + 1 = 3?
Learning curve How quickly can I improve ?
Respect
- Am I empathetic enough to others?
- Do I put myself into others’ shoes?

Mind your own business. Don’t confuse your profession with your business.

Profession: resolved around your income column
Business: resolved around your asset column

Think Win-Win: Work in community. Individualistic mentality is not a path to long-term success in one’s career.

❌ Convincing me why we should hire you. (Short-term relationships)
✅ You are onto something. I don’t think it’s perfect, and don’t have much budget as well. But I believe what you’re doing, and I’m willing to let you to test your stuff in my company. (Long-term relationships)

The 4 qualities of a great career:

I enjoy it
I’m good at it
I make good money
I’m around fascinating people

Answer in reverse order:

Where are fascinating people?
In what ways can I make money with them?
Which ones am I good at?
Which ones do I enjoy?“

Don’t follow your passion, follow your energy

“Passion comes after you put in the hard work to become excellent at something valuable, not before. In other words, what you do for a living is much less important than how you do it. The happiest, most passionate employees are not those who followed their passion into a position, but instead those who have been around long enough to become good at what they do. […] If you want to love what you do, abandon the passion mindset (“what can the world offer me?”) and instead adopt the craftsman mindset (“what can I offer the world?”). Craftsman mindset focuses on what you can offer the world, the passion mindset focuses instead on what the world can offer you.” — Cal newport, So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love

There’s a phrase that said, “You should choose your career based on your passion.” And usually, people connect passion with happiness. I think there is something missing in that. Nothing there is wrong, but there’s something missing. […] When you’re doing something that’s not easy to do, you’re not always enjoying it. I don’t love every day of my job. I don’t think every day brings me joy nor does joy have to be the definition of a good day. And every day, I’m not happy. Every year I’m not happy about the company, but I love the company every single second. So I think that what people misunderstand is somehow the best jobs are the ones that bring you happiness all the time. I don’t think that that’s right. You have to suffer. You have to struggle. You have to endeavor. You have to do those hard things and work through it in order to really appreciate what you’ve done. There are no such things that are great that were easy to do. So by definition, I would say therefore I wish upon you greatness, which by my way of saying it, I wish upon you plenty of pain and suffering.

Do exactly what you say you are going to do. If you can’t follow through, communicate promptly, explain the situation honestly, and set clear new expectations.

Send thank you notes to coworkers when they help you out or give you their time.

Criticize your own work (ideally before others do).

Respond quickly to people and acknowledge when you can’t.

Bring solutions when you find problems.

「職能」是工作情境中「技能」的應用或表達

Hard skills get you hired. Soft skills get you promoted.

職涯的成長可以像攀岩，不只向上，也可以向左右延伸，找到不同的支點和路徑。

Remember that 80% of success in any job is based on your ability to deal with people.

Make efforts to get along with your co-workers, you’ll be with them a lot.

No matter what the meeting is about, if you randomly chime in with “it’s just/all about finding the balance,” people will always agree.

“Your best job will be one that you were unqualified for because it stretches you. In fact, only apply to jobs you are unqualified for.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier

“When you are looking for a job, remember that somewhere an employer is desperately hunting for someone like you especially if you are unconventional. Your real job is to make that match happen and it is worth whatever time it takes.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier

Regularly/consistently apply to jobs while you’re already employed. It’s the best time to find a new job, as you can negotiate way harder if you don’t have the pressure of needing a job. Always be looking. Don’t wait until you are desperate for a new job.

Worst case: continue to be employed in the current role
Best case: get a pay bump in a new role

Wrong mindset: “I have a job so I don’t have to look for a new job.”

If companies are posting jobs that don’t exist, people should be applying for jobs they might not take.

Swallow the frog for your boss. Do things others find coring & difficult.

Think like a principal. Act like an owner.

“I found in my career that if you take pride in the little jobs, people will think you worthy of the bigger jobs. Sooner or later we all have to do things we do not want to. But if you are going to do it, do it right. Build the best damn Frog Float you can.” — William McRaven, The Wisdom of the Bullfrog

The Founder Mentality: Go above and beyond. Take small things seriously

Build a reputation (公信力) for reliability. You can get pretty damn far by just being someone that people can count on to show up and do the work. Be the person who just figure things out.

Consistently reliable > Occasional extraordinary

You don’t get paid for complex, magnificent shots (Winner’s Game). You get paid for constantly avoid unforced errors (Loser’s Game).

Work under people you really admire. Work only with long-term people.

“If you can’t see yourself working with someone for life, don’t work with them for a day.” — Naval Ravikant

“Don’t ever work for someone you don’t want to become.” — Kevin Kelly

High energy
High intelligence
High integrity

“Outcomes are what count; don’t let good process excuses bad results.” — Sam Altman

The amount of hours you work is irrelevant. At the end of the day you will be judged on results, not hours.

Hide Behind Headphones: Wearing headphones is one of the simplest and most effective ways to avoid workplace distractions. It sends a clear signal that you’re busy and prefer not to be interrupted. For some reason, people feel far more hesitant to disturb you when you’re wearing headphones. This is great because most of the time they don’t actually need to talk to you. The best part? you don’t even need to be listening to anything.

Use “(doctor, flat viewing) appointment” when talking to co-workers about your time off

Ask for help immediately if you find you need it, and listen carefully to the people trying to help you, because they’ve probably been there.

People don’t want to help someone who doesn’t want help.

A “WTF Notebook” is a valuable tool for capturing immediate problems or oddities you notice at work. Instead of acting impulsively or sharing every concern with your team right away, you write down anything that seems strange or problematic. This practice helps you pause, gather more context, and prioritize what to address later, rather than feeling compelled to fix everything as soon as you notice it.

好的面試官，不是找最會回答的人，而是讓對方最能展現自己的人。

刻意設計的面試題目，往往只測得到「準備能力」；

而自然的閒聊，反而能挖掘一個人隱而不顯的內在偏好與真實性格。

這類問題有三個特點：

不容易事前準備
即興編造的成本很高
只要追問細節，真假很容易被拆穿

因此，即使對方試圖「瞎掰」，在具體描述與連續追問下，往往會露出破綻/馬腳。

一個人如何使用不被約束的時間，往往比工作表現更誠實地反映他的價值觀與動機。

「在假日或閒暇時，你電腦的瀏覽器通常會開哪些分頁？」
「最近一次你完全放鬆的一天，是怎麼過的？」
「如果明天突然多出一個完全沒安排的下午，你會選擇做什麼？」

👉 觀察重點：是否偏向探索、學習、創作、社交，或單純消耗娛樂？

「你最近一次為了興趣，主動花時間深入研究的是什麼？」
「這個興趣你大概維持多久了？有沒有某個轉折點？」
「你有沒有哪個興趣，是你即使沒人要求、也會自己一直做的？」

👉 觀察重點：持續性、好奇心深度、是否享受過程而非成果。

人如何分配非工作時間，往往反映他的界線感、節奏感與自我覺察能力。

「下班後你通常會怎麼讓自己『切換狀態』？」
「最近一次覺得自己快要累壞，是怎麼調整回來的？」
「你覺得什麼樣的生活節奏，對你來說是最舒服的？」

👉 觀察重點：是否有自我照顧意識、是否知道自己何時該加速或停下。

問得深 > 問得多

時間軸追問：「那是什麼時候開始的？」
細節追問：「你剛剛提到的那個情境，可以再具體一點嗎？」
對照追問：「那跟你現在有什麼不一樣？」

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

= Maslow’s Pyramid of Needs


_Source


_Source

by the psychologist Abraham Maslow in a 1943 paper

生理
安全
愛與隸屬（社交）
尊嚴（ego）
自我實現

Two Types of Passion

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“Passion is defined as a strong inclination toward an activity that people like, that they find important, and in which they invest time and energy.” — Robert J. Vallerand

by Robert Vallerand

(Vallerand et al. 2003)

Robert Vallerand’s Dualistic Model of Passion (DMP) distinguishes between two qualitatively different types of passion that emerge from how an activity is internalized into one’s identity. The key distinction hinges on whether the activity is internalized in a controlled or autonomous fashion.

Obsessive Passion is rigid. Your entire identity becomes interconnected with the pursuit itself. Your self-worth attached to your extrinsic success in it. Rest periods away from the pursuit are viewed as a reward for your efforts, but often create feelings of guilt or shame. It is all-consuming.

This form of passion arises from controlled internalization. The activity controls them rather than the other way around.

Consequences of Obsessive Passion:

Conflict with other life domains: The rigid pursuit often interferes with relationships, health, and other interests. An entrepreneur who cannot disconnect from work, even during family time, exemplifies obsessive passion.
Brittle well-being: Success provides a temporary boost, but failure threatens the very core of identity. Mood swings and burnout are common.
Rigid persistence: The person continues even when the activity no longer brings joy, driven by obligation rather than genuine desire.

Example: A musician who feels worthless unless they are practicing or performing, who experiences guilt on days off, and whose entire social circle revolves around their music career. The music stops being a choice and becomes a compulsion.

The pursuit defines the life.

Harmonious Passion is adaptive. It is chosen. It aligns with your identity, but it does not supersede it. It is a reflection of your priorities and values. It is naturally energizing. Rest periods away from the pursuit are viewed as an important part of your performance, not a reward for your efforts.

Harmonious passion results from autonomous internalization. The person engages because they want to, not because they have to. The activity enriches the self without dominating it.

Consequences of Harmonious Passion:

Integration with other life domains: The pursuit coexists flexibly with work, relationships, and other interests. A harmonious entrepreneur can immerse fully in work during business hours and be fully present with family in the evening.
Resilient well-being: The activity contributes positively to identity without defining it entirely. Failure is disappointing but not devastating.
Flexible engagement: The person can choose not to engage when circumstances require, without guilt or distress.

Example: A software engineer who loves coding but can walk away from the keyboard to cook dinner, spend time with loved ones, or pursue other hobbies — and returns to coding refreshed rather than resentful.

The life defines the pursuit.

	Obsessive Passion	Harmonious Passion
Internalization	Controlled	Autonomous
Relationship to identity	Identity depends on the activity	Activity is part of identity
Experience during activity	Tension, pressure, urgency	Flow, enjoyment, vitality
Flexibility	Rigid persistence	Flexible engagement
Response to rest	Guilt, shame	Rejuvenation, necessity
Well-being outcome	Fragile, contingent	Robust, resilient

Be primarily internally driven with intrinsic motivation

Vallerand, Robert J., Céline Blanchard, Geneviève A. Mageau, Richard Koestner, Catherine Ratelle, Maude Léonard, Marylène Gagné, and Josée Marsolais. 2003. “Les Passions de l’âme: On Obsessive and Harmonious Passion.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 85 (4): 756–67. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.85.4.756. ↩

Happiness

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 10 min read

“Happiness is a state where nothing is missing.” — Naval Ravikant

快樂就是覺得自己什麼都不缺。

“Happiness is not about positive or negative thoughts — it’s about the absence of desire, especially the absence of desire for external things.” — Naval Ravikant

“Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of.” — Albert Camus

“The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness.” — Eric Hoffer

“As soon as we wish to be happier, we are no longer happy.” — Walter Landor

“Happiness is holding someone in your arms and knowing you hold the whole world.” — Orhan Pamu

“Happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue.” — Viktor E. Frankl

“Happiness is good health and a bad memory.” — Ingrid Bergman

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” — Tenzin Gyatso.

“The happiest people seem to be those who have no particular cause for being happy except that they are so.” — William Inge

“The happiest people in the world are those who feel absolutely terrific about themselves.” — Brian Tracy

“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” — J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

“What I ‘discovered’ was that happiness is not something that happens. It is not the result of good fortune or random chance. It is not something that money can buy or power command. It does not depend on outside events, but, rather, on how we interpret them. Happiness, in fact, is a condition that must be prepared for, cultivated, and defended privately by each person. People who learn to control inner experience will be able to determine the quality of their lives, which is as close as any of us come to being happy.” — Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi

“I think of happiness as an emergent property of peace. If you’re peaceful inside and out, that will eventually result in happiness. But peace is a very hard thing to come by. The irony is the way most of us try to find peace is through war. When you start a business, in a way, you’re going to war. When you struggle with your roommates as to who should clean the dishes, you’re going to war. You’re struggling so you can have some sense of security and peace later. In reality, peace is not a guarantee. It’s always flowing. It’s always changing. You want to learn the core skill set of flowing with life and accepting it in most cases. You can get almost anything you want out of life, as long as it’s one thing and you want it far more than anything else. In my own personal experience, the place I end up the most is wanting to be at peace. Peace is happiness at rest, and happiness is peace in motion. You can convert peace into happiness anytime you want. But peace is what you want most of the time. If you’re a peaceful person, anything you do will be a happy activity. Today, the way we think you get peace is by resolving all your external problems. But there are unlimited external problems.” — Naval Ravikant ¹

Happy people love people, use things, and worship the divine; unhappy people use people, love things, and worship themselves.

If you’re not happy here, you won’t be happy there.

⭐️ Happiness is a skill that can be learned/developed/practiced and a choice that can be made.

Happiness is the absence of the striving for happiness. ²

Happiness is abundant by design, scarce by luck.

Happiness is a choice/practice, not a condition.

Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.

Happiness is not a destination you reach by hitting an arbitrary set of goals, but rather an accumulation of the small choices you make every day.

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.

True happiness is not just pleasure, but comes out of peace and fundamentally understanding oneself.

Physical pleasure

Oh, that tasted good.
Momentary pleasure

Oh, he/she loves me.

Happiness

= Health + Relationships + Wealth

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” — Dalai Lama

= Agency (主動性) + Gratitude ³

= Reality - Expectations

= Do what you love + Live where you like + Be with who you love

“There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.” — Denis Waitley

There are two ways to be happier:

Change the situation.
Change the way you look at it.

The secret to happiness is deceptively simple:

Always have something to look forward to—no matter how small or mundane. A warm cup of tea, a message from a friend, a walk under the sky. It’s the anticipation that keeps the soul gently leaning forward.
極差的記性＋極佳的幽默感

One day, I thought, someone out there had to be the happiest person in the world. That person just had to exist—someone smiling for no reason, feeling light and lucky just to be alive. And then I wondered, why not me? I could be that guy. I could carry that joy, even if it was hard, even if it felt silly. I would take on that burden, and I would wear it like a crown.

Visible metrics → e.g., money
Hidden metrics → e.g., time with family, peace of mind
Remember: The hidden metrics only become visible when it’s too late…

People are often not present to what they are doing (the mismatch between being in an activity and having our mind elsewhere), and that is a great source of unhappiness, even if their thoughts are those of happy, joyful thoughts. But equally, if not more important, is to have the ability to be fully engaged in what you are doing at a given moment. That is the strongest predictor of being happy.

A human mind is a wandering mind, and a wandering mind is an unhappy mind. (Killingsworth and Gilbert 2010)

The ability to think about what is not happening in a moment is a cognitive achievement that comes at an emotional cost.

They’re happy for other people’s happiness.
Rarely put others down/criticize. They assume positive intent of others.
Not on social media/not on their phone too much. Deeply present when you talk to them.

4

(Bryson and MacKerron 2017)

幸福罐
- 把日常遇到開心的大小事寫在色彩繽紛的小紙條上，放進一個玻璃罐內
感恩
- 「今天我還活著。」
Assurance
- “It will all be okay.”
祝福
聽音樂
大掃除/環境整潔
Meal preparation
Take a nap
Take a long walk in nature
etc.

If you want happiness for an hour—take a nap.

If you want happiness for a day—go fishing.

If you want happiness for a year—inherit a fortune.

If you want happiness for a lifetime—help someone else.

Simple story on “Happiness is found through service of others.”

A teacher asked her students to write their names on a balloon and release them in her classroom. Thirty balloons jumbled around in the air. She then gave the students one minute to find the balloon that had their name on it. After a minute passed, none were able to find their balloon. The teacher then asked the students to take the first balloon they found and give it to the person whose name was on it. Within seconds, everyone had their balloon.

The teacher then explained: These balloons represent your happiness. Focus on your own happiness, and you may never find it. Focus on helping others find their happiness, and you will find yours as well.

The Science of Happiness | Arthur Brooks, Ph.D.

如何獲得幸福?

這一題應該是前面六題的總結。獲得幸福的步驟就是要先認識自己，接受真實的自己，進而喜愛自己。然後就會知道自己要什麼？為何而活？進而找到自己的信仰，也找到自己靈魂的主宰。這時候的你，已經可以和這個世界愉快的相處，從大自然裡得到快樂和寧靜，和身邊遇到的任何人都能和平相處、相互尊重。最後當你學會了承擔世間的痛苦，幸福將隨時隨處俯拾皆是。

媽媽是個笑口常開的幸福之人。因為她覺得自己很平庸但很幸運，她總覺得別人都比她聰明，所似他發自內心的欣賞別人，讚美別人，也常給別人溫暖和方便。我幾乎沒聽過她怨天怨地怨別人，她也不會怨自己，所以她是一個完全能接受自己的人。

我的二姊最像媽媽，我問起她關於幸福的感覺，她燦爛的笑起來說：「我常常感到幸福。看到窗外綠意盎然，感到腸光曬在身上，有體力爬山，兒子弄一桌飯菜，替我鋪好被單，衣服洗好被曬起來，看一本好書，聽一場講道，親友們的問候和體貼，和家人聊天或回憶。」

幸福就是這樣隨手可得的。每個人每天每時每刻都有可能體驗到幸福，除非你是一個非常頑強又自以爲是的人，把幸福當成是不能回收的垃圾，隨手丟棄，讓垃圾筒裡堆滿了你丟棄的幸福，兀自嘆息。

讓自己快樂是智慧，讓別人快樂是慈悲。

Being unhappy is extremely inefficient

Real happiness only comes as a side-effect of peace. Most of it is going to come from acceptance, not from changing your external environment. ⌃
The secret of the pursuit of happiness is that happiness is in the pursuit. ⌃
Dr. Paul Conti presented that the most salient 2 variables associated with mental health are agency (主動性) and gratitude. ⌃
How to Instantly Feel Better? ⌃

Bryson, Alex, and George MacKerron. 2017. “Are You Happy While You Work?” The Economic Journal 127 (599): 106–25. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecoj.12269. ↩

Killingsworth, Matthew A., and Daniel T. Gilbert. 2010. “A Wandering Mind Is an Unhappy Mind.” Science 330 (6006): 932–932. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1192439. ↩

小野著., and 小野, 1951- author. 2012. 有些事, 這些年我才懂: 小野的人生思考. Chu ban. 臺北市: 究竟出版社. ↩

Intentional Living

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 7 min read

“Your goal in life is to be able to say on the day before you die that you have fully become yourself.” — Kevin Kelly

“Get busy living, or get busy dying.” — Stephen King

“If you’re not busy being born, you’re busy dying.” — Bob Dylan

“The whole future lies in uncertainty: live immediately.” — Seneca ¹

“You could leave life right now, let that determine what you do and say.” — Marcus Aurelius

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” — Mae West

“Life, if well lived, is long enough.” — Seneca

“We are not given a short life but we make it short, and we are not ill-supplied but wasteful of it.” — Seneca

“I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I just lived the length of it. I want to live the width of it as well.” — Diane Ackerman

“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it’s worth watching.” — Gerard Way

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” — Mary Oliver

“The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering.” — Bruce Lee

“Most of us live our lives by accident - we live as it happens. Fulfilment comes when we live our lives on purpose.” — Simon Sinek

“People living deeply have no fear of death.” — Anaïs Nin

(Aurel and Clay 2006)

“Concentrate every minute like a Roman—like a man—on doing what’s in front of you with precise and genuine seriousness, tenderly, willingly, with justice. And on freeing yourself from all other distractions.”

“To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts. Every man is tasked to make his life, even in its details, worthy of the contemplation of his most elevated and critical hour.” — Henry David Thoreau

= 有意識地生活 = Live deliberately

我只知道兩件事：第一，有一天我會死；第二，我現在還沒死。唯一的問題是，在這兩點之間，我應該做什麼？

Stop wasting your life. Start living now.

I don’t fear death, I fear not living fully.

“If you can’t live longer, live deeper.” — Italian Proverb

“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” — Abraham Lincoln

“Life is not the amount of breaths you take, it’s the moments that take your breath away.” — Hitch (2005 film)

“The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

“We don’t beat the reaper by living longer, but by living well, and living fully — for the reaper will come for all of us. The question is: what do we do between the time we’re born and the time he shows up. Because when he shows up, it’s too late to do all the things that you’re always gonna, kinda get around to. It is not the things we do in life that we regret on our death bed. It is the things we do not.” — Randy Pausch

There are two ways to live a longer life:

Biologically. Extend the timeline between your birth and your death.
Psychologically. Fit more lives into whatever time you are given.

Many people just fill their hours with things that are easy rather than things that are hard, and things that are forgettable rather than things that are memorable.

Don’t be a “Living Dead.” Don’t die before you are dead.

「大半的人在二十歲或三十歲上就死了。一過這個年齡，他們只變了自己的影子。以後的生命不過是用來模仿自己，把以前真正有人味的時代所說的，所做的，所想的，所喜歡的，一天天的重複，而且重複的方式越來越機械，越來越脫腔走板。」— Christopher Nolan
“Most people die at 25 and aren’t buried until they’re 75.” — Benjamin Franklin
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” — Oscar Wilde
“Some people are old at 19 and some are still young at 90.”
“Don’t go through life, grow through life.” — Eric Butterworth
乾枯的靈魂

Make each day count. Live your life to the fullest.

