Scott Young

New Article: Book Recommendation: Life in Perspective scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/11… I recently read Tiago Forte’s Life in Perspective and found it full of useful ideas about reflection. It's about understanding where you are in life is just as important as where you want to go.

New Article: Should You Study The Solutions Or Solve Problems? scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/10… Why can solving a problem fail to teach us how to solve it? Sometimes, searching for an answer distracts us from the underlying principles.

New Article: The Key to Creating Learning Projects You’ll Finish scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/10… You can make meaningful progress in a new skill in just 30 days. The key is knowing what to learn, what to ignore, and how to make consistent progress without overwhelming yourself.

New Article: The Best Way to Take Notes scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/10… Taking notes isn’t just about remembering information later. It’s also a way to learn while you listen. In an age of AI summaries, that distinction matters more than ever.

New Article: The Simple Method That Boosts Memory by 50% scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/10… Retrieval practice is one of the most robust findings in learning research, yet students consistently underestimate it. I look at why trying to remember something is more effective than rereading

New Article: Reach the Top 1% of Your Field (Deliberate Practice) scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/09… Getting better isn’t just about practicing more. You need to know what is worth practicing, how to demonstrate the skill, and how to create real-world situations that push you to improve

New Article: You Should Care Less About Practical Advice scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/09… I’m increasingly convinced that the most useful knowledge isn’t always the most practical. Learn the principles first. When you encounter a specific problem, you can work out which advice applies

New Article: How to stop forgetting what you read scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/09… Why do we forget so much of what we read? I think the answer is less about finding the perfect note-taking system and more about building a larger base of knowledge.

New Article: Book Review: China’s Examination Hell scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/09… I found China’s Examination Hell fascinating. It offers a very different perspective on education, learning and competition. Here’s my review.

New Article: The Paradox of Burnout scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/08… What if caring deeply about your work can actually increase your risk of burnout? I explore the paradox in this article.

New Article: I'm 38 scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/08… Another year older, and another opportunity to take stock. I’ve made progress in some areas, slipped in others, and started some new projects. Here’s what I’m thinking about as I turn 38.

New Article: Recent Reading scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/08… I’ve been doing quite a bit of reading lately, so I thought I’d share some of the books that have caught my attention. There’s a little bit of everything here, and several books I’d happily recommend.

New Article: Discouraged? Here’s How to Stay Motivated scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/07… We all reach moments where continuing feels harder than quitting. I've found those moments become much easier when I have a plan I genuinely believe in. This article is about how to build one.

New Article: We Need Guidelines for Learning and AI scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/07… I've been thinking a lot about AI and learning lately. The technology is remarkable, but I've become convinced we need better habits for using it. In this article, I share the guidelines I've created.

New Article: How to Find Time for Learning scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/06… Learning is exciting in theory, but fitting it into a busy life is another matter entirely. In this article, I share some of the strategies that have helped me make learning a consistent part of life.

New Article: Your Problem Isn’t Willpower scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/06… The solution isn’t always trying harder. Here’s why.

New article: Focus is Motivation scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/06… Some days I feel motivated and focused. Other days I feel neither. Thinking about that pattern led me to a simple question: what if focus comes first? This article is my attempt to answer it.

New Article Why I’m Skeptical About Efforts to Revolutionize Schooling scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/05… I still believe learning can be improved dramatically for motivated people. But I’ve become much less optimistic about simple solutions for fixing education at scale.

I recently sat down with Timothy Kenny to walk through my library. We discuss a bunch of my favorite books and how they’ve influence me. Check out the video here: youtube.com/watch?v=7ed6TgC9…

New Article: What if We’re Already Living in Utopia? scotthyoung.com/blog/2026/05… By historical standards, modern life delivers extraordinary levels of comfort, convenience and stimulation. Yet rates of anxiety, distraction and dissatisfaction continue to rise.