You walk into the chain pharmacy with a script in hand.
It’s for your child’s medication—the one with the cherry flavor they hate, the filler they can’t tolerate, and the dosage the doctor already said might be tricky.
You wait in line. You explain the issue. The pharmacist apologizes: “We only carry the standard version.”
You’re back in the car, Googling: compounding pharmacy near me.
What happens next? That’s the difference.
The Basics: What Is a Compounding Pharmacy?
Let’s get one thing straight—compounding isn’t just some trendy alternative. It’s the original form of pharmacy. Before mass manufacturing, every medication was compounded—crafted by hand, one patient at a time.
A compounding pharmacy creates custom medications from scratch, tailoring ingredients, dosage forms, and delivery methods to meet individual patient needs.
Unlike chain pharmacies that fill prescriptions from pre-made inventory, compounders blend, mix, and adjust medications in real time, based on your doctor’s precise instructions.
So if your child can’t swallow pills, or your dog needs a liver-safe antibiotic, or your parent has an allergy to a common dye—compounding is the answer.
Local vs. Chain: What’s the Real Difference?
It’s easy to assume all pharmacies are mostly the same—until you actually need something outside the box.
That’s where the split happens. Here’s what sets a local compounding pharmacy apart:
1. Customization is the Default, Not the Exception
Chain pharmacies operate in bulk. They’re designed for efficiency, not flexibility.
Local compounding pharmacies? They thrive on personalization. Whether it’s adjusting a dose for a premature infant or turning a bitter capsule into a grape-flavored liquid, customization is part of their daily routine.
The medication isn’t just a version of what you need—it’s exactly what your doctor prescribed, down to the detail.
2. Human Connection Over Transaction
You know the feeling. Chain pharmacies often feel… transactional. In, out, next.
Local compounding pharmacies, on the other hand, operate more like old-school apothecaries. You’re not just a refill ID—you’re a person.
At People and Pets Pharmacy, for instance, patients often speak directly with the pharmacist, ask questions, and receive guidance tailored to their exact needs. That level of personalized care? Try getting it in aisle seven next to the foot cream.
3. Better for People and Pets
Here’s something else chain pharmacies don’t usually do: vet medications.
Many local compounders specialize in both human and veterinary care. That means they can prepare thyroid medication for your cat, transdermal pain relief for your aging dog, and a chewable antibiotic for your kid—all in one place.
Pet-friendly pharmacies like People and Pets Pharmacy know that your furry (or feathered) family members need specialized attention too.
4. Solutions When Chains Say “No”
There are countless reasons why a chain might not be able to help:
The medication is out of stock
The manufacturer discontinued it
Your insurance doesn’t cover that formulation
You need a dose that doesn’t exist commercially
Your child refuses to take the standard version
A compounding pharmacy offers workarounds that actually work. They can often recreate discontinued medications, adjust ingredients to avoid allergens, and reformulate a med into a form your child or pet will actually take.
Basically, when chains shrug, compounders problem-solve.
5. Safer Options for Allergy-Prone Patients
Many commercial medications contain inactive ingredients—fillers, dyes, preservatives—that can trigger allergic reactions.
Compounding pharmacies have access to raw pharmaceutical-grade ingredients and can omit anything non-essential.
Gluten-free, dye-free, preservative-free? Done. With a compounder, you’re not locked into a mass-market formula. You get what’s right for your body, not someone else’s.
6. Flavor, Texture, and Form You Can Actually Work With
We all know the battle. Kids who gag on tablets. Pets who spit out pills. Seniors with trouble swallowing.
Compounding pharmacies can turn that same prescription into:
Flavored liquids
Dissolvable troches
Creams or gels
Lollipops or chews
Transdermal patches
They’ll even let you sample flavors in some cases, so you know your child (or pet) won’t immediately reject the medicine.
7. Speed and Access That Might Surprise You
One myth? That compounding takes too long.
While custom medications naturally require time and care, most local pharmacies operate on quick turnaround schedules—often same-day or next-day. And many offer delivery or shipping, too.
So the next time you find yourself searching compounding pharmacy near me, you might just find faster service than the big-box pharmacy that told you to come back in three days.
The Bottom Line: Personalized Medicine, Real Relationships
At the end of the day, the difference isn’t just the medication—it’s the mindset.
Chain pharmacies fill the same prescription for a hundred people a day. Compounding pharmacies fill your prescription for you.
They collaborate with your doctor. They remember your allergies. They ask how your pet did with the last batch. It’s medicine with memory.