Run your mind in a debug mode instead of autopilot mode 24/7

“So few people are really aware of their thoughts. Their minds run all over the place without their permission, and they go along for the ride unknowingly and without making a choice. […] If you are not in control of your thoughts then you are not in control of yourself. Without self-control, you have no real power, regardless of whatever else you accomplish. If you are not aware of the thoughts that you are thinking in each moment, then you are the rider with no reins, with no power over where you are going. You cannot control what you are not aware of. Awareness must come first.” — Thomas M. Sterner, The Practicing Mind: Bringing Discipline and Focus into Your Life

“Watch every thought (, word, and act). Always ask, why am I having this thought (, word, and act)?” — Naval Ravikant
不要讓生活、工作、時間被「預設值 」決定
很多時候我們的說話、決定、行動都沒有經過足夠的「思辨」、「深思熟慮」和「自覺」，而在不知不覺中採取了某種「習以為常」的僵化模式

你是這個世界的「NPC」，還是「玩家」？

NPC 特徵：
1. 面對問題，你習慣請別人幫忙，而不是主動解決。
2. 生活圈極小，一座城市就像是整個世界。
3. 身分固定，一輩子都是「村民」角色。
4. 行動被動，沒有人來找你，你就是場景背景。
玩家特徵：
1. 積極接任務，從挑戰中累積經驗值。
2. 喜歡探索新地圖，解鎖各種成就。
3. 自由發展技能樹，想轉職就轉職。
4. 主動和其他玩家互動，交換資源與情報。

無論你想把人生玩成 RPG、經營類、還是解謎遊戲，請記住：你永遠都有選擇權。

Live in the present

Death

“We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.” — C.S. Lewis ⌃

Aurel, Mark, and Diskin Clay. 2006. Meditations. Translated by Martin Hammond. Penguin Classics. London New York Toronto: Penguin Books. ↩

Visual Perceptual Exercise by Andrew Huberman

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

A tool to manage stress and enhance cognitive flexibility. Core insight: visual attention directly modulates the autonomic nervous system — shifting where and how we look regulates our internal state.

It works via Space-Time Bridging 時空橋樑: shifting focus from near to far also shifts time perspective from the present (fine/thin slicing) to the long view (coarse/thick slicing), training the brain to move fluidly between timescales of awareness.

Start with eyes closed, focusing on the internal state of body sensations like breathing and heart rate (Fine/Thin Time Slicing 高幀率)
Then eyes open, focusing on the surface of one’s body.
Gradually look further into the distance, expanding your perception from near to far, maybe 10 feet away.
Then look at a location off to the horizon. Imagine yourself in a broader context, like viewing the whole world or the entire globe. (Coarse/Thick Time Slicing 低幀率)
And then back to one’s immediate surroundings by closing one’s eyes.

The spectrum from internal body awareness to external world awareness.

Overt Visual Focus: focus your visual attention on a specific point (or “spotlight”).
Covert Visual Focus: focus your eyes on one location, such as a pen, but direct your focus elsewhere in the room or location that you’re in.

Before a stressful meeting: Run through the 5-step Space-Time Bridging cycle to reset your nervous system from fight-or-flight to calm awareness.
When feeling stuck or tunnel-visioned: Expand your visual attention to panoramic mode. This often unlocks creative solutions by shifting from narrow problem-solving to broad perspective-taking.
During deep-work sessions: Use overt visual focus as a concentration anchor — fix your gaze on a single spot to prevent mental drift.
Before sleep: The reverse direction (panoramic → near → internal) can help down-regulate the nervous system for rest.

Visualization

Walking

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 23 min read

相對於文明中的自由與文化，我想為自然說句話，為絕對的自由和野性發聲。我不想將人類視為社會的一分子，我想將人類視為棲居大自然的生物，屬於大自然不可或缺的一部分。

我希望每個人都和野生的羚羊一樣，成為自然的一部分。一旦那人接近時，我們會先聞到自然甜美的氣味，讓我們知道他最常去的地方。

懂得「行走」的人，或懂得散步這門藝術的人，我這輩子只遇過零星幾個，他們可說是擁有散步的天賦。

以四海為家，正是成功散步的秘訣。

老是枯坐在家裡的人，才是最貧窮的乞丐。真正的散步者比較像蜿蜒的河流，尋找著通往大海的捷徑。

我們每一次散步都是一次遠征，藏在內心的隱士彼得會鼓吹我們踏上旅程，從異教徒手中奪回聖地。

說實話，我們都只是沒骨氣的遠征隊，現在甚至只是散步的人，也缺乏堅持不懈、永不停歇的精神。我們的遠征都只算踏青出遊，晚上都會返回舊壁爐邊，且旅程有一半是循原路回頭。

我們也許應該抱著冒險犯難、絕不回頭的精神，踏上最短的路線，準備將防腐的心臟送回家，成為荒棄王國的遺物。如果你準備好離開父母、兄弟姊妹、妻子、小孩和朋友，和他們天人永隔 — 如果你已償還債務，立下遺囑，安排好所有事務，成為自由之身，那你就準備好散步了。

再多的錢都買不到悠閒、自由和獨立，這是散步必要的關鍵。

我覺得每天如果不花四小時散步，穿梭樹林，翻越山嶺，橫越田野，徹底拋下世俗的事務，恐怕無法維持身心健康。俗話說「一便士買你的想法」，倒不如說「一念值千金」。

我只要在房間待上一天，身體就生鏽了。有時我在一日的最後，像下午四點，好不容易溜出去散個步，那時韶光已逝，白晝將盡，夜幕逐漸遮蔽天光，我都覺得自己像犯了罪，必須好好懺悔。

我說的散步和運動可是沒半點關係。所謂運動，就像病患按時吃藥，或像按時舉舉啞鈴或椅子。而散步本身，即是一日的挑戰和冒險。說真的，想運動還不如去尋找生命的泉源。你想想看，人為了健康，只在原地揮舞啞鈴，卻對遠方牧場噴湧的泉水毫無興趣！

散步要像駱駝一樣，據說牠們是唯一能邊行走邊思考的野獸。有次旅人請華茲華斯的女僕帶他們去她主人的書房，她回答：「這裡是主人的藏書室，他的書房在戶外。」

只要多待在戶外生活，風吹日曬，個性自然會變粗獷 — 像勞力活會讓雙手粗糙，人纖細的本質會因此長出一層厚皮。相反的，如果老待在屋子裡，人的個性自然會變得柔軟光滑，更別說皮膚會變薄，對特定刺激也更為敏感。

大自然的裨補之道藏在晝與夜、冬與夏、思考與經驗的比例。空氣能疏通理路，陽光能照亮思緒，比起一雙怠惰懶散的手，勞力形成的粗糙手掌會帶來健全的自尊和氣慨，讓人內心振奮。一是整日臥床，自覺白淨；一是皮膚曬黑，手覆厚繭。空有感受和實際經驗有著天壤之別。

我們散步時，便自然地走向田野和樹林；若我們只是在花園或林蔭大道散步，會遇得到什麼呢？

⭐️ 除了狐狸和貂走過的路，我不會踏上任何道路。路線是如此：先沿著河流走到小溪，接著來到草原和樹林邊緣。我家附近好幾平方英哩杳無人煙。我不大走公路。我不是擅行道路的馬車，而是善於旅行的良馬。

去樹林時，只帶身體沒帶心也沒有用。要是我的身體進入樹林走了一英哩，心卻沒跟上，我會有所警覺。下午散步時，我會希望自己忘記早上的工作和對社會的責任。但有時我拋不開俗務，工作會溜進我腦中，害我魂不守舍。我散步會希望自己專心。如果我想著樹林外的事，那我到樹林裡幹嘛？我反省自己，不禁打個寒顫，沒想到自己會陷入世俗的工作情境中，無法自拔。

只要散步兩、三小時，我便能踏上我所期盼的陌生國度，有時會發現不曾見過的農舍，那時我心中的感動便宛如發現達荷美王國的領地。方圓十英哩或午後散步的範圍，再加上人生七十年，其實從中能發現某種和諧。你一輩子都會感到新奇。

現在所有人類的進步，像建造房舍、砍伐森林和大樹，其實都只是在破壞景色，讓一切變得廉價而乏味。我輩啊！起手燒毀欄杆，留下森林吧！

決定方向為何有時如此困難？我相信自然有股潛在的磁力，只要我們放下心念，順勢而為，它便會帶領我們。對於我們要去哪，它不會漠不關心。

正確的道路是有的，但我們常掉以輕心，以致傻傻走上歧路。我們內心會想走上正途，在真實世界中，那條路我們仍不曾走過，而它恰恰象徵著內在和理想，是我們願踏上的旅程。

說來真怪，我憑直覺出門，不確定自己要彎去哪散步時，總不自覺轉向西南方，朝那方向的樹林、草原、荒廢的牧場或山丘走去。

往東方，我得逼著自己走；往西方，我隨時能上路。向東散步，我絲毫不會感到興奮，但我相信西方的森林會循著夕陽延伸到地平線，那裡不會有煩人的城鎮和大城市。

我們向東學習歷史、藝術和文學作品，追溯種族的腳步。我們向西則邁向未來，懷抱著企圖心和冒險心。

每次看到日落，我都渴望走向太陽落下之處，前往遙遠美麗的西方。太陽日日向西移動，引誘我們跟著它。它是各族追隨的偉大西方拓荒者。地平線的山脊也許只是幻影，但最後一束陽光為它鍍了金，讓我們整晚魂牽夢縈。

我相信氣候能影響人，山中的空氣能滋養精神，增加靈感。在此多方影響下，人難道不會變得身強體健，完美聰明嗎？我相信我們會更具想像力，我們的思想會如晴空一般，變得更清晰、清新和超凡。我們的理解會像平原一樣，更透徹和廣闊。我們的智識會像雷聲、閃電、河川、山脈和森林一樣，更宏偉壯闊。我們的心胸甚至會和內陸大湖一樣寬廣、深沉和浩瀚。

生命和野性共生，所以最具野性的事物，也最具生命力。野性不曾被征服，也能讓人清醒。

對我來說，希望和未來不在草原和開墾地，不在城鎮和城市，而是在池水波動的沼澤。那就像農莊一隅的天然水池；對我來說，那就是驚為天人的珍寶。

外在世界多荒涼，我的精神便多振奮。給我海洋、沙漠和荒野！

像動物般純粹地生存，便是令人滿足的享受。

重新進入已開發的土地，我們感到痛苦和困惑。文明的混亂，令我們不適和窒息。我們呼吸不到空氣，彷彿每一秒都將缺氧而死。

重生時，我會追尋最黑暗、最茂密且永無止境的森林，以及對城市人來說最陰鬱的沼澤。我走入沼澤，就像走入神聖之地，那裡蘊含著大自然的力量和精髓。野生的樹林覆蓋原生的灰綠沼地 — 這樣的土地對人類和樹木都有益。就像農場需要肥料一樣，人要健康，需要時時看到數英畝的綠野。人需要以挑戰為食。

文學中，只有野性能吸引我們。馴良的另一個名字是乏味。未開化的自由和野性思想才是我們最開心的收穫。

真正的好書自然不造作，美好又完美，出乎意料，又難以解釋，就像在西方草原或東方森林中發現的野花。

從吟遊詩人到湖畔詩人，如喬叟、史賓塞、彌爾頓，甚至莎士比亞，英國文學氣息不甚清新，也無野性的特質。它本質上是馴良和開化的文學，反映著希臘和羅馬。它的野性就像綠林，它的野人就像羅賓漢，裡面有親近自然的愛，卻沒有對自然本身的愛。

能體現出自然的文學在哪？那非詩人莫屬了。他能讓風和溪水為他服務和發聲；他能展現文字最原始的意義，如同農夫在春天凍脹的土地上釘下木椿；他用字遣詞時時追本溯源 — 並移植到紙頁上，讓根不離土；他的文字句句真實，新奇自然，像迎接春天的新芽茁壯生長。

神話比起其他文學更接近自然。比起英國文學，希臘神話至少紮根於自然的沃土！

神話是遠古世界的作物，當時土地還未耗竭，幻想和想像力還未染上枯萎病；它保有的原始活力至今不減。其他文學都只像榆樹，頂多遮蔽我們的屋子，但神話像是西部群島的巨大龍血樹，和人類一樣歷史悠久。

無論龍血樹是否仍在，神話都將和人類長存，而其他文學都將腐敗，化為土壤，滋養神話。

所有好東西都是狂野和自由的。我們的內心都有個狂野的野蠻人，也許在世上一角，有某個野蠻的名字屬於我們。

如同我不會開墾每一塊土地一樣，我不會培養每一個人，也不會陶冶人的一切。就土地而言，我們會將一部分開墾耕作，但大部分都會保留給草原和森林 ¹。我們不能短視近利，我們必須靠年年累積的腐殖質，備好沃土，來面對遙遠的未來。

我聽說許多可憐的學生眼睛發疼，但如果他別徹夜苦讀，好好像個傻瓜紮實地睡上一覺，智慧、思考，甚至身體成長，都會更快。

我們聽過社會要傳播有用的知識，也聽過「知識就是力量」。我覺得社會要傳播「有用的無知」，或稱為「美麗的知識」，這是形而上的知識。我們所謂的知識，不過是大言不慚炫耀已知的事物，總會讓我們忘記自己其實一無所知；我們所謂的知識，往往證明自己無知，無知則證明自己擁有負的知識。

透過努力不懈和閱讀報紙，人會將無數事實記在腦中。待他生命的春天到來，他會漫步到思想的偉大平原，像馬一樣品嚐綠草，將束縛自己的馬具全留在馬廄。有時我會對傳播有用知識的社會說：去草原吧，你們吃乾草夠久了。

春天來了，大地長滿了綠芽，五月底之前，村裡每隻牛都會回到牧場吃草。但我聽說有個農夫違反自然，他把牛養在農舍，整年只餵牠乾草。所以傳播有用知識的社會中，牛隻經常需要醫治。

一個人的無知有時不只有用，而且美麗。所謂的知識，除了醜陋，通常比沒用還沒用。有一種人對萬物一無所知，但他心裡有數；另一種人則對世事略知一二，卻自以為無所不知，哪一種人比較好相處？

我對知識的渴望斷斷續續，但多年以來，我一直渴望踏上並沉浸在不曾踏過的土地。我們最能獲得的不是知識，而是和智慧同理。

當我理解這形而上的概念，我眼界大開，豁然發現過去所謂的知識有多麼不足。天地之間有許多事情，是你的睿智所無法想像的。陽光照亮了迷霧。人類不可能明白比這更崇高的感受，他頂多只能面對太陽，感到內心平靜，無悔無罪。即《迦勒底神諭》所說的：「你無法感知，因為感知有限。」

在生活中，若習慣尋找法則，並乖乖遵守，那感覺就是種奴性。我們能研究萬物的法則，在方便時為我們所用，但成功的生活不會有法則。發覺自己過去不知不覺中被法則限制住，這點確實令人難過。所以，自由生活吧，霧中之子！對於知識，我們全是霧中之子，即使我們與立法者同為人，但人類自由生活的權利，則凌駕在所有法律之上。

他們沒有政治，沒有勞動的噪音，我聽不到他們紡紗織布的動靜，但徐風平息、萬籟無聲時，我會聽到人類所能想像最悅耳的嗡鳴，彷彿五月遙遠的蜂巢，也許這正是他們思考的聲者。他們沒有閒情逸致，但唯有閒情逸致的人才看得到他們工作，因為他們工作時，不受限於結節和贅瘤之處。

最重要的是，我們一定要活在當下 — 人上之人從不緬懷過去，只把握當下。

思想上，我們除非能聽到附近穀倉的每一聲雞鳴，不然我們永遠都遲了一步。雞鳴能提醒我們，做事和陷入思考時，身體時時刻刻都在生鋪變老。它的思想比我們更現代，它的宣告就是新版的《聖經》，即此時此刻的福音。它從不遲到，時時早起，不曾落後。要和它一起，就必須享受當下，站上時間的第一線。雞鳴表示大自然健康安好，並大聲向全世界誇耀健康的生命，猶如繆斯的新池泉水噴湧，以慶祝稍縱即逝的良辰吉時。

雞鳴的好處，便是它不令人傷感，雞一啼，我們便破涕為笑。除了它，誰能讓我們期待單純喜悅的早晨？在憂鬱時，雞鳴能打破週日木棧道死寂的氣息；也或許我在家守靈時，聽到附近的雞鳴，便會想：「至少我們其中之一好過。」接著我便能心情一振，豁然回神。

十一月有天日落十分美麗，我走在小溪源頭的草地上，那天陰冷灰暗，但夕陽落下最後一刻，在地平線畫出了清晰的光束，那如晨光般柔和耀眼的光芒，照到反方向乾燥的草原和樹枝上，也照亮山坡上的櫟樹林。

我們的影子投在東方的草地上，彷彿在陽光下，我們只是灰塵一般。那樣的光，我們之前簡直無法想像，空氣也溫暖寧靜，那草地無比完美，宛如天堂一般。這並非單次、永不再現的美景，這樣的美景會永永遠遠下去，未來無數的傍晚，都將鼓舞和撫慰行至此處的孩子，一想到此，我們便感覺此景更為壯闊。

夕陽落入靜謐的草地，燦爛奪目的光輝曾沐浴城市，但此時四周沒有一間房子，又也許，世上不曾出現過此景 — 也許有隻沼澤孤鷹飛過，雙翼染得一片金黃；也許一隻麝鼠從巢穴探頭；也許沼澤中有條黑脈似的溪流，正緩緩繞過腐爛的殘樁流動……

我們走入純淨明亮的光中，陽光為枯草和樹葉鍍金，光線溫柔和煦，我感覺自己從未沐浴在如此金色的浪潮中，不受一絲漣漪和低鳴打擾。西方每一座樹林和山丘像至福樂土的邊境，閃耀著金光，傍晚時分的太陽在我們後方，像溫柔的牧人驅趕著我們回家。

於是我們漫步朝聖地前行，期許有朝一日，太陽會前所未有的明亮，也許能照亮我們的思想和心靈，並以一道恰如秋天河畔溫暖、寧靜的金黃醒光，啟發我們的一生。

aka 自然農法 = 自然耕作法 ⌃

The Beginner Mindset

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” — Mark Twain

“I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” — Pablo Picasso

“In many cases, you’ll find the only thing preventing you from learning is your ego. No one enjoys feeling foolish, but attempting something new requires that you climb down from your perch and struggle as a beginner. You must ask questions that reveal your ignorance or attempt skills that make you look uncoordinated. Learning demands the willingness to live in a brief state of discomfort. You must believe that looking like a fool for an hour will not ruin your reputation for life.” — James Clear

“Every act of conscious learning requires the willingness to suffer an injury to one’s self-esteem. That is why young children, before they are aware of their own self-importance, learn so easily; and why older persons, especially if vain or important, cannot learn at all.” — Thomas Szasz

“You can’t be content with mastery; you have to push yourself to become a student again.” — (Kleon 2014)

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind there are few.” — Shunryu Suzuki

Normalize looking bad/cringy. Enjoy being wrong or looking/sounding “stupid” in a public setting.

Be brave enough to suck at something new.

Admitting that you don’t have all the answers. Normalize the awkwardness of saying:

“I don’t know.”
“This sounds really hard.”
“I don’t have enough information to have an opinion on that.”

It’s perfectly reasonable.

Some evidence suggests that this dramatic decrease in curiosity could be caused by our increase in knowledge as we grow up.

The Rumsfeld Matrix ¹ — Unknown Unknowns

“We are blind to our blindness. We have very little idea of how little we know. We are not designed to know how little we know.” — Daniel Kahneman

我們所不知道的事情，遠遠超過我們所知道的事情。所以，永遠都要預設自己一無所知。

忽視或無知的代價往往極其高昂。唯有持續保持對新事物的好奇心，才能不斷突破固有的「認知邊界」，開拓更廣闊的視野與可能性。

What you see is not all there is. You don’t know what you don’t know, the unknown unknowns.

Every expert started out as a beginner. Embrace the embarrassment of feeling like a beginner.

歸零 = 回歸初心 (Shoshin)

回歸初心，不是回到過去，而是重新認識自己。

赤子之心：如同初生嬰兒般純真、善良、無邪的心地。

「20 年工作經驗」might be「1 年工作經驗重複 20 次」…

Naivety (= naiveness = naïveté)

The state of being naive
Refers to an apparent or actual lack of experience and sophistication

Empty Your Cup

Shed your identity to see reality.

The Einstellung Effect

Abandon your ego

Be ready to change your mind completely at any given time

The Intellectual Yet Idiot

The Mueller-Lyer Illusion

aka The Awareness—Understanding Matrix ⌃

Kleon, Austin. 2014. Show Your Work! 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered. New York, NY: Workman Publishing Company. ↩

Lateral Thinking

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“The young man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” — George Bernard Shaw

“Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody else has thought.” — Albert Szent-Györgyi

= creative non-linear, asymmetric, threaded, divergent thinking ↔ traditional linear, logical, vertical, analytical thinking

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”

“I learned over the years that people don’t argue with rules. We’ve been taught our whole lives to follow the rules, but we’ve never thought of how to create rules for ourselves that we just follow when we’re at our worst. We all know no matter how bad our day is, we shouldn’t speed on the highway because it’s against the rules. What we don’t think about is how do we use rules to our advantage?” — Daniel Kahneman

Don’t follow the rules/crowd. Break the rule/frame.
Rule Follower → Rule Breaker
Break the rules with intention, not ignorance.
Create rules that change the rules.
Beat the game, not play the game.

