#13 Write Better Today (On Writing by Stephen King)

What I learned from The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying Pre-order my book Crypto Confidential: Winning and Losing Millions in the New Frontier of Finance Join the Nat’s Notes Newsletter to get my top highlights from the book. If you prefer video, be sure to subscribe on YouTube. Get Two Months Free of Readwise Readwise is my favorite reading tool. I use it to automatically extract my highlights from physical books, and I use their Reader to read and highlight everything I find online. Then they automatically organize all of my notes and send them directly to my note-taking tool, so I can immediately look up anything I loved in past books I read. It’s a total game changer for getting the most out of every book you read, and if you love books, you need to be using it. Timestamps [00:58] Doubt Yourself [03:08] Hiding from Death [07:47] We Don’t Know Ourselves [10:51] Western Laziness [14:34] Our Fear of Change [16:38] Becoming a Buddha [20:10] You Are Fundamentally Perfect [22:29] The Goal of Meditation [25:36] How to Meditate [27:26] How Long to Meditate [30:01] What is Karma [33:26] How to Practice [36:36] Asking for Help If you enjoyed this show, please let me know on Twitter (@nateliason) or Instagram (@nat_eliason)

What I learned from Where is My Flying Car by J. Storrs Hall Join the Nat’s Notes Newsletter to get my top highlights from the book. If you prefer video, be sure to subscribe on YouTube. Get Two Months Free of Readwise Readwise is my favorite reading tool. I use it to automatically extract my highlights from physical books, and I use their Reader to read and highlight everything I find online. Then they automatically organize all of my notes and send them directly to my note-taking tool, so I can immediately look up anything I loved in past books I read. It’s a total game changer for getting the most out of every book you read, and if you love books, you need to be using it. Timestamps [1:44] Why Air Travel Stagnated [6:02] We Need to Use More Energy [10:57] Why Has Physical Technology Slowed? [13:07] The Insane Potential of Nanotech [15:03] The Machiavelli Effect [17:21] Failures of Nerve & Imagination [19:39] The Age of Aquarius [21:11] The Climate Change Myth [26:04] The Disaster of Government Regulation [29:44] Bonus Topics If you enjoyed this show, please let me know on Twitter (@nateliason) or Instagram (@nat_eliason)

What I learned from The Anthology of Balaji by Eric Jorgenson. Join the Nat’s Notes Newsletter to get my top highlights from the book. If you prefer video, be sure to subscribe on YouTube. Get Two Months Free of Readwise Readwise is my favorite reading tool. I use it to automatically extract my highlights from physical books, and I use their Reader to read and highlight everything I find online. Then they automatically organize all of my notes and send them directly to my note-taking tool, so I can immediately look up anything I loved in past books I read. It’s a total game changer for getting the most out of every book you read, and if you love books, you need to be using it. Timestamps [00:54] The End of Death  [02:21] The Government Stops Innovation [06:00] Finding New Medicines [08:13] Technology Reduces Inequality [11:05] Why Crypto is Exciting [13:05] Could Bitcoin Replace Gold? [14:24] Printing Digital Wealth [16:13] Youth Extension, not Life Extension [18:17] Scientific Truth vs. Political Truth [20:09] How Science Got Corrupted [21:49] A Popular Idea is not Necessarily True [24:03] What to Focus On [27:38] Bonus Topics If you enjoyed this show, please let me know on Twitter (@nateliason) or Instagram (@nat_eliason)

What I learned from Same As Ever: A Guide to What Never Changes by Morgan Housel. Join the Nat’s Notes Newsletter to get my top highlights from the book. If you prefer video, be sure to subscribe on YouTube. Get Two Months Free of Readwise Readwise is my favorite reading tool. I use it to automatically extract my highlights from physical books, and I use their Reader to read and highlight everything I find online. Then they automatically organize all of my notes and send them directly to my note-taking tool, so I can immediately look up anything I loved in past books I read. It’s a total game changer for getting the most out of every book you read, and if you love books, you need to be using it. Timestamps [00:00] How to Predict the Future  [01:57] Risk is What You Don’t See [03:53] People Want Certainty, not Accuracy [07:31] Storytelling is a Superpower [11:06] Calm Times Create Crazy Times [13:19] Don’t Go Too Fast [16:27] More Stress Is Good [17:56] Good News Happens Slowly [19:48] How to Be a Rational Optimist [21:16] Perfection Makes You Fragile [23:10] It’s Supposed to Be Hard [25:04] Don’t Quit When You’re Ahead [26:05] Questions to Ask Yourself If you enjoyed this show, please let me know on Twitter (@nateliason) or Instagram (@nat_eliason)

What I learned from Freedom by Sebastian Junger Join the Nat’s Notes Newsletter to get my top highlights from the book. If you prefer video, be sure to subscribe on YouTube. Get Two Months Free of Readwise Readwise is my favorite reading tool. I use it to automatically extract my highlights from physical books, and I use their Reader to read and highlight everything I find online. Then they automatically organize all of my notes and send them directly to my note-taking tool, so I can immediately look up anything I loved in past books I read. It’s a total game changer for getting the most out of every book you read, and if you love books, you need to be using it. Timestamps [00:00] Obsessing Over Freedom [02:50] The 400 Mile Journey [06:41] Towns vs Tribes [09:14] You Can’t Escape Society [12:20] Paradoxes of Wealth & Freedom [13:23] Movement & Freedom [17:21] Risking Death for Others [18:56] Human Rights [22:53] Fighting [26:07] Thinking If you enjoyed this show, please let me know on Twitter (@nateliason) or Instagram (@nat_eliason)