So the next time you need something a little different—whether it’s a chewable for your anxious dog or a flavor tweak for your toddler’s cough syrup—skip the aisles and talk to someone who can actually help.
Your search for the best compounding pharmacy near me might just end at People and Pets Pharmacy.
Because sometimes, the solution isn’t mass-produced. It’s custom-made.
Big dreams are built on movement. They grow through action, commitment, and the courage to take ideas out into the world. For many people, four wheels become the foundation of that journey. A vehicle is not just transportation. It is a partner in ambition, progress, and possibility.
Whether the goal is launching a business, expanding a service, or creating a lifestyle that blends freedom with purpose, the right vehicle can help turn vision into reality.
Seeing Your Vehicle as a Tool for Growth
Every dream needs structure to grow. A vehicle provides that structure by giving mobility, reliability, and access to opportunity. It allows ideas to travel beyond imagination and become real experiences.
When chosen with intention, a vehicle becomes a mobile workspace, a delivery platform, a meeting room, and a symbol of momentum. It supports not only where someone goes, but also how confidently they move forward.
Matching Ambition with Capability
Big dreams require practical solutions. That means choosing a vehicle that reflects both ambition and responsibility. The right choice balances strength, flexibility, and long-term dependability.
A dream-driven vehicle should:
Handle heavy workloads with ease
Adapt to changing goals
Represent professionalism
Support consistency and reliability
The right match between dream and vehicle creates confidence at every stage of growth.
Customization Creates Ownership
Custom orders allow people to build a vehicle that reflects their exact vision. Storage layouts, towing capacity, technology upgrades, and safety features transform a standard vehicle into a tailored solution.
For those ready to shape a vehicle around their goals, visiting VanNuys Chrysler while researching Ram commercial trucks Palmdale creates a powerful opportunity to combine ambition with precision and purpose.
Customization is where dreams become tangible. It turns a vehicle into a personal investment in success.
Turning Roads into Opportunity
Four wheels carry more than cargo. They carry confidence, responsibility, and potential. Each mile travelled represents progress toward something greater.
A well-chosen vehicle makes it easier to say yes to opportunities, reach new clients, explore new projects, and build stronger foundations. It transforms distance into access and ideas into action.
Strength in Reliability
Consistency builds trust. When a vehicle performs reliably, it supports credibility and peace of mind. Dreams grow faster when the tools supporting them are dependable.
Reliability means:
Less downtime
Stronger professional reputation
Greater freedom to focus on growth
Long-term stability
A strong vehicle is a reminder that success is built through preparation as much as passion.
Designing a Mobile Future
Four wheels can represent freedom, but they also represent direction. Choosing the right vehicle is an act of designing the future. It defines how goals are reached and how challenges are met.
When ambition is paired with thoughtful planning, the journey becomes as meaningful as the destination.
Let Your Dreams Drive Forward
Big dreams need motion to survive. They need action, courage, and the right tools. A vehicle chosen with purpose becomes part of the dream itself.
Every road travelled is proof of belief in something bigger. When four wheels carry vision, discipline, and hope, the journey transforms into a powerful story of growth and achievement.
Modern life runs on speed, scale, and convenience.
Groceries show up in minutes. Phones arrive in days. FaceTime can connect people across continents without so much as a blink. And it’s all because many things have become cheaper to produce and scale.
Yet with all this splendor, creating and owning buildings remains costly, according to modern engineering expert Brian Potter.
”I became frustrated that we were not making it any better and that buildings remain so expensive,” he shares in an exclusive sit-down with Mindvalley Book Club.
That frustration pushed him to investigate and write about how progress actually unfolds—or not—in the industry, culminating in his book, The Origins of Efficiency.
“I’m always trying to understand how these systems really work,” he adds. Because once you see a pattern, “you start noticing it everywhere.” And it’s here that solutions can emerge.
Watch his full interview on the Mindvalley Book Club:
How improving production efficiency drives progress with Brian Potter
Who is Brian Potter?
“I worked as what’s called a structural engineer… the person who designs buildings and makes sure they stand up,” Brian explains to Kristina Mänd-Lakhani, co-founder of Mindvalley and host of the Mindvalley Book Club. He’s also the founder of Construction Physics, a newsletter for fellow engineers, builders, and policymakers.