出怪招

撕掉標籤

質疑教條（Dogma）

質疑是一種求知的態度

反骨精神：拒絕「墨守陳規」

Question the unquestionable.

Simulating innovation-is-about-everyone-agreeing-with-you-later → Disruptive innovation-is-about-everyone-agreeing-with-you-later (by Clayton Christensen)

破壞式創新/顛覆性想法經常發生於集體盲點

Turn off filters. Don’t be too conservative.

反直覺式思考：Think differently. Think out of the box.

Reality is largely negotiable. If you stress-test the boundaries and experiment with the “impossibles,” you’ll quickly discover that most limitations are a fragile collection of socially reinforced rules you can choose to break at any time.

The Shu-Ha-Ri Model

The Fosbury Flop

Cutting the Gordian knot (快刀斬亂麻)

Am I trying to untie something I could just cut through?

Functional fixedness is a cognitive bias where a person is unable to see something outside of its traditional or intended function.

In the case of the Gordian Knot, the fixed assumption was simple:

A knot must be untied.

The fixed assumption defined and limited the options of those attempting to solve the problem.

Rather than being trapped, Alexander challenged the fixed assumption—metaphorically (and literally) cutting straight through it.

Lateral thinking changes perspective. Just to be provocative.

The Beginner Mindset

The PO Creativity Method

skepticism

The Ludic Fallacy

Be ready to change your mind completely at any given time

Mastering yourself is superpower

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 5 min read

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” — Aristotle

“The more you know yourself, the better your relationship with the rest of the world.” — Esther Perel

“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.” — Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

“He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.” — Lao Tzu

勝人者有力，自勝者強

“When you are content to simply be yourself and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you.” — Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

“There are 2 mistakes along the way to Self-Mastery: Not starting it, and not going all the way.” — Shi Heng Yi (释恒義)

“In order to control myself I must first accept myself by going with and not against my nature.” — Bruce Lee

“For it is easy to criticize and break down the spirit of others, but to know yourself takes a lifetime.” — Bruce Lee, Striking Thoughts: Bruce Lee’s Wisdom for Daily Living

“It is easy to crush an enemy outside oneself but impossible to defeat an enemy within.” — (Yoshikawa and Reischauer 1995)

“A man who acquires the ability to take full possession of his own mind may take possession of anything else to which he is justly entitled.” — Andrew Carnegie

“The degree to which a person can grow is directly proportional to the amount of truth he can accept about himself without running away.” — Leland Val Van De Wall ¹

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” — Carl Jung

“A great way to understand yourself is to seriously reflect on everything you find irritating in others.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier

“I think overall, I’m just a pensive person, I’m an introspective young woman. I spend a lot of time in my head. It’s not a bad place to be. I journal a lot. I break down all of my thought processes. I apply a very analytical lens to my own thinking, and I kind of modify it because it’s so interesting. You can control what you think, and therefore you can control who you are. So I can literally become exactly who I want to be. How cool is that? Like how empowering is that, right? And so, the fact is I get to become every day the kind of person that me, at age 8, would revere. Like I would be obsessed with me today. Are you kidding? I would love me. And I think it’s the biggest flex of all time, that you can have like little younger you be proud of you today.” — Eileen Gu

= 自我覺察 (Self-awareness) ≈ Self-examination ≈ 後設認知 (Metacognition) = (對自己) 認知的認知 = 思考自己的思考

自我覺察是一種能開啟與自己真誠的對話、和自己自在相處的能力。它必須建立對於「感覺」的敏感度上，這種敏銳的感知力，能讓人察覺自己的情緒、發覺自己的真實感受，並有能力對這種感覺做出回應。與自己對話很重要，當一個人不夠了解自己的時候，是很難喜歡自己的。反之，當一個人越了解自己，就越能接受「最真實」的自己，進而喜歡自己、改變自己。

自我反省乍看之下很簡單，但其實極其困難而且急不得，因為人很擅長欺騙自己，又或是在當下會因為各種因素難以接受自己的真實想法。 ²

“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself—and you are the easiest person to fool.” — Richard P. Feynman

“We lie the loudest when we lie to ourselves.” — Eric Hoffer

“If you want to be successful, you must respect one rule: Never lie to yourself!” — Paulo Coelho

“I wasn’t going to eat it, I was just going to taste it.” — A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

「灌酒/茶」和「品酒/茶」的差別：後者多了「自覺」

本我 (Id): 人的本能
自我 (Ego): 兩者衝突時的調節者
超我 (Superego): 人的理想化目標

(James 1995) distinguished two understandings of the self, the self as “Me” and the self as “I”, in the context of consciousness.

“Me” corresponds to the self as an object of experience (self as object)
“I” reflects the self as a subject of experience (self as subject)

5 Hindrances to Self-Mastery

The Johari Window

“Instead of shaming your emotions, try to understand what they are telling you.” — Lindsay C. Gibson ⌃
This also points out the importance of being authentic and honest: “The moment you tell somebody something dishonest, you’ve lied to yourself. Then you’ll start believing your own lie, which will disconnect you from reality and take you down the wrong road.” — Almanack of Naval Ravikant ⌃

James, William. 1995. The Principles of Psychology: In Two Volumes. Vol. 1. Facsim. of ed. New York, Henry Holt, 1890. Vol. 1. Dover-Books on Biology, Psychology and Medicine. New York: Dover. ↩

Yoshikawa, Eiji, and Edwin O. Reischauer. 1995. Musashi. Translated by Charles S. Terry. [New] edition. Tokyo New York: Kodansha International. ↩

Neuroscience

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 9 min read

The brain is a monkey brain with a supercomputer on top.

前額葉皮質 (Prefrontal Cortex, PFC) is critical for contextual processing
神經可塑性（Neuroplasticity）
神經再生性（Neurogenesis）
Neurocircuit
迷走神經 (Vagus Nerve)
腺苷 (Adenosine): Drowsiness/Sleepiness
amygdala

控制「非自主運作（無需意識控制）」的生理功能，例如心跳、呼吸、消化、血壓等。
進一步分為：
1. 交感神經系統（Sympathetic NS）
2. 副交感神經系統（Parasympathetic NS）
3. 腸神經系統（Enteric NS）

由「交感神經系統（Sympathetic Nervous System）」主導
發生在面對壓力或威脅時
身體進入警戒狀態：
- 心跳加快
- 瞳孔放大
- 肌肉緊繃
- 腎上腺素分泌上升

由「副交感神經系統（Parasympathetic Nervous System）」主導
發生在安全、放鬆的環境中
身體進入恢復狀態：
- 心跳減慢
- 消化活躍
- 肌肉放鬆
- 能量儲存與修復進行中

生理反應	主導神經系統	身體狀態	主要功能
戰或逃（Fight or Flight）	交感神經	緊張、警覺	應對危機、逃生
休息與消化（Rest and Digest）	副交感神經	放鬆、修復	恢復體力、維持平衡

控制「自主運動（需要意識控制）」，例如移動手腳、寫字、說話等。
傳遞訊號到「骨骼肌」，協調身體動作。

人類的腦部其實是三位一體的腦，由三個重要的腦組合連結在一起，共同合作而形成。

首先是腦幹，位於大腦中最深處的部分，主要負責人的維生功能，如呼吸、心跳、戰逃反應、生存本能，這部分的腦是最古老的腦，在演化上，從古至今沒有太大的改變。因此有時也被形容為爬蟲類腦 (reptilian brain)。
第二部分的腦稱為緣腦 (Limbic Brain)，包括杏仁核、海馬迴、下視丘等，為處理情緒、記憶的中樞，因此也被稱為情緒腦或哺乳動物的腦。由於位在腦幹邊緣，有時也被稱為邊緣系統 (limbic system)
第三個部分的腦稱為皮質 (Cortex)，皮質是人類最後演化出來的部分，它像樹皮一樣層層疊疊包覆在大腦外面。皮質層負責高等的腦部功能，例如、計畫、思考、語言功能都在這裡發生。

Limbic Friction

大腦主要由神經元和膠質細胞組成，兩者的數量約為 1 : 1

神經元執行神經訊號的傳遞和整合功能
膠質細胞則扮演重要的支撐和營養作用

短期記憶：海馬迴 (Hippocampi) / 海馬體 (Hippocampus)
- 阿茲海默症 (Alzheimer’s Disease)：海馬體萎縮，屬於「退化性 (Degenerative Dementias) 失智症」的一種
  - Type-3 diabetes
  - = Carbs + Sedentism + Poor Sleep
- 灰質（Gray Matter）
長期記憶：皮質層 (Cortex)

潛/下意識 (Subconsciousness) ↔ 前意識 (Preconscious) ↔ 主/表/顯意識 (Consciousness)

“Psychologists tell us that by the time we’re in our mid-30s, our identity or personality will be completely formed. This means that for those of us over 35, we have memorized a select set of behaviors, attitudes, beliefs, emotional reactions, habits, skills, associative memories, conditioned responses, and perceptions that are now subconsciously programmed within us. Those programs are running us, because the body has become the mind. This means that we will think the same thoughts, feel the same feelings, react in identical ways, behave in the same manner, believe the same dogmas, and perceive reality the same ways. About 95 percent of who we are by midlife1 is a series of subconscious programs that have become automatic—driving a car, brushing our teeth, overeating when we’re stressed, worrying about our future, judging our friends, complaining about our lives, blaming our parents, not believing in ourselves, and insisting on being chronically unhappy, just to name a few.” — Joe Dispenza, Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One

The subconscious mind is always active, continuously operating whether you’re awake or asleep—like background processing.
You can’t access your subconscious mind while you’re conscious.
Your subconscious mind is like a vast cloud-based memory bank, effortlessly multitasking in the background, while your conscious mind holds no long-term memory and can focus on only one thought at a time.
The Iceberg of Conscious Mind ¹
- Our consciousness (i.e., voice in your head) is just the iceberg tip of our cognition. Only about 10% of our brain activity is conscious, while 90% operates unconsciously.
- Much like an iceberg, your mind has two parts: the visible portion above the surface, and the hidden depths beneath it.
- What That Means
  - Conscious Mind (≈10%)
    - This is the part you’re actively aware of—your thoughts, decisions, focus, willpower, etc. It includes logical reasoning, short-term memory, and deliberate action.
  - Unconscious or Subconscious Mind (≈90%)
    - This massive part handles things automatically: habits, emotions, instincts, beliefs, body functions (like breathing or heartbeat), and even deeply stored memories or reactions.
- Examples
  - When you drive a car, your conscious mind might focus on traffic, but your subconscious handles shifting gears or reacting to familiar routes.
  - When you meet someone, your conscious mind processes what they’re saying, but your subconscious is picking up on body language, tone, and micro-expressions.It does most of the work of our daily activities without us even realizing it.
- Ninety-five percent of our brain activity is unconscious, meaning that most of our decisions, actions, emotions, and behaviors are driven by processes outside of our conscious awareness. Ninety-five percent of who you are is a subconscious or even an unconscious state of being. And that means your conscious mind’s five percent is working against the ninety-five percent of what you’ve memorized subconsciously.
- ⭐️ The unconscious really influences our decision-making or habits
  - The subconscious mind tends to take everything literally, without distinguishing between positive and negative input. It doesn’t analyze or reason on its own—it simply follows the directions it receives from your conscious thoughts. So, if you constantly tell yourself that you’ll never succeed at something, chances are, that belief will shape your reality. As Henry Ford famously said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t—you’re right.”
  - Your subconscious is designed to store and retrieve data—nothing more, nothing less. It doesn’t judge or analyze; it simply records and replays. It also ensures you react to that stored data—your “programming”—exactly as it was originally logged. So, if you formed a belief early on, like “I’m not good enough,” that program will continue running quietly in the background, influencing every decision you make. It shapes your behavior, locks you into familiar patterns, and reinforces a self-concept that feels “safe,” even if it’s limiting—until you consciously choose to upgrade that programming.
- Extended Mind Thesis by Andy Clark and David Chalmers
If the unconscious mind runs the show most of the time, the key is to become more conscious of the unconscious.
- Mindfulness & meditation help you observe habits and emotional patterns as they arise.
- Journaling uncovers beliefs, fears, and patterns you might not be aware of.
- Therapy, especially types like CBT or psychoanalysis, help you identify unconscious thought patterns that may be influencing your behavior.
- Visualization & affirmations are ways to feed positive scripts into the subconscious over time.

Reticular Activating System

感覺動作節律 (Sensorimotor Rhythm, SMR)

快樂賀爾蒙
- 多巴胺 (Dopamine) — The Reward Chemical
- 血清素 (Serotonin) — The Mood Stabilizer
- 催產素 (Oxytocin) — The Love Hormone
- 腦內啡 (Endorphin) — The Pain Reliever
壓力賀爾蒙
- 皮脂醇 (Cortisol) — Alertness
- 正腎上腺素 (Norepinephrine)
- 腎上腺素 (Adrenaline/Epinephrine)
褪黑激素 (Melatonin) — The Hormone of Darkness

Working Memory

Fluid Intelligence versus Crystallized Intelligence

它和人類的意志力、求生本能有很大的關聯。

科學家發現，aMCC 的大小會隨著個人狀態改變。例如，肥胖者的 aMCC 較小，但節食後會變大；運動員的 aMCC 通常較大，而那些經常挑戰自我、克服困難的人，aMCC 甚至可以「持續變大」。

那麼，如何讓 aMCC 變大？從事讓你感到厭惡、但具挑戰性的事情。當你投入精力去做那些困難、讓你抗拒的事時，aMCC 就會增長。反之，當你過於安於現狀時，aMCC 會逐漸縮小。

See also: Satir Transformational Systemic Therapy (STST) ⌃

Sauna

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

Order
1. 淋浴間 Shower
  
  To rinse off any dirt, sweat, or lotions on your skin
2. 蒸氣室 Steam room
  
  To open up pores, promote blood circulation, and relax muscles
3. 烤箱 Sauna
Before the sauna
- Shower and DRY OFF COMPLETELY, because dry skin sweats/perspires faster than moist
- Eat LIGHT snack
In the sauna
- Always underlay your towel on the wood before you sit or lay down, so that your body does not come into contact with the wood. Also, make sure your feet go on your towel.
  - Exception: “Dampfbad” or steam room. These rooms have stone seats that you rinse off with water — no towels allowed.
  - Lying on the bench helps evenly distribute the heat along your body
  - It is most effective to sweat briefly but violently on the upper benches. The higher up you sit in the sauna, the higher the temperature.
- Unwind: meditation, breathwork, tree pose, sit stretching, etc.
- Remove jewelry or watches to avoid damaging them in the heat and moisture.
- Salt scrub in steam room to exfoliate dead skin
  - Risk: scrubbing hard on dry or sweaty skin creates microscopic cuts, raising the risk of bacterial infection
  - Steps
    1. First, spend a few minutes in the steam room or sauna to soften the skin
    2. Do one round of heat
    3. Rub a paste of salt with water onto yourself as an exfoliant
    4. Leave it on through the next round and for ten minutes more, then shower it off
After the sauna
- Shower and let your body cool completely before getting dressed (or you’re gonna sweat)
- Drink LOTS of water (Stay hydrated)
- Eat after one hour
Why no clothes? (only “towel” or “robe”) A swimsuit get in the way of your body/skin properly sweating out impurities. Textiles can bring in bacteria that will grow in hot sauna.
Russian Banya (wet-steam) vs Traditional Steam (dry-steam)
- Parenie Treatment
德文單字
- Dampfbad = Rasulbad
- Aufguss
- Kaminzimmer (壁爐室)

The Allegory of the Cave

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

by the Greek philosopher Plato

Imagine a group of people stuck in a cave. The only thing they know about the world is the shadows cast on the wall in front of them. No matter how hard they try, they’ll never really know the truth about the objects that cast those shadows — their information is too limited.

In a very real sense, our society, our bodies, our senses, our existence have placed limits on what we can know. The same way the prisoners can only see shadows, we can only learn what we are exposed to. We can’t know the whole truth.

Many of us are prisoners stuck in the cave; we don’t even know that there even is a truth to pursue. Some of us are prisoners freed from the cave: we know that our ideas are flawed, but at least we can try to find the truth.

One of the prisoners leaves the cave and experiences the real world, and then faces the inner conflict of whether he should let the other prisoners experience real life — not knowing if their new lives would be better or worse — or let them live in ignorance in the cave. Since the escaped prisoner’s eyes have become adjusted to daylight, when he returns to the cave he can’t see because it’s too dark. So when he tries to describe the outside world to the prisoners in the cave, they don’t believe him; instead, they see his blindness and think that the outside world is dangerous. It’s implied that anyone who tried to tell the prisoners of the outside world, or removed them from the cave, would be met with hostility or death.

The moral is that your perception of the world and your personal experiences are not always reality — and that people would rather live in a world of false perception than change their whole perspective.

I believe the point is that there is a burden to enlightenment. It’s not enough to simply experience greater truth; one needs to learn how to present it to others. Trying to “force” people out of ignorance will only cause them to reject the truth more harshly.

Picture a chair in your mind. Its color, its texture, whether it has fabric or metal legs — you can summon one instantly.

But you’ve never actually seen this chair. So how is it that I can show you an object you’ve never encountered before, and you can instantly sort it as “chair” or “not chair”? What do all chairs share that every other object lacks — what makes them “chair” and everything else “not chair”?

What we’re doing is constructing an ideal: the “essence of chair” that every real chair has but no real chair perfectly embodies. No one can build this ideal chair; it exists only as a concept we can never fully realize. What we can build are objects that represent “chair.” This essence — the thing we all somehow know but can’t create — has been dubbed the “platonic ideal.”

The cave works the same way. The prisoners never see the real world; they only see its shadows on the wall as it passes the mouth of the cave. The “real world” is the “essence of chair,” and the shadows on our cave wall are the actual chairs you and I know in everyday life.

Shadow puppets are how a lot of people perceive the world, but the philosopher is the freed prisoner — the one who has seen the world as it is and understood it more deeply.

The allegory acts as a template for your own change:

Your life in the cave. You live in the dark, but are almost entirely unaware of that fact. You accept self-limiting beliefs, the original stories you tell yourself, and mindsets that may not serve you.
Your escape from the cave. You question all of the beliefs, mindsets, and stories that were holding you back. You are blinded by the light of the new reality that you now experience. It’s disorienting and scary, but energizing.
Your return to the cave. You want to share your excitement about this new reality with others, but find it challenging to do so. You are no longer speaking the same language as the people you used to surround yourself with. You experience a period of loneliness.
Your life in the light. You have embraced the vivid reality that is made possible by a growth mindset and limitless beliefs. You find your new people in that reality. You shine in the light.

The Compounding Effect

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 5 min read

Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it. He who doesn’t, pays it.” — Albert Einstein

leads to a Virtuous Cycle (良性循環)

$1 + 1 = 11$

冰凍三尺，非一日之寒

The Butterfly/Ripple/Domino Effect: the cumulative effect produced when one small event/occurrence sets off a series of similar or related events, a form of chain reaction.

The Matthew Effect

The Cascade Effect

All the great outcomes in life come from compound interests, whether it’s in investing, or whether it’s in relationships.

Growth fuels more growth over time—the more you grow, the more feelings of growing.

The Power of Discontinuous Jump

A rolling snowball gathers more snow. ¹

The most important thing about compound interest isn’t the math. It’s the psychology. We’re wired to think linearly, but compounding is non-linear. The first ten years? Barely noticeable. The last ten years? That’s where everything happens. Munger calls this “sit on your ass investing.” Patience isn’t a strategy. It’s the strategy.

Every single day, chop wood, carry water

The One Percent Rule

“How did you go bankrupt? Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.” — Ernest Hemingway

“Powerful avalanches begin with small shifts.” — Pamela McFarland Walsh

leads to a Vicious Cycle (惡性循環) ²

#NEWSLETTER

In some areas of life, your reputation is defined by your wins.

Creative pursuits. One bestseller or hit song can erase the memory of the ones that didn’t work.

Entrepreneurship. People rarely remember your failed business ideas, only your winning ones.

In areas like these, your mistakes fade away and the breakthroughs last. But in other areas of life, your reputation is defined by your losses.

Crime. You can drive safely 364 days a year, but one DUI changes everything.

Ethics and morals. One unethical decision can ruin a reputation and destroy trust.

In areas like these, your mistakes linger and consistency is rewarded.

Some areas of life reward your best day. Others punish your worst day. Know which situation you’re in, and you can better decide when to be risky and when to play it safe.

$10 - 1 = 0$ ：即使做對十件事，只要其中一件事做錯，一切就歸零。因此，避免犯錯比什麼都重要！

Bad things happen dramatically. Good things happen gradually, and don’t feel like “news”.