What I learned from Scarcity Brain: Fix Your Craving Mindset and Rewire Your Habits to Thrive with Enough by Michael Easter. Join the Nat’s Notes Newsletter to get my top highlights from the book. Get Two Months Free of Readwise Readwise is my favorite reading tool. I use it to automatically extract my highlights from physical books, and I use their Reader to read and highlight everything I find online. Then they automatically organize all of my notes and send them directly to my note-taking tool, so I can immediately look up anything I loved in past books I read. It’s a total game changer for getting the most out of every book you read, and if you love books, you need to be using it. Timestamps: [00:00] We Should Focus on Bad Habits [02:40] The Scarcity Loop [06:19] How to Break the Scarcity Loop [08:50] Scarcity Cues [12:02] Addiction is not a Disease [15:25] How to Combat Addiction [18:15] Gamification & Scarcity Loops [22:02] Food Cravings [27:19] We’re All Hoarders [30:29] Drowning in Information [34:12] How to We Stop Craving More? If you enjoyed this show, please let me know on Twitter (@nateliason) or Instagram (@nat_eliason)

What I learned from Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson Join the Nat’s Notes Newsletter to get my top highlights from the book. If you prefer video, subscribe on YouTube. Get Two Months Free of Readwise Readwise is my favorite reading tool. I use it to automatically extract my highlights from physical books, and I use their Reader to read and highlight everything I find online. Then they automatically organize all of my notes and send them directly to my note-taking tool, so I can immediately look up anything I loved in past books I read. It’s a total game changer for getting the most out of every book you read, and if you love books, you need to be using it. [00:00] Self Reliance  [02:34] Trust Your Beliefs [05:29] The Consequences of Not Acting on Your Ideas [08:09] How to Do Meaningful Work [11:46] Don’t Lose Yourself [14:16] Consistency is a Trap [17:14] Living in the Present [21:18] The Travel Trap [23:23] The Cyclical Nature of Society If you enjoyed this show, please let me know on Twitter (@nateliason) or Instagram (@nat_eliason)

What I learned from On Writing by Stephen King Join the Nat’s Notes Newsletter to get my top highlights from the book. Get Two Months Free of Readwise Readwise is my favorite reading tool. I use it to automatically extract my highlights from physical books, and I use their Reader to read and highlight everything I find online. Then they automatically organize all of my notes and send them directly to my note-taking tool, so I can immediately look up anything I loved in past books I read. It’s a total game changer for getting the most out of every book you read, and if you love books, you need to be using it. [00:00] Intro [01:29] Stephen King’s Career [07:05] Battling with Addiction [10:08] How to Be A Writer [13:13] There Must be Joy  [16:34] 2,000 Words a Day [19:25] How to Tell Stories [23:39] The Power of Honesty [26:00] Editing Your Work If you enjoyed this show, please let me know on Twitter (@nateliason) or Instagram (@nat_eliason)

What I learned from reading The Communist Manifesto Join the Nat’s Notes Newsletter to get my top highlights from the book. Get Two Months Free of Readwise Readwise is my favorite reading tool. I use it to automatically extract my highlights from physical books, and I use their Reader to read and highlight everything I find online. Then they automatically organize all of my notes and send them directly to my note-taking tool, so I can immediately look up anything I loved in past books I read. It’s a total game changer for getting the most out of every book you read, and if you love books, you need to be using it. (00:00) Why the Communist Manifesto (03:04) Defining the Benefits of Communism (07:22) The Source of Class Divide (10:58) Reactions to the Divide (15:01) Bourgeoisie & Industry are Doomed to Fail (18:12) Abolition of Private Property (21:49) Wage Labor is Subsistence Living (23:57) The Communist Utopia (26:23) Why Would Anyone Work Hard? (28:37) Utopia vs Reality (32:50) Questionable Solutions to Real Problems If you enjoyed this show, please let me know on Twitter (@nateliason) or Instagram (@nat_eliason)

What I learned from two of my favorite books on doing creative work, The War of Art and Turning Pro, both by Steven Pressfield. Join the Nat’s Notes Newsletter to get my top highlights from the book. Get Two Months Free of Readwise Readwise is my favorite reading tool. I use it to automatically extract my highlights from physical books, and I use their Reader to read and highlight everything I find online. Then they automatically organize all of my notes and send them directly to my note-taking tool, so I can immediately look up anything I loved in past books I read. It’s a total game changer for getting the most out of every book you read, and if you love books, you need to be using it. (00:00) The Battle with Your Mind  (04:44) What is the War of Art? (08:43) Where Resistance Shows Up (12:25) Resistance at the Finish Line (13:50) The Forms of Resistance (19:28) Support as Resistance (21:39) The Need to Turn Pro (25:10) Shadow Callings and Shadow Careers (27:31) Destructive Addictions (29:58) Fear and Amateurs (32:22) How to Turn Pro If you enjoyed this show, please let me know on Twitter (@nateliason) or Instagram (@nat_eliason)