To combat the feeling of time accelerating with age, actively practice feeling. By consciously allowing yourself to weep at something moving or laugh out loud at something funny, you register moments more deeply. This slows down your perception of life and prevents you from merely ripping through it.

Our perception of sensing then reacting is an illusion. The brain constantly predicts the next moment based on past experiences, preparing actions before sensory information fully arrives. This predictive process is far more efficient than constantly reacting to the world from scratch, meaning we act first, then sense.

To sustain motivation for a new skill, the practice must be intrinsically rewarding. A guitarist struggled with a teacher focused on classical etudes but thrived with one who immediately taught her songs connected to her late father. The goal shifted from a future achievement to an immediate, emotionally fulfilling experience, making the practice itself the payoff.

To counteract feelings of intellectual superiority, deliberately engage with subjects you know you won't grasp on the first try. This forces a return to a beginner's mindset, keeping ego in check and fostering humility by reminding you what it's like to struggle with learning.

Top performers often exist in a state of constant calculation. The key to sustainable excellence is learning to consciously switch between being 'on the field' (strategizing) and 'off the field' (being present). Deliberately switching off sharpens focus and makes you more effective when you are back 'on'.

While time tracking is for management, its surprising long-term benefit is creating a detailed journal. By capturing context around events, it creates richer memories. This act of savoring makes time feel more expansive, combatting the feeling of "where did the time go?"

Constant productivity keeps the brain in a high-frequency "beta" state, which stifles creativity. To solve complex problems, you must intentionally shift to a slower "alpha" state by disconnecting. This is achieved through simple, non-distracting activities like walking in nature without your phone.

When introducing a new skill like user interviews, initially focus on quantity over quality. Creating a competition for the "most interviews" helps people put in the reps needed to build muscle memory. This vanity metric should be temporary and replaced with quality-focused measures once the habit is formed.

To become a great speaker, Anthony Trucks recorded a 90-second video every night for 3.5 years. This consistent, low-stakes practice built skill and confidence when no one was watching. Mastery comes not from occasional grand efforts but from relentless daily reps that forge a new identity.