“Success is largely the failures you avoid. Health is the injuries you don’t sustain. Wealth is the purchases you don’t make. Happiness is the objects you don’t desire. Peace of mind is the arguments you don’t engage. Avoid the bad to protect the good.” — James Clear

A good night’s sleep doesn’t guarantee a productive day, getting only two hours is enough to derail your entire day.
Eating healthy all week doesn’t guarantee perfect health, but one case of food poisoning can ruin days.
One great workout doesn’t make you fit, but one injury can halt your progress for weeks.
Following all the right habits doesn’t guarantee perfect health, but one infection or serious illness can derail your energy and routines.
Dozens of kind gestures don’t ensure harmony, but one careless comment can spark conflict.
Being organized most of the day doesn’t guarantee productivity, but one major distraction can throw off your whole schedule.
Reputation/Trust is built over years, but one serious lie can break it instantly.
A project can have many parts running smoothly, but one critical bottleneck can stall everything.
A computer can run smoothly for months, but one corrupted file can crash the entire system.
Saving steadily doesn’t guarantee wealth, but one large impulsive expense can set you back significantly.

Success comes from getting all pieces right. That’s why it’s so hard.

The Lollapalooza Effect

Creeping Normality

The gradual acceptance of negative change, because it happens in such small increments that you hardly notice it at all.

The Mountain & The Pebbles

“A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it.” — Albert Einstein

Create Space
Evaluate the New Situation
Execute & Act

Remember: Remain flexible and adaptable during this phase

The 1-in-60 Rule: Evaluate, Course-Correct, Repeat

A 1 degree error in heading will cause an airplane to miss its target by 1 mile for every 60 miles flown. Tiny deviations from the optimal course are amplified by distance and time. A small miss now creates a very large miss later.

如果飛機航向偏離目標 1 度，在飛行 60 海浬（約 111 公里）後，就會偏離原來的路徑 1 海浬（約 1.85 公里）。

Premise: If a frog is suddenly put into a pot of boiling water, it will instinctively jump out to avoid being killed and save itself from impending death. But if a frog is placed in warm water that is slowly brought to a boil, it may not notice the creeping, subtle change in temperature until it is too late.

Life Analogy: The most dangerous habits, behaviors, and beliefs are the ones you slip into slowly, day after day, without ever realizing the damage they are doing to your life. We think that catastrophic outcomes can be avoided by simply avoiding significant mistakes, when in reality, catastrophic outcomes are often simply the macro result of thousands of micro mistakes. Minimizing stupidity will get you far in life.

巴菲特的「滾雪球理論」（The Snowball Theory）：找到一顆夠濕的雪球與一條夠長的下坡。 ⌃
aka 善的循環 ⌃

The Map Is Not the Territory

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

“A map is not the territory it represents, but, if correct, it has a similar structure to the territory, which accounts for its usefulness.” — Alfred Korzybski, Science and Sanity

The phrase was coined by Polish-American scientist and philosopher Alfred Korzybski. It describes the crucial distinction between a representation of something (the map) and the actual thing itself (the territory).

“All models are wrong, but some are useful” — George Box

When you model something, the model (in this case, the map) is necessarily simpler and less detailed. Knowing the map off by heart is not the same as having stood on the land it represents.

A map can be useful and still be incomplete — and confusing the two is how you end up arguing about the description instead of looking at the thing it describes.

Same idea, in other guises:

The word is not the thing.
The menu is not the meal.
The shadows on the cave wall are not the objects that cast them.

The Ship of Theseus

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

忒修斯之船 = Theseus’s Paradox 船舶悖論

is a thought experiment and paradox about whether an object is the same object after having all of its original components replaced over time, typically one after the other.

思考：

如果一艘船上的木板逐塊被替換，直到所有的木板都換成新的，那麼這艘船還是原來的那艘船嗎？
如果把舊木板收集起來，重新組裝成另一艘船，那麼哪一艘才是真正的「原船」？

This can be applied to our personal identities as well. → 身體的細胞不斷地在更新，我們還是原來的自己嗎？

The average age of all cells in the human body is 7–10 years.
Every seven years, human beings transform into entirely new versions of themselves. This idea stems from the biological principle that our bodies replace virtually all their cells over a seven-year cycle. The person you are today doesn’t share a single cell with the version of you from seven years ago.
不同細胞的更新週期
- 神經細胞 (大腦) → 幾乎不會更新，大部分人一生都帶著同一批神經元 (但有少量例外，如海馬迴的神經元可能會再生) 。
- 骨細胞 → 約 10 年完全更新一次。
- 紅血球 → 約 120 天更新一次。
- 皮膚細胞 → 約 2–4 週就會更新一次。
- 腸道細胞 → 內壁細胞大約 2–5 天就會更新一次。
- 肌肉細胞 → 主要是修復而非完全更換，部分可持續數年。

The Shu-Ha-Ri Model

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

From traditional Japanese martial arts

Shu (to obey): Learn to operate according to the rules.
Ha (to break): Begin to challenge and adapt the rules.
Ri (to transcend): Create new rules.

知味 ➞ 品味 ➞ 玩味

Wittgenstein’s Ladder

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“My propositions serve as illustrations. He who understands me finally recognizes them as senseless, when he has climbed out through them, on them, over them. (He must so to speak throw away the ladder, after he has climbed up on it.)” — Ludwig Wittgenstein, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (6.54)

“The finger that points to the moon is not the moon itself.” — Zen Buddhist

“The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name.” — Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

is a concept from Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (1921).

It refers to the idea that some propositions in philosophy are tools to help us understand truths about the world, but once their purpose is served, they should be discarded.

The Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus is Wittgenstein’s attempt to draw the limits of language — and thereby the limits of thought. His central thesis is that language functions by picturing facts in the world: propositions are logical pictures of states of affairs. What can be said at all can be said clearly (the realm of natural science); everything else — ethics, aesthetics, religion, metaphysics — cannot be literally spoken about but only shown.

The ladder metaphor highlights his belief that language can only approximate reality, and philosophical statements may be meaningful only temporarily to guide thought, not as ultimate truths themselves. Therefore, those statements should be discarded, like a ladder you’ve climbed and no longer need.

The reader who understands Wittgenstein will realize his propositions are not ultimate truths but tools that dissolve once their work is done.

Essentially, Wittgenstein’s Ladder reminds us that some teachings or theories are instruments for insight, not final doctrines.

Science and Paradigms: Scientific theories often function as ladders. Newtonian physics was a powerful ladder for understanding the macroscopic world, yet it had to be discarded (in a sense) for quantum mechanics and relativity at the limits of its applicability.
Personal Development: Self-help frameworks, productivity systems, and therapeutic models often serve as ladders. A beginner might need rigid rules and structures (e.g., “meditate for 10 minutes every day”), but the mature practitioner may discard the scaffolding once the practice is internalized. The goal is not to follow the method forever but to transcend the need for it.
Programming and Abstraction: In software development, abstractions are ladders. A high-level programming language abstracts away machine code so we can think in concepts; but when debugging a critical performance issue, one may need to descend the ladder and reason about memory directly.
Education: A teacher’s explanations are ladders for the student’s understanding. The best explanations dissolve once the insight they were designed to convey is achieved — the student no longer needs the metaphor or the simplifying analogy.

The ladder is both necessary and ultimately disposable. One cannot skip the climbing, yet one must not cling to the rungs. This mirrors what might be called The Paradox of Mastery: to truly master something, you must first submit to its rules; once mastered, you are free to break them. The beginner follows instructions; the expert internalizes and transcends them.

The Shu-Ha-Ri Model

The Buddha’s Raft

5 Hindrances to Self-Mastery

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

The universal law of being successful and happy at the same time means finding the balance.

There are 2 mistakes along the way to Mastery: Not starting it, and not going all the way.

Self-mastery = the discovery of oneself.

Sensual desire — pleasures & distractions

From the five gates of the body: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting (口腹之慾), feeling
Ill-will — aversion & negative thoughts
Slothful body & mind — lack of energy/motivation, heaviness of body, dullness of mind
Restlessness — unsettled/monkey mind
- Regret about the past
- Worry about the future
- Unable to stay in the present
Skeptical doubt — indecisiveness → overthinking

Recognize what state of mind you’re in
Accept & Acknowledge — let the situations and people be the way they are. Just let it rain.
Investigate your emotional & mental state. Observe the sensation and ask yourself:
- “Why did it come up?”
- “What is the consequence if I remain in this state?”
Non-Identification (無我) — practice: “I’m not the body, I’m not the mind, I’m not my emotion, I can just see all these 3 aspects about me.” ¹ ²

我只是一名自己の觀察員 ⌃
Your physical body is just a heap of food you have eaten over time. Your mind is just a heap of impressions you have gathered from the outside. Everything is temporary. ⌃

The Buddha’s Raft

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

A man was walking along a road when he came to a great expanse of water. The near bank was dangerous; the far bank was safe and free of fear. There was no ferryboat, and there was no bridge.

So he gathered grass, wood, branches, and leaves, and bound them together into a raft. Supported by the raft, paddling with his hands and feet, he crossed over safely to the far shore.

When he was safely on the far shore, he thought, “How useful this raft has been to me! Because of the raft, I made it here safely to this shore. I am going to carry this raft with me, so I can safely cross over to the next shore when I come to the next river or lake.”

So he picked up his raft, hoisted it onto his back, and began to walk off into the distance. He was very pleased with himself for taking the raft along, and he hummed a happy tune as he walked.

Every framework you pick up — a philosophy, a productivity system, a religion, a diagnosis, a story about who you are — is a raft. It exists to carry you across something, not to become the thing you carry.

Grip the raft while the water is deep, and let it go once you feel land beneath your feet.

The Pomodoro Technique

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

conceived by Francesco Cirillo

The original technique has six steps:

Decide on the task to be done. ¹
Set the Pomodoro timer (typically for 25 minutes).
Work on the task. Protect your Pomodoro from multitasking or distractions. If your mind wanders to something else during a Pomodoro, note it down and return to it after the break — do not act on it!
End work when the timer rings and take a short break (typically 5–10 minutes). Properly break in your breaks — no sneaky working.
Go back to Step 2 and repeat until you complete four pomodori.
After 4 pomodori are done, take a long break (typically 20–30 minutes) instead of a short break. Once the long break is finished, return to step 2.

After completing a task within a Pomodoro session, utilize any remaining time to briefly review and reflect on what you’ve done. ² Use this opportunity to make small improvements, reinforce what you’ve learned, and document key insights until the timer signals the end of the Pomodoro.

Additionally, to transit smoothly into future sessions, take this time to glance over your list of upcoming tasks for the next Pomodoro sessions, update them if necessary.

It’s recommended to assign just ONE task to each 25-minute block. Make sure to link the task to your big goals. For every task, ask yourself: “Why does this matter?” ⌃
What did you accomplish? Did you fulfill your learning target, objective, or outcome for the task? ⌃

Week 37, 2026

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

良禽擇木而棲，賢臣擇主而事。
“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” — Dolly Parton
“Of all the things that can boost emotions, motivation, and perceptions during a workday, the single most important is making progress in meaningful work.” — Teresa Amabile
“If you want to be successful, you have to jump, there’s no way around it.” — Steve Harvey
“There are no contests in the Art of Peace. A true warrior is invincible because he or she contests with nothing.” — Morihei Ueshiba

A “mom-and-pop” is a colloquial term for a small, independent business/store owned and operated by a family or couple.
茅台酒是中國最具代表性的醬香型白酒，產自貴州省茅台鎮。它主要以高粱和小麥酒麴為原料，遵循「12987」工藝：一年週期、兩次投料、九次蒸煮、八次發酵、七次取酒，並需陳放數年後勾調。經典版本的酒精濃度為 53% ABV (Alcohol by Volume)，恰好落在水與乙醇的共沸點，氫鍵結合力最強，分子結合最緊密，口感因此醇厚而不烈。
荷蘭病（Dutch Disease）是一個經濟學名詞，描述一個國家因為突然發現或大量出口某種天然資源（如石油、天然氣、礦產），導致其他產業衰退的現象。1960 年代，荷蘭在北海發現了格羅寧根（Groningen）天然氣田，開始大量開採並外銷。荷蘭盾隨之升值，導致製造業開始「生病」：工廠萎縮、勞力與資金被吸往天然氣產業。最終，靠天然氣賺了大錢的荷蘭，反而賠上了自己的製造業根基。
破布子，又稱「（蔭）樹子」，以破布子樹的果實加鹽發酵製成，常用於蒸魚、炒菜提味。
麻辣鍋的靈魂食材：同樣來自牛胃，毛肚表面如毛巾絨毛，在麻辣湯中「七上八下」約 15 秒，燙太久會變橡皮筋；牛肚表面如蜂巢紋路，適合久煮，越嚼越香。

Active Listening

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

“There is a difference between listening and waiting for your turn to speak.” — Simon Sinek

“Open your mind before your mouth.” — Aristophanes

“If we cannot listen mindfully, we cannot practice right speech. No matter what we say, it will not be mindful, because we’ll be speaking only our own ideas and not in response to the other person.” — Thích Nhất Hạnh

= 主動傾聽 = 積極傾聽

聽＝耳＋目＋心

(Covey 2013)

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” — Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

《善意溝通》提到，好的傾聽需要注意對方話語背後的情感與需求，這些往往隱藏在言外之意中。因此，除了用耳朵聽，我們還需要用肢體語言與眼神表達專注，例如輕點頭或用適當的目光交流。作者宋怡慧老師強調：「傾聽不只是耳朵的工作，更是心的參與。」

避免預設立場和選擇性聆聽

Are you listening to understand or listening to reply/respond?

Seek first to understand, then to be understood.

Share with someone who wants to listen or listen to someone who wants to share.

“Me vs You” Positioning	“Us vs Problem” Positioning
Confrontational	Collaborative
Waiting to speak	Listening to understand

“Me” Listening: You’re having a conversation, but your internal voice is relating everything you hear to something in your own life. Your internal voice runs off on tangents, thinking about your own life while the other person is talking about theirs. You’re waiting to speak, not listening to learn. This is the default mode of listening for everyone.
“You” Listening: You’re having a conversation, and you are deeply focused on what the other person is saying. You are present and intently focused. You’re not waiting to speak, you’re listening to learn.
“Us” Listening: You’re building a “map” of the other person, understanding how all the new information they are sharing fits into that broader map of their life and world. You’re listening to understand, considering the layers beneath what the other person is saying. ¹

A good listener is one who helps us OVERHEAR ourselves. ² When you truly listen, you feel yourself fade away, creating space for the other person to fully express themselves and be their authentic self.

“The core skill of Understanding is the search for the underlying theme or possible cause that fuels the emotion. We’re not asking questions and listening to answers just to provide a sympathetic ear. As we listen, we’re looking for a meaning that goes deeper than the words being said.” — Marc Brackett, Permission to Feel: The Power of Emotional Intelligence to Achieve Well-Being and Success

“Understanding requires mastery of four ways of looking at things — as they were, as they are, as they might become, and as they ought to be.” — Dee Hock

“We are all different. Don’t judge, understand instead.” — Roy T. Bennett

Listen to what is not being said—the unspoken words, the non-verbal cues. Listen intently before replying. Listening with compassion. ³

Being able to listen well is a superpower—keep asking people “Is there more?”, until there is no more.

“When you listen, you learn.” — The key to effective communication is not telling people everything that you know, but everything that they need to hear. And the only way to know what they need is to LISTEN.

「積極/主動聆聽」是指從頭到尾很專心/認真地聽完對方說話 ⁴，同時注視對方的雙眼，並且打從心底感興趣/抱持好奇心、給予對方回應，並且提出問題，以試圖加深理解。

In order to listen to someone, try to really understand what they are saying. ⌃
Related: “Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves.” — Abraham Lincoln ⌃
Empathic Listening ⌃
不能分心想別的事情，也不能不耐煩，必須仔細地聽。 ⌃

Covey, Stephen R. 2013. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. 25th anniversary edition. New York: Simon & Schuster. ↩

The Arrival Fallacy

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

“Arriving someplace more desirable at some future time is an illusion. This is it.” — Jon Kabat-Zinn

“The feeling ‘I’ll be happy when X happens’ will never bring you anything but discontentment. […] Consider a sailor trying to reach the horizon. It is unreachable. If the sailor sees the horizon as the point he must reach to achieve happiness, he is destined to experience eternal frustration.” — Thomas M. Sterner, The Practicing Mind: Developing Focus and Discipline in Your Life

= 抵達謬誤

The arrival fallacy was first coined by Dr Tal Ben-Shahar.

If I get [X], then I’ll be happy.

The illusion that “reaching some future destination will bring lasting happiness.”

[@brickmanLotteryWinnersAccident1978]

Humans have a tendency to quickly return to a baseline level of happiness after positive or negative events.

Beware of destination addiction: The idea that happiness is in the next place, the next job, or even with the next partner. Until you give up the idea that happiness is somewhere else, it will never be where you are.

Hedonic Happiness & Eudaimonic Happiness

因馬拉松賽事需要長時間的訓練與準備，讓跑者在賽前能夠有明確的目標及方向，然而，當比賽一結束，這種明確的目標感與方向感會突然消失，導致心理上的空虛及失落。

Source: Cool Runnings (1993 film)

Coach: You see, Derice, I’ve made winning my whole life. And when you make winning your whole life, you have to keep on winning, no matter what, you understand that?

Derice: No, I don’t understand, Coach. You had two gold medals, you had it all.

Coach: Derice, a gold medal is a wonderful thing, but if you’re not enough without it, you’ll never be enough with it.

Derice: Hey Coach, how will I know if I’m enough?

Coach: When you cross that finish line, you’ll know.

一輩子都在訓練，最後終於如願站上奧運會頒獎台、國歌響起、金牌掛上脖子 — 然後呢？隔天醒來，沒有下一個目標、沒有下一張訓練課表，只剩下空虛。心理學上稱為「後奧運憂鬱」（Post-Olympic Depression），許多世界級運動員都走過這一段：

Michael Phelps：奧運史上獎牌最多的運動員，28 面獎牌、23 面金牌。他在 2012 年倫敦奧運後陷入嚴重憂鬱，甚至一度不想再活下去。
Eileen Gu：在 2022 年北京冬奧拿下兩金一銀，成為該屆最受矚目的選手。站上人生最高點之後，她坦言並沒有想像中的長久滿足。

= Identity Displacement/Dislocation/Disorder

➞ 偶像包袱

Your identity dictates your actions

Stay in contentment
- Contentment is the lasting goal. True joy comes from being content with what you have rather than pursuing what you don’t have.
Expect nothing
- Reward Prediction Error = Actual Reward - Expected Reward
- Miracles do happen when you least expect it.
- 把目標砍半，以退為進
Journey over destination

Miswanting

The Impact Bias

Winner’s Game vs Loser’s Game

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

In the 1999 tennis book, Extraordinary Tennis for the Ordinary Tennis Player, author Simon Ramo broke down the difference between amateur and professional tennis, writing that they were two different types of games:

Amateur tennis is a Loser’s Game: 80% of points are lost on unforced errors. You win by avoiding errors and waiting for your opponent to make errors.
Professional tennis is a Winner’s Game: 80% of points are won on incredible shots. You win by hitting incredible shots.

In a Loser’s Game, there’s no point trying to hit magnificent shots. You’re better off playing it safe and avoiding unforced errors.
In a Winner’s Game, there’s no point trying to play conservatively to avoid unforced errors. You’re better off trying to hit the elegant, perfect shots.

Competence-Driven Strategies: If you are inside your circle of competence, play to win; if you are outside, play to not lose.

Occasionally, a situation may call for the elegant, perfect shot. You want to be prepared for those moments and know you have it in your back pocket.

You want to be able to win the Winner’s Game.

But most of the time, you just want to keep the ball in play.

You just want to stay in the game long enough to let the magic of compounding to do its thing.

You don’t need talent or luck to win a Loser’s Game—you just need to keep showing up.

You don’t get “paid” for complex, magnificent shots—you get “paid” for consistently avoiding unforced errors.

In most games in life, the sum of consistent, ordinary performances adds up to something extraordinary.

But intelligent people are naturally drawn to sexy, complex answers and solutions.

Why? Because they make you sound interesting.

Every endeavor in life is either a Winner’s Game (where outcomes are determined by the superior skill of the victor) or a Loser’s Game (where outcomes are determined by the self-inflicted mistakes of the loser).

The Amateur’s Trap: Amateurs fail because they try to play like professionals. By attempting low-probability, high-difficulty actions (e.g., picking individual stocks or forcing high-risk business moves), they dramatically increase their rate of failure.

Passive Victory: In a Loser’s Game, the most aggressive and effective way to win is to do nothing highly speculative and let your opponent’s impatient energy destroy them.

Self-awareness is key

Alex Caruso entered the NBA’s development league after going undrafted in 2016. A few years later, he was a key player leading the Los Angeles Lakers to an NBA championship.

When asked about how he rose from undrafted nobody to this level of stardom, he said that self-awareness was the key:

A big reason guys get stuck in the League is because they don’t realize the position they’re trying out for. It’s like going to a job interview thinking you’re going to be the CFO of the company and they’re looking for someone to clean the bathrooms. […] It’s a self-awareness of understanding what you’re good at, what teams need, and trying to do that.

Mediocre but consistent performance sustained over an above-average timeframe inevitably yields an extraordinary outcome. Survival (staying in the game) is the ultimate competitive advantage.

Consistently achieving “average” results for an above-average duration (such as buying index funds every month for 40 years) will place you in the top 1% of performers.

The Lindy Effect

🤔 In which areas of my personal or professional life am I an amateur pretending to play a “Winner’s Game”?

Commencement Address by Roger Federer at Dartmouth

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

In the 2024-06-09 Commencement Address at Dartmouth College ¹, Roger Federer shared his three “tennis lessons”:

People often described Roger’s play as “effortless,” which used to frustrate him because it overlooked the intense work behind the scenes.

Key takeaway: True mastery and making something look easy require immense discipline, grit, and tireless practice when nobody is watching. Belief in yourself has to be earned through hard work.

Roger highlighted a surprising statistic: even though he won nearly 80% of his career matches, he won only 54% of the actual points he played.

Key takeaway: In tennis and in life, perfection is impossible. You are going to lose points, matches, and opportunities. What separates a champion is the ability to accept a loss, leave it behind immediately, and focus with full clarity on the very next point. Negative energy is wasted energy.

A tennis court is a tiny space, but the world is vast. Even at the height of his career, Roger prioritized family, travel, culture, and service to others (such as launching his foundation for early childhood education at age 22).

Key takeaway: Don’t let your sport, career, or degree become your entire world. Cultivate meaningful relationships, work with a strong team, and find unique ways to serve a mission larger than yourself.

At the end of his speech, Roger playfully pulled out a racket to give a literal tennis lesson: use an Eastern grip for the forehand, keep your knuckles slightly apart, don’t squeeze too hard. Remember: it also starts with the footwork and follow-through!

美國常春藤聯盟（Ivy League）中規模最小的學校 ⌃

Mirka Federer Introduces Her Husband Roger Federer at ITHF Induction Ceremony

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 5 min read

Mirka Federer’s speech introducing her husband, Roger Federer, at the International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF) Induction Ceremony on August 29, 2026:

Good evening, everyone. Wow, what a great honor it is for me to be here. Really, it’s amazing.

It feels a little strange to be the one standing in front of the microphone. Roger was always much more comfortable with a racket in his hand, and I was always much more comfortable staying out of the spotlight, so let’s see how this goes.

Roger and I met at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. He was 18 and I was 21. Yes, I was the older woman! Apparently, Roger decided right away that age was just a number. He pursued me anyway, and thankfully, he was persistent.

When we met, he had exactly zero ATP titles. Zero! Looking back, I suppose I was there for all 103 that followed.

We shared quite the journey. In those early days, I would sometimes even help warm him up before matches. I had played professionally myself, so Roger thought I could help him get ready. I still remember Andy Roddick joking after the Cincinnati final: “I can’t believe I lost to a guy whose girlfriend warmed him up.” He really said that, and yeah, we still smile every time we speak about that.

One thing I learned immediately about Roger was that he always wanted the people he loved close to him. That is one of the qualities I have admired most about him, not just as a tennis player, but as a person.

Everyone talks about Roger’s elegance on the tennis court, and I understand why as much as anyone. For so many years, I had the best seat in the house. I watched him move with a grace that made one of the hardest sports in the world look almost effortless.

I know, I know—Roger says it’s a myth. And believe me, I saw the work, the hours, the discipline, the commitment. I saw everything that went into making it look so easy. And even after watching more than a thousand of his matches, it never stopped amazing me.

But tennis was never what impressed me the most. The man behind it all is even more remarkable. He’s the most devoted father that our four children could ever ask for.

When I found out we were expecting twins for the first time, I told Roger that my traveling days were probably over. Without missing a beat, he said, “Then I won’t play anymore.” He wasn’t being dramatic—he meant it. That’s who Roger is: his family comes first.

Fortunately, we found another solution! And that solution involved babies, strollers, toys, books, and eventually two sets of twins traveling all over the world with us. The tennis tour has always been our home.

Our children—Mila, Charlene, Leo, and Lenny—know him as Papa. The Papa who read bedtime stories, played games with them, ran their bath, and made them laugh. No matter how busy he was, whether he won or lost, he always made time for them.

I know him always as the kind husband: funny, thoughtful, and endlessly supportive. His parents know him as a loving son, his sister knows him as a wonderful brother, and his friends know him as someone who always has time for them, no matter how busy his life becomes.

And those qualities didn’t happen by accident. He learned them from two incredible parents. Robbie and Lynette raised a champion, and they raised a genuinely good person. They taught him humility, gratitude, and kindness, and they taught him to treat everyone with the same respect.

Long before the world came to know Roger Federer the tennis player, Robbie and Lynette gave me someone I would come to admire even more: Roger the son, Roger my partner, Roger the friend, and eventually, Roger the husband and father. Those values are what have carried him through every chapter of his life.

So many people around the world know Roger as one of the greatest tennis players who ever lived. They know the titles, the records, the elegance, the rivalries, the victories, and the moments that became part of tennis history.

But those of us who know Roger best know something even better. The trophies and records are extraordinary, but they are only part of his legacy. What makes me proudest isn’t what Roger accomplished when the world was watching—it’s who he is when nobody’s watching.

Roger, thank you. Thank you for staying persistent all those years ago in Sydney. Thank you for choosing our family every single day since. Watching your career gave me one of the greatest privileges and joys of my life, and sharing your life has been an even greater one.

Tonight, it’s my honor to introduce my husband, my best friend, and now the newest member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame: Roger Federer.

Frameworks to achieve any goals

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

Progress = Intensity + Consistency
Mastery = Consistent Action (without overthinking) + Solving Real-World Problems (by doing projects) ¹

The 30-for-30 Approach — Sahil Bloom

In any area in which you want to make progress, do the thing for 30 minutes per day for 30 straight days.
Anyone can find 30 minutes in their day to focus on something they care about making progress on:
- First thing in the morning
- During your lunch break
- At the end of the work day
- Before going to bed
30 days of 30 minutes per day is 900 total minutes (i.e., 15 hours) of accumulated, focused, dedicated effort, which creates a marathon of short, manageable sprints.

The Power Half-Hour

The 90/90/1 Rule — Robin Sharma

If everything else stayed the same, what’s the one area where a concerted effort would have the most needle-moving impact over the next 90 days?

Dedicate the first 90 minutes of your day to the most valuable/needle-moving project for 90 days straight.
No internet connection. No distractions. No interruptions. No excuses.
12-week (3-month) Cycle
- Number of hours per day
- Particular days per week
The “Month To Master” Learning Challenges

The 30-Day Challenge — Austin Kleon

The simple power of one a day — Seth Godin

The ABZ Framework

“Mastery is not a function of genius or talent, it is a function of time and intense focus applied to a particular field of knowledge.” — Robert Greene ⌃

Humor is a way to show you are smart without bragging

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.” — Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, And that enables you to laugh at life’s realities.” — Dr. Seuss

Being funny is one of the ultimate weapons a person can have in human society. It might even compete with being really good-looking.
詼諧幽默 ≠ 搞笑
元素
- 反差感（正反邏輯）
- 優越感（「自貶」、「自嘲」、「自我揭短」）
- 宣洩感（大家都不敢說的事實）

Infinite Chocolate Bar Trick

Rebel: 進電梯後不要轉向，繼續面對人群 → 只要我不尷尬，尷尬的就是別人

用別人的手機幫別人拍照時，順便自拍幾張

~ 這是蛆

oooo 這是驅動程式

為什麼台灣獼猴敢欺負竹聯幫老大？

因為它是台灣特有種

為什麼飯不能煮太久？

因為會犯太歲

為什麼哈利波特不吃冰？

因為魔法少年賈修

在樹上唱 rap 猜一個字？

桑

誰的微積分最爛?

孔子，因為他知其不可為（微）而為（微）之

什麼動物的皮膚最差？

大象，因為橡皮擦

脖子扭到或落枕時要搭什麼車？

接駁（脖）車

Invert, always invert

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

In the 19th century, mathematician Carl Gustav Jacob Jacobi famously said:

Man muss immer umkehren.

which translates to “You must always invert.”

In linear algebra, proofs often require working with the inverse of a matrix to arrive at the solution. However, determining the inverse itself usually starts with the end goal in mind: verifying properties like $A^{-1}A = I$ or solving $AX = B$ , the steps to constructing or applying the inverse become more focused and straightforward.

Complex problems are sometimes better solved backwards
Invert the problem
Prevention over pursuit
Focusing on what to avoid rather than what to achieve
Reverse Engineering

By identifying what we want to avoid, we often gain clearer insight into what we should actually do. The negative space defines the positive space.

Investing:
- “How do I pick winning stocks?” ➞ “How do I avoid losing money?”
- “How much money can I make” ➞ “How can I lose not as much money?”
Product Design: Instead of “What features should I add?”, ask “What would make users hate this product?”
Health & Fitness: Instead of “How do I get in shape?”, ask “What habits would guarantee I stay unhealthy?”
Decision-Making: Before committing to a major choice, run a premortem: imagine it is a year later and the decision has failed catastrophically — what went wrong?

Instead of asking…	Ask…
How do I achieve X?	What would guarantee failure?
How do I win?	How do I ensure I don’t lose?
How do I get rich?	What would guarantee I go broke?
How do I be productive?	What would make me completely unproductive?
How do I build a great relationship?	What would ruin a relationship?
How do I find happiness?	What would make me miserable?
How do I stay healthy?	What would destroy my health?

No unforced errors

Life is shorter than you think

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“No matter how many times you do something, there will come a day when you do it for the last time.” — Sam Harris

“The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” — Henry David

“There are 100 billion planets in our galaxy and only one, as far as we know, with intelligent life. The fact that you are reading this book is the result of the longest tail you can imagine. That’s something to be happy about.” — (Housel 2020)

“Every man has two lives, and the second starts when he realizes he has just one.” — Confucius

未知生，焉知死。

“A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.” — Charles Darwin, The Life & Letters of Charles Darwin

“Your time and space are limited. Remove, give away, throw out anything that no longer gives you joy in order to make room for those that do.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” — Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986 film)

人生如蜉蝣，朝生暮死。

Life is transitory.

Life Is Short by Paul Graham

Life is short and finite. Don’t take things for granted. Appreciate every day. When you take things for granted, they’re gone.—You think you can always write that book, or climb that mountain, or whatever, and then you realize the window has closed. The saddest windows close when other people die.—Their lives are short too.

Relentlessly prune bullshit, don’t wait to do things that matter and important to you, and savor the time you have. That’s what you do when life is short.

We often hear “Life is short, enjoy it.”, but often forget: “Eternity is long, prepare for it.”

Accept the impermanence of everything in our lives.

The most beautiful things in life are made beautiful by their impermanence.

The vibrant sunset. The smile from an old friend. The high from a hard workout. The perfect silence during a walk. The smell after a summer rainstorm. The laugh of a young child.

All of these things are special precisely because they don’t last.

The Insignificance of Human Existence

The universe is vast and humans are insignificant in comparison. Our existence is fleeting and our actions have limited impact. Ultimately, everything we do and create will fade away.

Live Like It’s The Last Time

You won’t know when it’s the last time. But you can live like it is.
Live each day as it were your last, because someday you’ll certainly be right.
Try to live each day as if you’ve come back from the future, as if it was the final full day of your extraordinary, ordinary life.

Death

Housel, Morgan. 2020. The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness. Petersfield: Harriman House. ↩

Work smart

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“You’re more likely to unlock a big leap in performance by trying differently than by trying harder. You might be able to work 10% harder, but a different approach might work 10x better. Remain focused on the core problem, but explore a new line of attack. Persistence is not just about effort, but also strategy. Don’t merely try harder, try differently.” — James Clear

“A fanatic is one who redoubles his effort when he has forgotten his aim.” — George Santayana

“I choose a lazy person to do a hard job. Because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it.” — Bill Gates

“We glorify sacrifice too much as a culture, and that’s kind of my hot take for the day. I think that sometimes people think, ‘You know, I’ve suffered. I woke up at 4:00 in the morning to do this thing.’ Okay, how productive were you from 4:00 to 7:00? How did that lack of sleep affects you? No one gets a prize for suffering. If you want to talk about productivity and optimization, talk about that, but don’t talk about the suffering that you went through. If you can do something easier, do it easier. You don’t need to take the hard way; you don’t need to follow the beaten path.” — Eileen Gu

“The Lizard had the tree in mind when challenging the Dog to a fight.”

“You have to work hard to discover how to work smart. You won’t know the best solutions until you’ve made nearly all the mistakes.” — James Clear ¹

Often, strategy outweighs sheer effort.

Never press the “Try/Grind Harder” button. Instead, build a sustainable systems for achieving goals.

Refuse to feel rushed. This becomes possible by deeply understanding your priorities.

從容不迫
不疾不徐

“No pain, no gain.” → “With pain, less gain.”

別太認真 = 專注且放鬆。

用四分之三的氣力完成一件作品或是一件事的成果才是最好的。
因為使盡全力完成的東西，只會讓人覺得沉重、緊繃不已，也會散發一股「世故味」。
相反的，用四分之三的氣力完成的東西，不但讓人感覺從容，也能給人安心、舒適的印象。

The Law of Reversed Effort

“Hard Work → Hard Thinking” by James Clear

We need to redefine “hard work” to include “hard thinking.”

The person who outsmarts you is out working you.
The person who finds shortcuts is out working you.
The person with a better strategy is out working you.

Usually, the hardest work is thinking of a better way to do it.

99% of effort is wasted

Slow down to speed up

What you work on is far more important than how productively you work

See also: Specialization is for insects ⌃

永不失業的技術：輕鬆掌握核心銷售秘訣

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

讓我們永不失業的，是一種內在的使命與態度。偉大的父母有無條件的愛、偉大的教育家有無條件的愛、偉大的政治家有無條件的愛、偉大的發明家有無條件的愛，才能成就一番恆久常存的事業。因此，以「愛」成就的事業，將恆久常存！

燦爛的笑容、迷人的眼神、溫柔的語氣。
多問、多聽、多讚美。
嫌貨才是買貨人：會挑貨物毛病的人，才是真正有意要買的人。
目標刻在鋼板上，方法寫在沙灘上。
好記性不如爛筆頭。

If you want to win, you must prepare to win

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“The will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare to win. Everyone wants to win, but not everyone wants to prepare to win. Preparing to win is where the determination that you will win, is made. Once the game is underway, it is too late to prepare to win. The actual game is just the end of a long process of getting ready, in which the outcome was really determined. So if you want to win, you must want to prepare to win.” — Bobby Knight

想贏的意志遠不如為贏而準備的意志重要。人人都想贏，但不是每個人都願意為贏做好準備。

How Bad Do You Want It? “When you want to succeed as badly as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful.” ¹

“We make time and energy for the things we really want: If you have a vacation planned and need to make a 6am flight, you have no issue getting up at 3am to make it, because you have the desire. You really care.” — Sahil Bloom

“There’s nothing you can’t do if you want it bad enough.” — Danielle Sibarium, For Always

You can literally change your life any day— you can wake up and decide that you want something different. You can reinvent yourself as many times as you need. New habits. New standards. New people. New career. You’re never stuck. You’re allowed to change. Today, tomorrow, and as many times as it takes to build the life you want.

Change requires destruction

Your identity dictates your actions

你有多麼「渴望」（Hunger）？你真的「夠想」嗎？ ⌃

On Ownership

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

I’ve long espoused a High Saturation Life, defined by my theory of Absolute Value Intensity. Allow me to update this framework from my current position in the backseat, on our way up the mountain.

I will choose a lifetime of intensity over a lifetime of idleness on the principle that all potent experiences are Life and Living in their most unadulterated form, irrespective of positive/negative value ascription.

I mean this less in the literal sense of endorsing a lifetime of torture, but rather an abjuration of a life well lived as defined by the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain.

I want the lifeblood of every experience — ecstasy, despair, hope, fear, doubt, triumph.

Now I understand what I truly mean is not a blind pursuit of intensity — “Vitality”, in the sacred sense I seek, would be a gross misnomer for hedonism — but rather a life of ownership.

I do not eschew respite, but aimlessness. I do not spurn stillness, but stagnation.

It is ownership I yearn for.

If I do not own my failures, in the fullness of heartbreak and the limpidity of devastation, then I have no right to my victories.

If I am to suffer, I will do so willingly, and with the knowledge and clarity that this is my life to experience in every dimension it can offer me.

And when I seek pleasure, I will do so with the intentionality and respect life deserves.

So yes, I can slow down. I just choose not to.

And if I do, it’s on purpose.

You don’t need to be liked to be loved

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

“When you say yes to others, make sure you are not saying no to yourself.” — Paulo Coelho

“I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine.” — Bruce Lee

You can be liked by everyone and loved by no one. Or you can be loved deeply by a few, and disliked by many. The choice is yours.

“Your job, throughout your entire life, is to disappoint as many people as it takes to avoid disappointing yourself.” — Glennon Doyle

Sometimes when you say no to others, it opens a pathway to a hell yes for yourself. To grow, you have to disappoint some people. Saying no is a form of self-respect. Don’t be the one to tell yourself no.

做一個不怕讓人失望的人。這個世界上對你不好的人，不差你一個；這個世界上對你好的人，就差你一個。

如果善良讓你不斷消耗自己，那它就變成對自己的殘忍。

善良，不是盲目的討好，而是清醒的選擇。

善良，不是沒底線的付出，而是有分寸的給予。

善良，不是為了被喜歡，而是為了不愧對自己的心。

“What other people think of me is none of my business.” — Wayne Dyer

The Courage to Be Disliked — The philosophical stance, rooted in Adlerian psychology, that interpersonal freedom comes from separating your tasks from others’ tasks. You cannot control how others feel about you—only how you feel about yourself.

Stop people-pleasing. Everyone thinking you’re great means nothing, if you don’t think you’re great. Be impressive to others is overrated. Be impressive to yourself. You don’t need to impress anyone but yourself. You become inhumanly strong when you try to impress only one person: YOU. You are always going to win the “YOU” game. The only person you have to compete against is yourself. You learn the most when there is nobody to cheer you but yourself.

When your standard of evaluation moves from external (what do others think?) to internal (am I proud of this?), several things happen:

Your energy becomes undiluted — You stop second-guessing every action based on imagined judgment.
Your decisions become faster — The question shifts from “What will they think?” to “Is this right for me?”
Your resilience increases — Rejection no longer feels like a verdict on your worth. It is simply information.
Your growth accelerates — You take risks you would have avoided if you needed an audience’s approval.

Be primarily internally driven with intrinsic motivation

There is no sure path to success, but the surest path to failure is trying to please everyone. Don’t be a people pleaser.

“I think the saddest people always try their hardest to make people happy. Because they know what it feels like to feel absolutely worthless and they don’t want anyone else to feel like that.” — Robin Williams

不要有了頭銜，卻失去了名字，就像法老王一樣。

Analogy: 中央空調

The Spotlight Effect

Dare to be different

Ask for forgiveness, not permission

We don’t get a lot of things to really care about

The Father, The Son, and The Donkey

The Law of Attraction

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“What you seek is seeking you.” — Rumi

“You’re dangerous,” he says. “Why?” “Because you make me believe in the impossible.” — Simone Elkeles, Rules of Attraction

“Whatever we plant in our subconscious mind and nourish with repetition and emotion will one day become reality.” — Earl Nightingale

如來善護念諸菩薩，善付囑諸菩薩。 —《金剛經》

= 吸引力法則 ≈ The Frequency Illusion = Baader—Meinhof phenomenon

The Law of Attraction is the idea that our thoughts and beliefs have the power to shape our reality. It suggests that by focusing on what we desire—rather than what we fear or wish to avoid—we can draw those experiences, people, and opportunities into our lives.

This phenomenon is closely related to the concept of selective attention and the Reticular Activating System (RAS), a part of the brain that helps us notice what we deem important.

(Byrne 2006)

Also known as The Creative Process or The Manifestation Practice.

The process is often described in three steps:

要求 (Ask): Clearly define what you want. This step is about setting intentions and being specific about your desires.
相信 (Believe): Cultivate unwavering faith that what you desire is possible and on its way. Doubt and disbelief can block the process.

You can’t get to a place that you don’t believe exists.
接收 (Receive): Be open to receiving what you’ve asked for, even if it arrives in unexpected forms.

Our dominant thoughts shape your perception of the world. By intentionally focusing on positive, constructive thoughts, you can train your mind to seek out opportunities, solutions, and happiness instead of obstacles and negativity. For example:

If you’re always thinking about yellow cars, you’ll start noticing them everywhere.
If you focus on opportunities, you’ll spot them more easily.
If you dwell on reasons to be upset, you’ll find them in abundance.

Byrne, Rhonda. 2006. The Secret. New York: Atria Books. ↩

The Science of Happiness | Arthur Brooks, Ph.D.

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

People prefer be special rather than be happy. That’s why many people are misery.

The three “macronutrients” of happiness:
- Enjoyment: Enjoy your life
- Satisfaction: The feeling of reward from a job well done
- Purpose: Big picture meaning and significance
To be a happy person, you need to have these three in balance and abundance.
The happiest people have a transcendental understanding of life. It’s just to say that they have an understanding of life bigger than themselves.

Week 36, 2026

Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 3 min read

“Be where your feet are.” — Jon Kabat-Zinn
“What one has to do usually can be done.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
“Your health is what you make of it. Everything you do and think either adds to the vitality, energy and spirit you possess or takes away from it.” — Ann Wigmore, The Hippocrates Diet and Health Program
“I don’t ever give up. I’d have to be dead or completely incapacitated.” — Elon Musk
“If life is a video game, the graphics are great, but the plot is confusing and the tutorial is way too long.” — Elon Musk

「望僕號」（MV Doulos）以及姐妹船「望道號」（MV Logos Hope），由德國非營利組織「好書共享協會」（Gute Bücher für Alle）營運，為全球最大海上移動圖書館。
A spirit animal (最能代表自己個性、狀態或讓你強烈共鳴的人事物) is used as a metaphor to describe someone or something you deeply relate to.
Y2K（Year 2000）風格源自千禧年新舊世代交替之際，其拍照精髓在於顛覆傳統審美。常見手法包含：0.5 倍廣角由上往下自拍，營造「頭大身體小」效果；搭配手遮鏡頭、手指愛心等俏皮手勢，以及盤腿坐、踮腳蹲、吐舌歪頭等搞怪姿勢；最後疊加夢幻復古濾鏡。
美國作家與漫畫家 Jeff Kinney 以《Diary of a Wimpy Kid》（葛瑞的囧日記）聞名。系列以主角 Greg Heffley 的第一人稱日記敘事，故事幽默描寫校園與成長中的尷尬與挫折。全書搭配大量插圖，閱讀門檻低，既是全球青少年最愛，也是絕佳的英文入門讀物。系列之所以長青，正是因為這位不完美卻真實的主角，讓讀者在笑聲中看見自己的成長縮影。
A hard shoulder 路肩 (commonly called a “shoulder” in American English or a “breakdown lane” in Australian English) is an emergency stopping lane located at the edge of a major road or motorway, separated from regular traffic by a solid white line.

Be like water

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“I said empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now, you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle; You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow, or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” — Bruce Lee

“Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way round or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.” — Bruce Lee

“Don’t get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water.” — Bruce Lee

“Be like water; soft as it is, it breaks through rocks and impenetrable surfaces.” — Matshona Dhliwayo

“I want to be like water. I want to slip through fingers, but hold up a ship.” — Michelle Williams

《Be Water, My Friend 似水無形，李小龍的人生哲學》

「Be Water，My Friend !」，意思是武者不被形式所拘，要像水一樣流動，既柔軟又剛強堅韌；既能適應萬物，又能匯聚為強大的力量。

當水被某種障礙物擋住時，它會平靜等待，卻又伺機而動；一旦移開障礙物，就會立刻奔流過去，毫不遲疑。所以，李小龍說，面對競爭與阻礙，「水，永遠都是放鬆卻做好準備的。」

人無常勢，水無常形。

Bend around problem, not break against it. Water is soft, yet it cuts through mountains over time. Water is gentle with flower, but it can move a big boulder when needed.

A friend to all is a friend to none

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

“When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends.” — Japanese proverb

“A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down.” — Arnold H. Glasow

“The friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you.” — Elbert Hubbard

“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

“Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.” — George Washington

Fremde sind Freunde, die man nur noch nicht kennengelernt hat.

陌生人只是那些我們還沒來得及認識的朋友。

Half of friendship is just teaching the other person who the real you is so they can remind you when you’re confused.

Tell old stories to new friends. Tell new stories to old friends.

It’s nearly impossible for the quality of your life to be higher than the quality of your friends.

The real gauge of friendship is how clean your house needs to be before they can come over.

Old friends remember who you were before you made yourself up.

Be the someone else’s friend who is always there—in good times and bad. Be the Darkest Hour Friend (Foxhole/Yes Friend).

Do not fear having no friends. Fear having bad friends.
寧缺勿/毋濫

Keeping friendships > Making friends

You don’t need hundreds of friends, you just need a few challenge-seekers.

If you have too many deal friends, you won’t have enough real friends.

Good Questions to Justify Who is Your Best Friend

“Who do you have the least amount of internal filters with when you are around them?”
“Who can you sit in silence with and not have to feel it?”

Good “inner circle” friendships must be treasured.

Keep your circle small.
Keep your circle solid.

【比較】¹

Treadmill Friends
- Friends that give you energy
- After hanging out with them, you have so much energy that you want to run on a treadmill to calm down
Sofa Friends
- Friends that drain your energy
- After hanging out with them, you are so drained that you want to lie on a sofa to recover

Humans are mimetic creatures. We copy those around us. Decentralized friend groups are medicine for the mimetic mind.

Decentralized Friend Groups: You have many small clusters of different friends who aren’t connected. The only thing they have in common is that they know you. Ambitious friends, fun friends, serious friends, relaxed friends, fitness friends, hometown friends, traveling friends, etc.
Centralized Friend Groups: You have one large cluster of friends. They all share the same history, beliefs and behaviors. They usually fit in one box. Examples: “School friends” or “Work friends”

Mentorship is dated, build a panel of advisors instead

Most of your friends aren’t really your friends. They’re just along for the ride when it’s fun, convenient, or valuable. They’ll be gone when it’s none of those things. Your real friends are there for you when you have nothing to offer in return. Find them. Cherish them. Be one to someone else.

Summer Friends are the ones who are there for you when it’s warm and sunny, but disappear when the weather starts to turn. They are the seasonal tourists, not the locals.
- Most people in your life are Summer Friends, and when winter inevitably comes, they are gone.
Winter Friends are the ones who are there for you when it’s cold and dark. They are the locals, who have the wisdom to know that the seasons come and go.
- The Winter Friends are the relationships that you really need to cultivate. Those are the people who will be there for you throughout the different seasons of your life.

孔子曰：「益者三友，損者三友。友直、友諒、友多聞，益矣。友便辟、友善柔、友便佞，損矣。」—《論語 ‧ 季氏篇》

友直：與正直的人交朋友。
友諒：與誠實的人交朋友。
友多聞：與見多識廣的人交朋友。
便辟：走邪門歪道的人。
善柔：讒媚奉迎的人。
便佞：花言巧語的人。

The Social Slope Effect

Why does this happen? “Energy Transference” ⌃

A Letter to My Body

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

Dear body, thank you.

身體啊，謝謝你。

Thank you for doing your best every single day.

謝謝你每天都竭盡全力地支撐著我。

I know you are fighting a hard battle right now.

我知道，你正在打一場艱難的仗。

You are my hero.

你是我的英雄。

I promise that if there is something you can no longer do, I will not be angry with you.

我答應你，當有一天你無法完成某個動作時，我不會責怪你。

I promise to listen to you more carefully than ever before.

我答應你，我會比以往任何時候，都更用心地傾聽你的聲音。

I promise not to demand from you what you are unable or unwilling to give.

我答應你，我不再向你索求超出你能力、也超出你意願的付出。

I’m sorry that I have done that so often in the past.

對不起，過去的我常常忽略了這一點。

And finally, and most importantly, I solemnly promise that when you can no longer go on, I will do as you wish.

最後，也是最重要的 — 我鄭重承諾，當你真的撐不下去時，我會尊重你、相信你，並按照你的意思去做。

“I surrender my body to be ruled by my mind; I surrender my mind to be governed by my soul, and I surrender my soul to the guidance of God.” — Wallace D. Wattles, The Science of Being Great

A little bit of slope makes up for a lot of y-intercept

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

By John Ousterhout, Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University

From his “Thoughts for the Weekend”


_Source

Full script: slope vs starting

Stop trusting in the position, start trusting in the trend.

It’s more important to be on an upward trajectory than to be at a high position.

A mistake repeated more than once is a decision

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“A man who has committed a mistake and doesn’t correct it, is committing another mistake.” — Confucius

“A mistake repeated more than once is a decision.” — Paulo Coelho

“If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not making decisions (and progress).” — Catherine Cook ¹

“Only while sleeping one makes no mistakes. Making mistakes is the privilege of the active — of those who can correct their mistakes and put them right.” — Ingvar Kamprad

“Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.” — Oscar Wilde

“Make mistakes, just don’t make them permanent.” — James Clear

“Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!” — Ms. Frizzle

“It doesn’t matter if I don’t succeed in something, what matters is that I learn from my mistakes.” — Linda Evans

“Never make a permanent mistake to solve a temporary problem.” — Damon Suede, Bad Idea

“Learn from the mistakes of others. You can never live long enough to make them all yourself.” — Groucho Marx ²

“More people would learn from their mistakes if they weren’t so busy denying them.” — Harold J. Smith

“I can’t erase all the things that’s I’ve done, but all the mistakes made me who I’ve become.” — Fletcher, Healing

Once is a mistake. Twice is a choice. Three times is a decision.

「知錯」是一種智慧，「糾錯」是一種勇氣，「除錯」則是一連串假設及驗證的過程。

Your goal is not to avoid making mistakes, but to avoid making the same mistake and keep making new mistakes.

“The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” — Henry Ford

A failure is not always a mistake, it may simply be the best one can do under the circumstances. The real mistake is to stop trying. Every single failure is a lesson. It only becomes real failure if you learn nothing from it.

When you make a mistake, recognize it, acknowledge/admit it, learn from it, then let it go (forget it).

If you have everything under control, you’re not moving fast enough.” — Mario Andretti ⌃
「以銅為鏡，可以正衣冠；以史為鏡，可以知興替；以人為鏡，可以明得失」— 唐太宗 ⌃

A Thousand Miles by One Step

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

A young traveler set out at dawn, filled with ambition for the long journey ahead. The sky was clear, the air cool, and the road stretched before him like a promise. He walked with light steps, proud of his steady progress. By late afternoon, he had covered more ground than he expected.

But as the sun began to sink, the path suddenly changed. The smooth dirt road turned into uneven stones and jagged rocks. Each step became slower and more painful. Dust swirled around his ankles. His confidence evaporated.

Annoyed and exhausted, he stopped, looked up at the sky, and shouted:

“Why must the road become so harsh now?”

“If this is what the path is going to be like, I’ll never make it to the end!”

His complaint echoed into the hills.

From the shade of a nearby tree, an old man—gray-haired, leaning on a wooden staff—lifted his head. He had been resting there quietly, watching the scene unfold. With a gentle chuckle, he approached the traveler.

“Young man,” the old man said, “you’ve judged a thousand miles by seeing just one.”

The traveler frowned. “What do you mean?”

The old man smiled.

“You walked an entire day on good road and assumed the whole journey would be easy. Then one patch of stones, and you assume the whole journey will be hard. A path is made of many kinds of ground—smooth, rough, steep, flat. But none of them last forever. Only a fool decides whether he can finish a journey based on a single moment of it.”

The traveler looked at his tired feet, then at the rocky stretch ahead. The old man tapped the ground with his staff.

“Keep walking. Tomorrow may surprise you. But if you stop here, this small rough patch will become your whole world.”

Understanding dawned on the young traveler. He bowed to the old man, steadied himself, and continued onward into the twilight—one careful step at a time.

And as the old man watched him go, he murmured:

“The journey becomes clear only to those who keep moving.”

Action precedes motivation

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

“Action isn’t just the effect of motivation, but also the cause of it.” — Mark Manson

“The most important thing about motivation is that it’s not a prerequisite for action. Action precedes motivation.” — James Clear

“Action isn’t just the effect of motivation; it’s also the cause of it.” — Mark Manson

“You can act your way into feeling long before you can feel your way into action. If you wait until you feel like doing something, you will likely never accomplish it.” — John C. Maxwell, How Successful People Think: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life

Just fucking do it!

Addiction is not about pleasure, it’s about escape

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

During the Vietnam War, many U.S. soldiers became addicted to morphine. Yet, when they returned home, most quit easily. Scientists were baffled—how could such a powerful drug lose its hold so easily?

At the time, addiction studies used isolated rats in cages. These rats, once hooked on morphine-laced water, couldn’t stop. But psychologist Bruce Alexander questioned the setup: maybe it wasn’t the drug—it was the cage.

He created “Rat Park”—a large, stimulating environment filled with other rats, toys, and space to play. When addicted rats were moved there, most abandoned the morphine water for clean water.

Addiction isn’t just about chemistry—it’s deeply shaped/influenced by social environment and quality of life.
Isolation and despair fuel addiction; community, purpose, and stimulation make recovery possible.
- In the context of the Rat Park experiment, stimulation refers to the mental and physical engagement that comes from a rich, interactive, and varied environment.
- For the rats, this included:
  - Social stimulation: being around other rats (instead of isolation).
  - Physical stimulation: exercise wheels, tunnels, and space to move and explore.
  - Sensory stimulation: toys, textures, and novelty that kept them curious and active.
- In broader human terms, “stimulation” means having meaningful relationships, interesting activities and challenges that engage your senses and mind, which made the morphine far less appealing.
In short: when life is rich and fulfilling, the need for escape fades.

How I broke my phone addiction (after years of failing) | Colby Kultgen

The average person spends 4 hours and 37 minutes per day on their phone. That’s about 70 full days per year. If you’re 25 now, that adds up to nearly ten years of your life spent staring at your device by the time you turn 70.

Phone addiction isn’t just a technology problem. It’s an emotional regulation problem.

Most people don’t pick up their phones because they want to scroll. They pick them up to avoid something: boredom, loneliness, uncertainty, discomfort. Your phone becomes a pacifier.

Your phone should feel like a Swiss Army knife, not a slot machine.

Adenosine

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

= 腺苷

is a key molecule / neurotransmitter that builds up in your brain during wakefulness and triggers/induces sleepiness.
is a byproduct of cellular energy use, accumulates in the brain throughout the day, promoting one’s need to sleep as levels rise.

Higher adenosine levels correlate with a stronger feeling of sleepiness, also known as Sleep Drive or Sleep Pressure.

While you are awake, adenosine levels gradually rise, making you feel more tired.
- Adenosine → APT (“Energy Currency”)
When you are asleep, adenosine is cleared away, reducing sleep pressure.
- APT → Adenosine

Advice

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 6 min read

“The thing I’ve learned over the years about advice is that no one can accurately predict the future, but we all think we can. So advice at its best is one person’s limited perspective of the infinite possibilities before you. People’s advice is based on their fears, their experiences, their prejudices, and at the end of the day, their advice is just that: it’s theirs, not yours. When people give you advice, they’re basing it on what they would do, what they can perceive, on what they think you can do. But the bottom line is, while yes, it is true that we are all subject to a series of universal laws, patterns, tides, and currents—all of which are somewhat predictable—you are the first time you’ve ever happened. YOU and NOW are a unique occurrence, of which you are the most reliable measure of all the possibilities.” — Will Smith

TL; DR When giving advice, focus on the general (原則性的), not the specific (特定性的).

“To advise is not to compel.” — Anton Chekhov

“There is a difference between giving directions and giving direction.” — Simon Sinek

樂於分享是件好事，但是分享的動機或是給人的觀感，卻不一定都是正面的 → 「分享」和「炫耀」只是ㄧ線之隔

過去的成就除了彰顯自己，很難有其它任何作用。如果沒有要探討過去，那麼應該謹慎分享自己的經驗。

Advice should really only be given in relative terms.

Don’t give unsolicited advice people don’t ask for.

Instead of giving advice, try asking (good) questions first. People will often realize what to do in the process of answering your questions.

Letters of Note

I am not a fool, but I respect your sincerity in asking my advice. I ask you though, in listening to what I say, to remember that all advice can only be a product of the man who gives it. What is truth to one may be disaster to another. I do not see life through your eyes, nor you through mine. If I were to attempt to give you specific advice, it would be too much like the blind leading the blind.

Start and end all of your advice with a disclaimer.

“Instead of seeking feedback, you’re better off asking for advice. Feedback tends to focus on how well you did last time. Advice shifts attention to how you can do better next time.” — Adam Grant, Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things

TL; DR When receiving advice, focus on the general, not the specific.

It’s better to take advice from someone who understands why they failed than from someone who misunderstands why they succeeded.

When someone gives you a recommendation, a piece of advice, or tells you what you “need” to do, consider the opposite as well. Pause and ask yourself: what would the complete opposite look like—and could that also make sense? You might be filtering out the advice you need most.

Selfish people should listen to advice to be more selfless, selfless people should listen to advice to be more selfish.

The point of seeking advice isn’t to follow it blindly but to enhance your clarity of thought. Advice is often rooted in the giver’s unique experiences, values, and goals, which may not align with your own. People give guidance from what works for them. It may or may not apply to you. This is particularly true for online advice, where blog posts and articles reflect the writer’s perspective and lifestyle, often without context about your situation. They have no idea about you. There’s no guarantee that what works for them will also work for you. Without the opportunity to question causality or critically filter the advice, it risks becoming mental clutter, occupying your mind and to-do list without being meaningfully internalized.

The Advice Paradox: Taking more advice can leave you less well-prepared.

It’s dangerous to use someone else’s map of reality to navigate yours. Develop your own filters and selectively accept and implement advice—take the signal, skip the noise. Be comfortable with ignoring advice. At the end of the day,

only you can give yourself the best advice, because it’s you who knows the entire story and context, not anyone else on the internet.
there is really no “right way” of doing things, especially in the age of infinite information on the internet. Finding a personalised approach is key.

Be careful WHO you’re getting advice from.

Don’t…
- ask for advice if you’re really just looking for permission.
- take advice from the person who hasn’t done the thing you want to do.
- listen to the opinions of those that haven’t achieved what you want to achieve.
- take opinions from people on the sideline (including family and friends). ¹

Be cautious about giving too much weight to advice simply because it comes from someone who has been alive on this planet longer than you. Age doesn’t always equate to wisdom. Longevity doesn’t guarantee insight. Don’t mistake years for wisdom.

When some one gives you advice, sandbox it and ask:

“Will this work for me?”
“What does this mean to me?”

Subtract incentives from advice.

Don’t ask your barber if you need a haircut.
Don’t ask your doctor what you should do. (Instead, ask him what he would do if he were in your place.)

Prioritize action: Take some advice, act on it, adjust accordingly. Otherwise advice gathering can quickly become a form of procrastination.

People often ask me for the best piece of advice I’ve ever received, and I often respond with “Don’t take anyone’s advice. Have the courage to go with your gut!”

The only advice worth seeking is the kind that might actually change your mind.

Most advice isn’t meant to be followed. It’s meant to sharpen your filter. But you need to hear enough of it to train your filter. Be open-minded. You don’t build instincts by avoiding advice. You build them by learning what to reject and what to keep. The goal is to build a high hit-rate gut. One that gets better through pattern recognition, reflection, and making your own mistakes.

Be patient with those who give you advice. Advice is nostalgia in disguise—old memories pulled from the past, cleaned up, softened at the edges, and offered back as something more valuable than it ever was.

“If you’re not in the arena also getting your ass kicked, I’m not interested in your feedback.” — Brené Brown ⌃

Always assume positive intents and intentions in others

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

“Those who look for the bad in people will surely find it.” — Abraham Lincoln

API (Assuming Positive Intent)

永遠不要預設別人是惡意的

When assessing someone’s actions, we shouldn’t assume that they acted out of a desire to cause harm if there’s a reasonable alternative explanation—different beliefs, lack of intelligence, incompetence, or ignorance.

When lacking all the facts, assume the best in others.

Imagine you’re walking along a road and see a dog growling and barking furiously. “What a mean and vicious dog!” you think. But as you get closer, you notice its leg is caught in a trap, torn and bleeding. In an instant, your anger turns to compassion, and all you want is to help.

Try to interpret whatever people do in the most generous way. See if you feel better as a result.

A lack of eye contact doesn’t mean someone is being rude — conditions such as autism, ADHD, PTSD, or social anxiety can make maintaining eye contact difficult during conversations.

Judge others by intentions, judge ourselves by actions

Always start and end the day right

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 7 min read

“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or a gazelle-when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.” — Christopher McDougall, Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety. Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

https://routinebase.com

Devote the same amount of time and energy to your Morning Routine AND Evening Routine. They’re both equally critical to achieving your goals.

Reserve the first and last part of your day for activities that support your mental health (meditation, reading, journaling, walking, yoga stretching, etc.)

⭐️ It’s crucial to balance rigid discipline with flexible wiggle room. Too much order is fragile. Have minimal structure in terms of routines over the course of your day to accommodate unexpected surprises.

“Quality time off, leads to quality time on.” — Max Klein

Morning routines start with evening routines the night before: If you want to win the day, you have to win the morning, but in reality, to win the morning, you have to win the evening first. ¹

聖經《創世紀》第一章中記載了上主用六天創造天地的過程，每一天的敘述都以同一句話作結：「有晚上，有早晨。」這樣的陳述很有意思 — 為什麼不是「有早晨，有晚上」呢？我想，或許這正提醒我們，唯有經過充足的休息、睡眠與沉澱，才能開啟充滿生產力和創造力的一天吧！

具體來說，《創世紀》1:5、1:8、1:13、1:19、1:23、1:31 等經文中都寫道：

Genesis 1:5: “And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.”
Genesis 1:8: “And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.”
Genesis 1:13: “And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.”
Genesis 1:19: “And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.”
Genesis 1:23: “And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.”
Genesis 1:31: “And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.”

這種「有晚上，有早晨」的表達方式在猶太傳統中具有特殊意義，象徵著一天的開始是從傍晚開始的，而非清晨。

Review
Read (Light/Pleasure Reading)
Relax

Much like slowing down a car before stopping, a ‘deceleration’ from the day’s activities is essential for good sleep. Establish a wind-down routine to prepare the body and mind for sleep:

You don’t park a car going 70 km/h — you slow down first, then park. The same goes for sleep. We often head to bed with our minds still racing from the day’s activity, and then wonder why it’s hard to fall asleep.

After sunset and in the hours before bedtime, opt for dim, low-positioned lights, such as table lamps, instead of overhead lights. This low ambient light supports natural melatonin production and makes it easier to fall asleep.

🪞✋🏼 The High-Five Habit: Begin each morning with a smile and a high-five to yourself in the mirror ² ³

Your best work is going to be done anywhere from 4–6 hours after your temperature minimum. ⁴

You don’t need to follow an extensive morning routine for a productive morning. You just need to create a frictionless morning.
Instead of encouraging you to start meaningful activities that set you up for success, excessive morning routines merely create a sense of busyness that disguises as productivity—while also exhausting you.
In many cases, they serve as nothing more than a form of procrastination. Most people don’t need another “to-do list” in their mornings, but a list of what NOT to do. A morning routine, no matter how simple, is still a task. Your morning routine is the reason you’re losing your productivity as you waste your most productive hours doing it.
Remember: our morning routine is meant to serve you, not own you.

Rather than squandering this prime mental state on activities meant to prepare you for optimal flow, the easiest flow state you can experience ever, leverage these golden moments for the most important task.

Dive straight into the highest-priority task right after waking up
- Spend the first 90 minutes of your day working on your no.1 priority in life without any distractions and interruption. It’s that simple.
Do your normal morning routine (yoga, meditation, etc.)

“Whenever I see another entrepreneur who’s obsessive about their routines things like if I don’t have my morning routine I’m a mess or I can’t even function I am so grateful because it just shows how weak they are.” — Alex Hormozi

Alex Hormozi’s Morning Routine 1. Wake up 2. Drink coffee 3. Get to work
When designing your morning routine, always keep asking yourself: “How quickly can I get to work after waking?”

Every morning, you naturally wake up in a flow zone—your brain operates at theta or delta wave levels—ideal for deep focus. Additionally, the light cognitive load in the morning makes it easier to focus instantly.

The key to a productive morning is preparation the night before. Your to-do list should be ready before you sleep—waiting until morning to plan means you’re already too late. Today’s to-do list is for tomorrow.

A little planning, preparation, and visualization is a small nightly habit that pays major dividends.

Spend 10–15 minutes writing down and setting up everything for the top 2-3 priority tasks the night before (at the end of your workday), in order to remove the friction for getting started on the ONE THING for the next morning. By making your to-do list the night before, you can wake up and get right to work immediately without thinking too much. Morning is for action, not decision-making. Decision fatigue will stop you from getting into the flow state as you’ll have to decide what to do rather than diving in head first.
At the end of your day, conclude your conscious thinking on the Most Important Question (MIQ)—a highest-order question, hat, if answered, would create the biggest positive impact in your life—and hand it over to your unconscious mind to process overnight. Let go, rest, and avoid stressing about it. Then, revisit the MIQ before exposing yourself to new inputs before exposing yourself to any new inputs in the morning. ⁵

Frameworks to structure your day

別把睡前儀式 (或睡眠) 視為一天的結束，而是為明天的美好開端做好準備。 ⌃
The Maui Habit: Kickstart your day with an uplifting statement like, “Today is going to be a great day.” This small shift can transform your mindset and perspective! ⌃
Or: “Accountability Mirror (問責鏡子)” by David Goggins ⌃
https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/maximizing-productivity-physical-and-mental-health-with-daily-tools ⌃
I learned this mental tool from Joshua Waitzkin: Source 1. Source 2. ⌃

Amateurs vs Professionals

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

“The professional does not wait for inspiration; he acts in anticipation of it.” — Steven Pressfield

Amateurs	Professionals
practice until they can play it correctly	practice until they can’t play it incorrectly
make it look effortful	make it look effortless
love the prize (只贏一次)	love the process (贏了又贏)

Amateurs practice until they get it right. Professionals practice until they can’t get it wrong.

The Growth Mindset

Deliberate Practice

Amor Fati

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

“Do not seek for things to happen as you wish, but wish for things to happen as they do happen, and your life will flow well.” — Epictetus

“My formula for greatness in a human being is Amor Fati: that one wants nothing to be different, not forward, not backward, not in all eternity. Not merely bear what is necessary, still less conceal it…but love it.” — Friedrich Nietzsche

It’s a Latin phrase that translates to “love of (one’s) fate.”

It’s a daily reminder that peace, happiness, and fulfillment aren’t found in resisting the river, but in flowing with it.

It’s the idea and practice of embracing everything that life throws at you—the good and the bad, the calm and the chaos.

Embrace what lies beyond your control—and act on that which is within it.

Amygdala

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

= 杏仁核

The amygdala evaluates sensory information for emotional processing, especially potential threats, and triggers appropriate responses (e.g., fight-or-flight).

It is most famous for its role in generating and regulating fear and anxiety.

The amygdala is also implicated in aggressive and defensive behaviors.

Chronic stress can cause the amygdala to become overactive, which may:

Heighten emotional reactivity and anxiety
Impair rational decision-making by weakening the prefrontal cortex
Contribute to mental health issues such as depression, PTSD, and anxiety disorders

Practices like meditation, walking, and grounding techniques can help reduce amygdala activity and lower stress/anxiety levels.
Exposure to feared situations can help retrain the amygdala and reduce fear responses. Nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action.
Emotional regulation strategies and reframing fear as information are effective for managing amygdala-driven responses.

An Ideal Day in Life

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

Let’s say you woke up 10 years from now and were living your ideal life in the future.

What does your life look like? What are you doing? Where are you living? Who are you living with? What are you reading? What are you making? What excites you? How is your health/relationships?

What does your entire day look like? Start from the minute you wake up, brush your teeth, have your coffee or tea, all the way through until the minute you tuck yourself into bed at night. What does that ideal day look like for you?

Dream big, without any fear of failure. Write as if you could do anything you want. Write like there is no tomorrow. Write like your life depends on it because it does. Write it all down.

You don’t have to share it with anyone other than yourself. Put all your heart into it.

And then read it once a year, and see what happens.

It’s magic.

The Law of Attraction

Anger

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 5 min read

“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.” — Mark Twain

“Anger always outlasts hurt. Best to take the opposite course.” — Seneca

“Anger is a contract you make with yourself to be in physical and mental and emotional turmoil until reality changes.” — Naval Ravikant

“Anger is like an oven; heat without light. Forgiveness is like the moon; light without heat.” — James Clear

“At the core of all anger is a need that is not being fulfilled.” — Marshall B. Rosenberg, Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life

“To be angry is to revenge the faults of others on ourselves.” — Alexander Pope

“Any person capable of angering you becomes your master. They can anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by them.” — Epictetus

“Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” — Buddha ¹

“A man is about as big as the things that make him angry.” — Winston Churchill

“He who angers you conquers you.” — Elizabeth Kenny ²

“A quick temper will make a fool of you soon enough.” — Bruce Lee

The strongest among you is the one who controls his anger.

“Anger is not the proper response to anger. When you see someone angry you are seeing their pain. Compassion is the proper response to anger.” — Kevin Kelly, Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier

Beneath anger there’s always fear.

Anger is what fear and pain look like when they show themselves in public.

It’s okay to be sad, disappointed, or get lost, but don’t be angry. Anger is never the answer.

“For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

每生氣一分鐘，就會少 60 秒的快樂。

“Strong, negative emotions (fear, anger, anxiety, hopelessness) tend to narrow our minds—it’s as though our peripheral vision has been cut off because we’re so focused on the peril that’s front and center.” — Marc Brackett, Permission to Feel: The Power of Emotional Intelligence to Achieve Well-Being and Success

避免既狹隘又封閉の「熱」情緒處理（Hot Emotional Processing）。發火/憤怒/生氣時不講話/決策，人在這種情況下會自動降智、變笨、腦殘。

Everyone has an emotional blind spot when they fight.
Speak when you’re angry and you’ll make the best speech you’ll ever regret.
The greatest remedy for anger is delay. When you are angry, try your best to go to sleep, it keeps you away from speaking and thinking.
Pause before insulting or attacking others instead of reacting in the heat of the moment.

沈默是反擊無恥的無聲風暴，憤怒是抗擊外辱的有效自殘。

“Resentment or grudges do no harm to the person against whom you hold these feelings but every day and every night of your life, they are eating at you.” — Norman Vincent Peale

Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.

攻乎異端，斯害己也。 —《論語・為政》

“The best revenge is not to be like your enemy.” — (Aurel and Clay 2006)

“To refrain from imitation is the best revenge.” — (Aurel and Clay 2006)

以德報怨：以德行應對怨恨

以直報怨，以德報德。 —《論語・憲問》
慎怒、克己：避免因情緒害己

小不忍，則亂大謀。 —《論語・衛靈公》

[Anger is a cover of pain. When our boundaries are crossed, it’s more effective to express our pain rather than anger. Anger is a secondary emotion triggered by pain when it exceeds what we can tolerate, signaling a boundary violation. Instead of reacting with anger, we should communicate our feelings non-accusatorily ³, leading to better understanding and response. For example, saying, “I wanted to talk about a boundary that was crossed and how it made me feel. If you’re open to it, I’d appreciate a different approach in the future.” This approach fosters openness and avoids defensiveness.](https://tim.blog/2023/03/01/matt-mochary/)

One day, the Buddha was walking through a village when a young man approached and began yelling at him.

“You are a fake! How can you claim to have wisdom to teach others? You know nothing!”

The Buddha paused and smiled at the young man, which further angered him.

“What do you have to say to me? I attack you and you just smile?”

The Buddha replied: “If you buy a gift for someone and that person doesn’t accept it, to whom does the gift belong?”

The young man, agitated, replied that the gift would still belong to him, because he was the one who had bought it.

The Buddha nodded: “The same applies to your anger. If you come to me with anger, but I choose not to accept it, the anger still belongs to you. You are the only one who is moved by it.”

Choose your response

Forgive and forget. Not for them, but for you. ⌃
Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves. ⌃
accusatory: suggesting that you think someone has done something bad. ⌃

Aurel, Mark, and Diskin Clay. 2006. Meditations. Translated by Martin Hammond. Penguin Classics. London New York Toronto: Penguin Books. ↩¹ ↩²

Ask for forgiveness, not permission

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

我們經常浪費時間和精力對抗大腦天生的漫遊傾向，責怪自己無法更專注，甚至視之為需要改進的缺點。再加上社會長期灌輸我們「白日夢是壞事」的觀念，使我們在發現自己走神時，往往會自責，甚至認為是懶惰的表現。

If it isn’t going to devastate those around you, try it and then justify it. People—whether parents, partners, or bosses—deny things on an emotional basis that they can learn to accept after the fact. If the potential damage is moderate or in any way reversible, don’t give people the chance to say no. Most people are fast to stop you before you get started but hesitant to get in the way if you’re moving. Get good at being a troublemaker and saying sorry when you really screw up.

Ferriss, Timothy. 2011. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich. Expanded and Updated ed. London: Vermilion. ↩

Assets vs Liabilities

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

	Asset (資產)	Liability (負債)
Definition	Puts money into your pocket	Takes money out of your pocket
Examples	Stocks, Real estate, Bonds, Index Funds/ETFs, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities, Intellectual Property	Car loans, Credit card debt, Student loans, Mortgage, Rent payments, Insurance & maintenance payments
Notes	By investing in assets, you let your money work for you (錢滾錢).	By acquiring liabilities, you’ll have to keep working hard for money.

Ayurveda

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

= 阿育吠陀

是一種源自印度的傳統醫學系統，已有數千年的歷史。它的名字來自梵語，「Ayur」意為生命，「Veda」意為知識或學問，合起來就是「生命的知識」。

核心概念是「三大體質」（三種生命能量），也稱為「三體素」（Doshas）：

瓦塔（Vata）：與風、空氣、運動相關，負責身體的運動、呼吸、脈搏等功能。
皮塔（Pitta）：與火和水元素相關，主要負責消化、吸收、代謝等過程。
卡法（Kapha）：與水和土元素相關，負責身體的結構、免疫系統等。

每個人都有這三種能量的不同組合，根據這些能量的比例，可以確定一個人的體質類型。

阿育吠陀的治療方法包括草藥療法、飲食調理、冥想、瑜伽、按摩等，目的是恢復身體的自然平衡，增進健康。

阿育吠陀的理念強調「預防重於治療」，並且鼓勵人們根據個人特質調整生活方式和飲食習慣，以達到身心靈的和諧。

Batching Emails and Text Messages

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

Group low-cognitive-load/homogeneous tasks together (e.g., all email processing, all expense reporting) and handle them in one block. This minimizes the cost of switching between different mental modes.

很有效率
讓自己有設定目標的期待感 & 達成目標的成就感

訊息、電子郵件不要秒讀秒回，在固定時間批次回覆
- Just because someone found a way into your email or DMs, doesn’t mean you have to respond/reply.
- The Assembly Line Approach: wait until it builds up
They are meant to be asynchronous.
秒回的答案通常不是最佳 (可能帶有情緒, not thoughtful enough)
Admin Party 🎉 (by Ali Abdaal)
The “Touch-It-Once” Principle

Once-and-Done
“Make before you manage.”
- If—as you might argue—that you’ll miss out on “important updates,” then I encourage you to consider these two perspectives:
- First, realize that your emails have been sitting in your inbox for hours. Why can’t they wait for one more hour while you work on your priorities?
- Second, if you’re expecting urgent messages, it’s time to rethink your communication system. Email isn’t for emergencies. Emergencies should come through text or phone calls, not your inbox. Email can—and must—wait until you spend some time on your priorities.

Bathroom Mats

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

基本特性
- 透過多孔結構吸水，「吸水」力來自毛孔是否暢通
- 腳感偏冰涼，夏天清爽，冬天可能會覺得「透心涼」
日常清潔與保養
- 使用乾布、吸塵器、魔術拖把，避免灰塵累積堵塞孔洞
- 有髒污時，用微濕抹布輕輕擦拭
- 清潔後，置於通風陰涼處自然乾燥
- 吸水力下降時，可使用細砂紙輕輕磨掉被堵塞的表層，恢復毛孔
絕對要避免的行為
- 水洗或浸泡（除非產品有另外明確標示）
- 使用含介面活性劑的清潔劑（例如洗碗精、洗衣精），會堵塞孔洞
- 快速乾燥：高溫日曬或吹風機

腳感柔軟/親膚、回彈佳，踩起來舒適、保暖、不冰腳
容易藏水、乾得慢，潮濕環境下較易產生異味或發霉
可水洗（依標示機洗／手洗）
不易起毛球，耐用

踩感蓬鬆
比珊瑚絨更容易掉絨
長絨毛結構，容易卡灰塵、毛髮
可水洗（建議翻面清洗，並使用洗衣袋，減少拉扯掉毛）

Be impeccable with your word

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

“Words are but pictures of our thoughts.” — John Dryden

“Understanding is the heartwood of well-spoken words.” — The Buddha

“Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.”

One useful word is better than a thousand useless words.

Always be aware of how you are using the word. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to never-gossip-about-others about others.

Some questions to consider before you speak:

Does this need to be said?
Does this need to be said by me?
Does this need to be said by me right now?

Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates:

Is it true?
Is it necessary?
Is it kind?

speak-less-listen-more

Beef

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

草飼 > 穀飼

不需要解凍，直接料理
1. 微波爐法
2. 烤箱法（逆式炙燒法 Reverse Sear）
  1. 烤箱預熱至攝氏 120 度
  2. 低溫慢烤約 1 小時左右：肉的中心溫度達到攝氏 45 度（三分熟）
  3. (Optional) 高溫快煎：再把牛排的兩面各煎 30 秒左右
  4. 靜置 8–12 分鐘

不能只依賴烤箱旋鈕上的溫度&時間，因為每塊牛排的大小&厚度都不同，要以插入牛排中心的探針溫度計之顯示數字為準

包裝：擠出全部空氣，防止表面氧化

真空機
保鮮膜 + 保鮮夾鏈袋

raw
rare
medium-rare
medium
medium-well
well-done

乾式 Dry Aging
濕式 Wet Aging

Onglet (aka hanger steak or butcher’s steak = 側腹橫隔膜 (裙邊)/屠夫牛排)
Entrecôte (Rib-Eye Steak)

Being indistractable is superpower

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 10 min read

Being indistractable is about doing what you say you’re going to do.

The state of our attention determines the state of our life. Poor attention management decreases the quality of almost every area of your life. It’s important to learn to navigate distractions in the age of abundance.

Distraction Fuels Depression And Anxiety

Depression is often the result of trying to change what we can’t and dwelling on the past. Anxiety is the result of trying to control what we can’t and worrying about the future. Both are amplified by constant distractions.

The opposite of distraction is not focus (專注力/聚焦力), but traction. The difference between traction and distraction is “intent”. Don’t confuse distraction with diversion. ¹

The key difference between being distractible and indistractable lies not in willpower, but in preparation.

Distraction isn’t a character flaw—it’s an impulse control challenge we can overcome. Studies show that external triggers (e.g., phone notifications) only account for about 10% of our distractions, and 90% of our distractions begin from within. These are called internal triggers. Internal triggers are uncomfortable emotional states/sensations (boredom, loneliness, fatigue, uncertainty, etc.) that we seek to escape with distraction. (Eyal and Li 2019)

Abstinence: Simply remove external triggers from your environment

The 10-Minute Rule
- The 10-minute rule says that we can give into any temptation or distraction for 10 minutes.
- When I feel the urge to check my phone, I tell myself it’s okay—but not right now. Instead, I wait for just ten minutes. This approach is known as “surfing the urge” in behavioral psychology. The idea is not to immediately give in to the impulse, but also not to outright deny it. By delaying the action (and 轉移/分散注意力!), you’ll often find that after those ten minutes, the urge has significantly diminished or disappeared entirely.
- Why it works?
  - When you tell yourself, don’t check the phone, you might inadvertently make the urge stronger due to Psychological Reactance. ²
  - Instead of disarming psychological reactance, a much better approach is to say, “Hey, I can check my phone if I want, but I choose to wait 10 minutes.”
  - By reframing the urge as a choice rather than a restriction, you engage with the internal trigger with curiosity rather than contempt.
  - Rather than being a blamer who points to external factors or a shamer who internalizes guilt, aim to be a claimer—someone who takes responsibility for managing discomfort by having a clear plan for responding to urges, rather than trying to suppress them.
  - This approach shows that you have agency—you can actually do what you say you’re going to do, and helps to reinforce your identity to follow through on your intentions, proving you’re not controlled by distractions.
  - Another way of reasoning is that, you don’t immediately sneeze when you feel the urge to sneeze—you take a moment, grab a handkerchief, and cover your face to prevent getting everyone sick. Similarly, when you feel an urge, like checking your phone, instead of giving in impulsively, you pause, acknowledge it, and wait.
  - Surfing the urge recognizes that internal triggers are like waves—you feel the emotions in the moment, and you allow them to crest and naturally subside, like a surfer riding on a surfboard until the wave is gone.

Use subtle cues to let people know when they shouldn’t interrupt your focus. These cues communicate, without confrontation, that you’re engaged in deep work and shouldn’t be disturbed.

For example:

Wearing a “concentration crown” or headphones (even if you’re not listening to anything) sends a clear signal that you’re occupied.
Placing a visible “Do Not Disturb” sign at your workstation.
Using a color-coded system (like a red desk light or a busy indicator) to let people know you’re in focus mode.

By redirecting potential distractions before they reach you, you preserve your workflow and maintain concentration without having to explain yourself repeatedly.

(Davis 2015)

事實上，心思漫遊其實是正常且有益的 — 當談及長時間保持專注時，我們的秘密武器並非自律或意志力，而是學會寬待自己。絕對的專注過於不自然，強迫自己專心往往適得其反。許多人因無法持續專注而感到挫折，試圖用意志力對抗分心，然而，科學研究顯示 (Wegner et al. 1987)，這種做法反而會讓分心加劇。例如，當我告訴你：「不要想北極熊」，你的大腦是否立刻浮現北極熊的畫面？

這是因為大腦由神經元網絡構成，當一個神經元受到刺激時，它會激發或抑制與之連結的其他神經元。當你聽到「北極熊」這個詞，相關的神經元網絡便被激活，可能喚起你對熊的印象、可口可樂的廣告、孩提時參觀動物園的回憶，甚至對北極熊數量減少的擔憂。即使你的理性大腦接收到「不要想」的指令，但一旦神經元網絡啟動，各種聯想便無可避免地湧現。

這正是我們面臨的矛盾 — 工作需要專注，但大腦天生擅長分心。因此，提升效率的關鍵之一不是壓抑走神，而是「主動移除所有不必要的外在干擾」，讓注意力自然地回歸當下。

(Davis 2015)

「覺知注意（Mindfulness）」 指的是讓思緒自然游移，當我們發現心思飄遠時，不帶評價地察覺，然後溫和地將注意力帶回當下的感受。你可以在閱讀時試試看 — 當發現自己分心，只需留意這個有趣的現象，然後輕柔地將注意力拉回到眼前的內容。

這是一種「活在當下」的練習 — 覺察自己、他人以及周遭環境。當我們意識到心思飄移，可以成為一個中立的觀察者，單純觀看思緒的流動，而不是責備自己分心。當我們不再因無法專注而感到沮喪或焦慮，就能更有效地將注意力帶回手邊的事務。

想像衝浪的情境：衝浪者划出海面後，會坐在衝浪板上，隨波浮沉，耐心等待最合適的浪潮。雖然他們可以追逐每一道浪，但為了最精彩的一刻，他們選擇放棄多數浪潮，只為捕捉那最「正點」的一波，帶來最刺激、最值得的一次衝浪。

我們的思緒就像浪潮，當我們試圖專注時，無數念頭會自動湧現。「覺知注意」就是學會觀看這些思緒，如同觀察波浪 — 留意它們是否引發焦慮，或誘使我們分心。重點不是壓抑或驅逐這些念頭，而是像衝浪者一樣，放掉那些無助於專注的思緒，等待真正重要的念頭浮現。學會當個「心思衝浪者」，讓雜念來去自如，而不必對每個念頭做出反應。當我們學會放手，注意力自然會回到手邊的事務。根據經驗，這通常需要幾分鐘，偶爾可能長達十五分鐘，但相比沉迷於社群媒體、瀏覽新聞或網購，這樣的「浪費」其實微不足道。

如果你希望長時間專注於一件事，不必與分心對抗，也不必完全屈服於它。當心思漫遊時，信任它的存在 — 或許它只是想短暫喘口氣、更新資訊。讓它去吧，但別轉而投入其他事情。如此一來，你的專注力將更穩定，也更持久。

Why is it so hard to just do the work?

E.g., using a video game to calm children before surgery is a diversion shown in studies to help kids reduce fear and anxiety. ⌃
is the resistance when people are told what to do/say (or not do/say), they perceive it as threatening their behavioral freedom, often leading them to do the opposite of what they are told (the natural human response is to rebel), especially when it involves prescribed language. ⌃

Davis, Josh. 2015. Two Awesome Hours: Science-Based Strategies to Harness Your Best Time and Get Your Most Important Work Done. First edition. New York, NY: HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. ↩¹ ↩²

Eyal, Nir, and Julie Li. 2019. Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. Dallas, TX: BenBella Books, Inc. ↩

Wegner, Daniel M., David J. Schneider, Samuel R. Carter, and Teri L. White. 1987. “Paradoxical Effects of Thought Suppression.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 53 (1): 5–13. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.53.1.5. ↩

Ben Franklin’s Thirteen Virtues

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

#BLOG

Temperance. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
Silence. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
Order. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
Resolution. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
Frugality. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
Industry. Lose no time; be always employ’d in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
Sincerity. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
Justice. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
Moderation. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
Cleanliness. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
Tranquillity. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
Chastity. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
Humility. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

Source: thirteenvirtues.com

Blue Zones

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

(Buettner and Skemp 2016)

藍區 (Blue Zones) are regions in the world where people live significantly longer and healthier lives compared to global averages.

百歲人瑞比例最高的地區
長壽人口密度最高的地區

Key traits of Blue Zone populations include:

Plant-based diets: Predominantly vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.
Regular physical activity: Daily natural movement rather than structured exercise.
Strong social connections: Close-knit families, supportive communities, and active social lives.
Sense of purpose: Having a reason to wake up every day, often linked to culture or personal goals.
Stress reduction practices: Daily rituals like meditation, naps, or prayer.
Moderate alcohol intake: Usually wine in moderation, often with meals and community.
Environmental factors: Safe, walkable communities that encourage movement and social engagement.

The most famous Blue Zones include:

日本沖繩 Okinawa (Japan)
義大利薩丁尼亞 Sardinia (Italy)
哥斯大黎加尼科亞 Nicoya (Costa Rica)
希臘伊卡利亞 Ikaria (Greece)
美國加州洛馬琳達 Loma Linda (California, USA)

Power 9

Move Naturally
Purpose
Downshift
80% Rule
Plant Slant
Wine @ 5
Belong
Loved Ones First
Right Tribe

Buettner, Dan, and Sam Skemp. 2016. “Blue Zones: Lessons From the World’s Longest Lived.” American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine 10 (5): 318–21. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827616637066. ↩

Breathing Techniques

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 6 min read

It’s this thing we do 20,000 times per day, but we never really stop to consider how we’re actually doing it—or whether we could be doing it better.

On average, a healthy adult takes about 12–20 breaths per minute at rest. Let’s calculate the approximate number of breaths per day step by step.

Average breaths per minute: Let’s take the middle value, 16 breaths/min.
Breaths per hour: 16 × 60 = 960 breaths/hour
Breaths per day: 960 × 24 = 23,040 breaths/day

So, a typical adult breathes roughly 23,000 times per day.

Breath Counting
- 默念：1, 2, 3, …
- 默念：in, out, in, out, …
- 默念：
  - “Breathe in, my mind clears”
  - “Breathe out, my body relaxes”
- 默念：
  - “Relaxation flows in”
  - “Stress flows out”
- 默念：
  - “I receive the suffering of others and transform it into peace and joy.”
  - “I send peace and joy to all beings, without exception.”
Breath Control (Diaphragmatic/Belly/Abdominal Breathing 腹式呼吸)
- Normal breathing is relatively shallow and does not use the full capacity of the lungs.
- Diaphragmatic breathing is a deep breathing exercise that fully engages the diaphragm and increases the efficiency of the lungs.
- Steps
  - Place one hand on the chest; place the other hand on the stomach
  - Breathe in through the nose; breath out through the mouse
    - Try inhaling through your nose and consciously draw the air back, parallel to the roof of your mouth—not upward—since your nasal cavity has more room backwards than upwards. This subtle shift reflexively engages deep diaphragmatic breathing, which improves oxygen efficiency, supports nervous system regulation, and enhances mental clarity and sleep quality. Practicing this method 2–3 times daily can help your body adopt it naturally during sleep. For more, check out this Instagram reel by @kaizben.
  - Abdomen releases outwards when inhaling and expands inwards when exhaling
  - The chest remains still
142 高效呼吸法：一吸四憋二呼
- 讓淋巴系統充分排除毒素
Equal Breathing
- Take a slow inhale through the nose that lasts for the count of 3
- Exhale slowly through the nose for the whole count of 3
Coherent Breathing
- is a slow, rhythmic breathing technique where you inhale and exhale through your nose for an equal amount of time, typically 5–6 seconds each, to create a balanced 5–6 breaths-per-minute pace.
Extended Exhaling
Box Breathing: inhale-hold-exhale-hold
- Count to 4 and slowly inhale.
- Count to 4 and hold your breath.
- Count to 4 and slowly exhale.
- Count to 4 until you inhale again.
The Lion’s Breath Technique
- Sit in a comfortable position with a slight forward lean and your hands on the floor
- Focus your gaze on the tip of your nose
- Inhale deeply through your nose
- Open your mouth, stick your tongue out and down to your chin
- Exhale forcefully with a “HA!” sound. Note: Limit the forcefulness of the exhale if you’re a beginner.
- Repeat 2-3x
The 4-7-8 Breath Technique
1. Inhale through your nose for a 4-second count
2. Hold your breath for a 7-second count
3. Exhale through your mouse for an 8-second count, making a “whoosh” sound through placing the tip of your tongue on the ridge behind your upper front teeth.
4. Repeat 3–5 times.
The Physiological (Mindful) Sigh (to reduce stress, promote relaxation, improve sleep, lower resting heart rate, stay in or return to a calmer state, and enhance mood)
- Double-inhale through your nose (with no exhale in between!), to maximally inflate your lungs
  - 1 deep inhale through the nose
  - 1 short inhale to top up
- Long exhale through your mouth until you are lungs-empty (to offload the max amount of CO2)
- Repeat 2–3 cycles
The Cyclic Hyperventilation (to increase alertness and enhance focus)
- Take a deep inhale through the nose, immediately followed by a deep exhale (active or passive) through the mouth
- Repeat 25x, then fully exhale until lungs are empty and hold for 15-30 seconds

這個方法由 Andrew Weil 博士推廣，能幫助身體快速放鬆，甚至有助於睡眠：

吸氣（4 秒）: 用鼻子緩緩吸氣，默數 4 秒。
憋氣（7 秒）: 屏住呼吸，默數 7 秒。
吐氣（8 秒）: 用嘴巴緩緩吐氣，持續 8 秒。
重複 3–5 次，就能感覺到身心明顯平靜下來。

這是美國海豹部隊用來在壓力下保持冷靜的技巧：

吸氣（4 秒）: 用鼻子緩緩吸氣，默數 4 秒。
憋氣（4 秒）: 屏住呼吸，默數 4 秒。
吐氣（4 秒）: 用嘴巴緩緩吐氣，默數 4 秒。
憋氣（4 秒）: 再次屏住呼吸，默數 4 秒。

想像一個正方形，每個邊都是 4 秒，跟著節奏繞行，就能穩定心率，找回專注。

冰人呼吸法 Wim Hof Breathing Method ¹

鼻子吸、嘴巴呼。
每次吸氣都像海浪般帶動腹部與胸部。
強力但不要用力過度，節奏穩定即可。

在第 30~40 次的最後一次：盡可能深吸氣、完全吐氣。

吐氣後憋住呼吸，直到自然出現「想吸氣」的反應。
通常為 1~3 分鐘。

當需要吸氣時：
- 深吸一大口氣，填滿肺部但不吐氣。
- 憋住 10~15 秒，再放鬆吐氣。
完成一回合。

The Wim Hof Method is a comprehensive mind-body training system built on three pillars: Breathing Technique, Cold Exposure, and Mindset & Commitment.（是一套整合「呼吸控制」、「冷療訓練」與「意志專注」的完整身心鍛鍊系統） ⌃

Broken Windows Theory

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 4 min read

= 破窗效應

“If a window in a building is broken and is left unrepaired, all the rest of the windows will soon be broken.” — James Q. Wilson & George L. Kelling

“Disorder and crime are usually inextricably linked, in a kind of developmental sequence.” — James Q. Wilson & George L. Kelling

James Q. Wilson, a political scientist, and George L. Kelling, a criminologist, first presented the idea in a 1982 Atlantic article, “Broken Windows: The Police and Neighborhood Safety”.

It posits that visible signs of disorder and neglect—such as broken windows, graffiti, or litter—can encourage further disorder and even more serious crime.

Urban Decay: In neighborhoods where abandoned buildings and vandalism are common, residents may feel less safe, and criminal activity can increase. Conversely, communities that quickly repair damage and maintain cleanliness often experience lower crime rates.
Subway Policing: The theory influenced policing strategies in New York City in the 1990s, most notably the “zero tolerance” approach. One of the earliest and most visible applications was in the subway system, where cracking down on fare evasion and minor offenses was credited with reducing more serious crimes.
Digital Spaces: The theory can also apply to online communities. If moderators allow spam or abusive comments to persist, the overall quality of discourse may decline, and more disruptive behavior may follow.

Software and Code Quality: In The Pragmatic Programmer, Andy Hunt and Dave Thomas popularized “broken windows” as a software engineering principle: if you leave a broken build, a messy codebase, or a shortcut in place, others will follow suit and the quality of the codebase decays rapidly. Fixing small problems immediately—however trivial—prevents the whole project from falling apart.
Personal Habits and Environment: The same logic applies to daily life. Leaving your desk cluttered, your inbox overflowing, or your physical space in disrepair signals to yourself (and others) that disorder is acceptable, making further neglect easier. Tending to small things consistently keeps larger decay at bay.
Organizational Culture: Tolerating minor misconduct, sloppy work, or low standards can normalize them across a team or company, just as addressing them early can preserve a healthy culture.

Mixed empirical support: The theory has been influential, but the evidence is contested. A well-known 2015 reanalysis by O’Brien, Sampson, and Winship found that the statistical link between visible disorder and crime largely disappears once neighborhood-level factors such as poverty and collective efficacy are accounted for. Other studies have found more modest effects than the theory’s strongest claims suggest.
The risks of “zero tolerance”: The aggressive enforcement associated with broken-windows policing has been criticized for leading to over-policing, racial disparities, and damaged police-community trust (as with New York’s stop-and-frisk practices). Critics argue that order maintenance can become a pretext for discrimination rather than a genuine public-safety strategy.
Original intent: Kelling himself later cautioned against enforcement-heavy interpretations, emphasizing foot patrol, community relationships, and residents’ own role in maintaining order rather than punitive crackdowns.

Nudge theory — small environmental cues that shape behavior
The spillover effect — how a change in one domain cascades into others
The compounding effect — small, consistent actions that accumulate
Feedback loop — the self-reinforcing cycle of disorder and withdrawal
Systems thinking — viewing crime and disorder as properties of an environment
Second-order thinking — anticipating the unintended consequences of well-intentioned policies
The cobra effect — how a policy meant to solve a problem can make it worse
The bystander effect — the role of social context in individual action
The Stanford Prison Experiment — Zimbardo’s demonstration that environments shape behavior
Chesterton’s fence — understanding a system before removing or changing it

Caffeine

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

提神 ≠ 專注

不會讓你更清醒，只是讓你比較沒有睏意。

Caffeine is a diuretic, causing the loss of fluid, sodium and other electrolytes.

Consume equal volumes of water with your caffeine to avoid jitteriness,¹ blurry vision or a low blood sugar feeling.
- Side Effect: 心悸（心跳加速）& 焦慮
Ideally, add a small pinch of sea salt, table salt or electrolyte-replacement powder.

Do not drink coffee immediately upon waking. Instead, delaying coffee consumption for a minimum of 1.5–2 hours after waking.

Caffeine wakes you up by fooling/blocking the adenosine from adhering to its normal receptors in the brain. You want your body to clear out the adenosine before adding caffeine, otherwise you’ll feel drowsy again once the caffeine wears off.
This could greatly help to get rid of the “afternoon crash/post-lunch slump.”
The best time to drink coffee is likely mid-to-late morning, when your cortisol levels start to drop.

Consuming caffeine on an empty stomach allows for a smaller dose to have the same stimulant and performance-enhancing effects.

Avoid drinking caffeine for least 10–12 hours before bedtime.

Peak focus and alertness will occur ~30 minutes after caffeine consumption and last ~60 minutes.

To experience the maximum performance-enhancing effects of caffeine, abstain from caffeine for a few days (3–20 days). Then, on the day of the physical challenge (e.g., marathon), ingest caffeine ~30 minutes before the start.

緊張不安；心煩意亂 ⌃

Change requires destruction

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“The attempt to escape from pain, is what creates more pain.” — Gabor Mate

“All human nature vigorously resists grace because grace changes us and the change is painful.” — Flannery O’Connor

“Waking up to who you are requires letting go of who you imagine yourself to be.” — Alan Watts

“Letting go is not loss; it is space for what is true.” — Jack Kornfield

“If you want a new outcome, you will have to break the habit of being yourself, and reinvent a new self.” — Joe Dispenza, Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One

The reason most people never change is because they’re too attached to who they’ve always been.

The worst prison in the world is having the talent and intelligence to achieve something great but lacking the courage to go out and do it.

“Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong.” — Mandy Hale

The worst thing in the world isn’t being on a bad path. The worst thing in the world is being on a good path that isn’t yours.

The bad path screams for change. The good path that isn’t yours sits in silence.

Reinvention takes courage. ¹ Reinvention starts with release. You can’t build a new life with old wiring. Letting go is the real first step.

Nothing changes if nothing changes. If you change nothing, nothing will change.

Change requires destruction. Or, at least, unlearning.

Change requires death: The death of old beliefs, old habits, old environments.

Reinvention has a cost of entry. Pay it with pride.

The 3 C’s in life: choice, chance, change. You must make the choice to take the chance if you want anything in life to change.

Do It Anyway by Mother Teresa

放棄，其實比堅持更難；因為放棄需要理由。 ⌃

Character is who you are when nobody’s watching

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

“Personality is how you respond on a typical day, character is how you show up on a hard day.” — Adam M. Grant, Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things

“Character is often confused with personality, but they’re not the same. Personality is your predisposition—your basic instincts for how to think, feel, and act. Character is your capacity to prioritize your values over your instincts.” — Adam M. Grant, Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things

“Character is more than just having principles. It’s a learned capacity to live by your principles.” — Adam M. Grant, Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things

“Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” — John Wooden

“I want to be the person that is the first person there and the last person to leave. That’s who I want to be, because I think the road to success is through commitment, and through the strength to drive through that commitment when it gets hard. And it is going to get hard and you’re going to want to quit sometimes, but it’ll be colored by who you are, and more who you want to be.” — Will Smith

Your character is who you are on the inside. Your reputation is who others see on the outside.
Your character is who you are when no one is looking. Your reputation is who others see when they are looking.
Your character is who you are when facing a crisis. Your reputation is who others see when facing a crisis.

Anyone can smile when life goes smoothly.
Anyone can train when they feel great.
Anyone can be kind when the relationship is easy.

What matters most is how you respond on the bad days, not the good ones.

The strong mind finds a way to stay steady … even when plans fall apart.
The strong body finds a way to train … even when the day doesn’t go your way.
The strong relationship finds a way to reconnect … even when things get rough.

It’s how you act when the situation isn’t optimal that makes the difference.

Chesterton’s Fence

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

A reminder to look before we leap; to understand before we act.

Never remove/tear down a fence until you know why it was there/built in the first place.
Never take a fence down unless you know why it was put up.
Never criticize something before understanding why it exists in its current form.

Before you tear down the fence, make sure you know the wolves it was keeping at bay.

Cinammon

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

錫蘭肉桂（Ceylon cinnamon）
- 產地主要在斯里蘭卡，又稱「真肉桂」。
- 味道細緻、帶有淡淡的甜香，捲成多層，顏色較淺，質地較脆。
- 香豆素（Coumarin）¹ 含量低，長期食用較安全。
- 價格通常較高。
桂皮肉桂（Cassia cinnamon）
- 產地多為中國、印尼、越南等地。
- 味道較嗆、辛辣，捲成單層，顏色較深，質地較硬。
- 香豆素含量高，過量或長期食用可能對肝臟有害，適合偶爾調味用。
- 價格較便宜。

兩種肉桂都是微量元素「錳（Manganese）」的極佳來源。錳是構建健康骨骼，以及多種生理過程（如碳水化合物和脂肪代謝）所需酶的重要激活素。

含有豐富抗氧化物，有助於抗發炎（Inflammation）與減少氧化壓力。
可能有助於降低血糖、提升胰島素敏感度（對第二型糖尿病者有益）。
具抗菌、抗黴菌特性，有助於抑制細菌和真菌生長。
有助於降低膽固醇和三酸甘油脂，支持心血管健康。

是一種天然化合物，有稀釋血液之作用。 ⌃

Cognitive Defusion

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 2 min read

認知脫鉤（Cognitive Defusion）是一種心理技巧，目的是讓你意識到「你不是你的想法」（separation from thoughts）。這種技巧強調將自己與腦中的念頭分開，尤其是那些負面或限制性的想法。

In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), cognitive defusion is the process of learning to perceive thoughts, images, memories, and other cognitions as what they are—not what they appear to be. Instead of seeing thoughts as absolute truths or commands, you observe them as passing mental events.

Cognitive Defusion creates some space between yourself and your negative thoughts, allowing you to “un-fuse” from them.

Labeling thoughts: Instead of saying “I’m a failure,” rephrase as “I’m having the thought that I’m a failure.”
Thanking your mind: When a negative thought arises, say “Thanks, mind!” to acknowledge it without judgment.
Silly voices: Repeat the thought in a funny voice or sing it to reduce its power.
Visualizing thoughts: Imagine your thoughts as clouds floating by or leaves drifting down a stream.

Reduces the impact of negative thinking
Increases psychological flexibility
Helps you act according to your values, not your fears or automatic reactions

Collective Unconscious

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 1 min read

The collective unconscious, a concept by Carl Jung, refers to a universal layer of the unconscious mind shared by all humans. Unlike personal unconsciousness, which is based on individual experiences, the collective unconscious contains inherited, universal elements such as archetypes—recurring symbols and themes like the Hero, the Mother, or the Shadow—that appear across cultures in myths, dreams, and art. These archetypes are not learned but innate/inborn, shaping how people perceive and interpret the world on a deep, often unconscious level.

Communication

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

📖 6 min read

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” — George Bernard Shaw

“The greatest communication is usually how we are rather than what we say.” — Joseph Goldstein

True communication goes far beyond words. Often, it’s the way we show up—our presence, our calm, and our authenticity—that speaks volumes without uttering a word. Goldstein’s insight reminds us to focus on being fully present and genuine, knowing that these qualities often communicate more deeply than any words.

Communication is not about saying what we think. Communication is about ensuring others hear what we mean.
Communication is about what is received, not what is intended.

If there is a gap between what you are saying and what they are hearing, you have to find a new way to say it.

Nonverbal communication often plays a crucial role in how well a verbal communication is received.

State the facts and tell the truth. Speak with integrity—say exactly what you mean and mean exactly what you say.

“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” — Mark Twain

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” — Dr. Seuss

“It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.” — André Gide

If you think something, say something. Don’t expect people to guess your thoughts and feelings. Don’t hold a grudge when people didn’t predict what you wanted them to do. Just tell them.
People can’t read your mind ¹ / the thoughts in your head, they can only react to your action/word.
People who use direct/precise/literal sentences ↔ People who use indirect/shadow/implied/figurative sentences
- It’s better to be direct about almost everything than to play a game of subtle hints and plausibly deniable nudges.
潛台詞：指話語背後隱藏的真正含義
誠實地說出自己的感受，不只是尊重自己，也是尊重他人。當你說出「真心話」時，其實只會有兩種結果：
1. 對方願意尊重你的感受，關係因此更緊密。
2. 對方無法接受你的真實樣貌，選擇離開，結束一段不健康的關係。
無論是何種結果，其實都是好事。