Leaf through his book, and his fascination with the matter is unmistakably clear. “Efficiency,” the senior infrastructure fellow at the Institute for Progress writes, “is the engine that powers human civilization.” This was likely the interest that led him to study civil engineering at Georgia Tech and later systems engineering at the University of Central Florida.
Humans, Brian elaborates, were always meant to thrive because they understood systems. You see it in the shift from hunting and gathering to farming and later to modern industry. Surplus, skills, and societal growth tend to follow whenever people figure out how to produce food, tools, and shelter with less time and effort than their predecessors.
“Almost everything that distinguishes modern life from the past,” he continues in the book, “flows from our ability to make things using less human effort.”
No wonder he spent years trying to apply it in practice (like when he led engineering teams at Katerra, the SoftBank-backed construction startup aiming to bring speed, scale, and repeatability to the industry).
But the same 15 years he spent in the domain? It also gave him a front-row seat to major industrial problems that keep happening, even as tools improved and ambitions grew.
Why inefficiency still exists in the modern world, according to Brian Potter
In practice, structural engineering is all about making sure designs on paper, from apartment complexes to your office buildings to big stadiums, can survive the real world. A structure has to literally hold its own weight, withstand unpredictable weather, and meet safety codes… all while remaining within budget.
Like walking a tightrope, it’s all a balancing act… except it isn’t, as Brian notes, so straightforward.An example he tells Kristina: “It’s still quite expensive to build houses and buildings.”
Sure, products on the likes of Amazon and Alibaba.com are super accessible now because they have become cheaper to produce and scale over the past few decades. But you can’t say the same about buildings.
After years of observing the industry from the inside, Brian sees the same pattern everywhere else, too. Whenever work stays custom, coordination-heavy, and overly dependent on human judgment in real time, efficiency can break down due to these factors:
1. Siloed information
Many apartment blocks, offices, and homes follow similar layouts and use similar materials. Still, each project is planned, approved, and built almost from scratch. Lessons from one project rarely carry over to the next.
“Without repeatability,” he reveals in The Origins of Efficiency, “it is very difficult for learning and improvement to accumulate.”
The thing is, doctors often lack access to the same patient records. Because there’s no single shared approach to treating common illnesses, care often has to start from scratch instead of building on existing patient data.
2. Long chains of handoffs
In construction, work moves step by step. Design finishes before engineering begins. Engineering finishes before permitting. Permitting finishes before building starts. Each phase depends on the one before it.
Even with better planning tools, progress slows as responsibility passes from one group to the next. Every handoff introduces waiting and clarification before work can continue.
“A lot of the cost and delay,” Brian explains, “comes from coordination.And it’s not that people aren’t good at their jobs. It’s that the work has to move between so many different groups.”
Similarly, in healthcare, a patient moves from a primary doctor to a specialist, then to a lab, then to imaging, and back again. Each step requires transferring not only the patient but also their information, context, and responsibility for care.
According to Brian, you see new software, from project management platforms to advanced modeling tools, come up from time to time in construction. Yet, as he notes, the way people spend time and effort behind them all remains largely unchanged.
And this is the one problem technological advancements alone can’t solve.
4. The (unavoidable) need for real-time collaboration
Some work simply doesn’t get cheaper with time. And Brian is clear about why.
Progress in construction, for instance, often depends on experts stepping in at the exact moment something goes wrong. That’s when the room for scale shrinks. The reliance on live human judgment, however important, creates a cost structure that technology can’t flatten.
“The things that remain expensive,” Brian explains, “are the things where you need a person there who can figure out what needs to be done.”
You see the same pattern outside construction, too, in:
Education. Learning still depends on teachers adjusting lessons in real time, responding to confusion, and guiding students—who all come with different educational needs and backgrounds—moment by moment. Even with online classrooms and microlearning apps scaling education, it all still requires human attention.
Healthcare. Diagnoses and treatments often require clinicians to interpret incomplete information on the spot. When records don’t transfer cleanly or cases vary widely, expertise has to be applied repeatedly. This drives up time, staffing needs, and ultimately, cost.
And herein lies the constraint Brian often sees. When so much of your industry’s progress depends on humans solving problems as they arise, efficiency improves only so much.
“The things that have gotten cheap,” Brian points out, “are the things that we can make in some sort of repetitive process, where you can make the same thing over and over again.”
5. Misplaced use of technology
Technology, Brian argues, accelerates whatever system it is placed into. So, when workflows remain fragmented, automation—brilliant as it is—only speeds up isolated tasks while reinforcing the same bottlenecks. “It’s much harder to do that sort of repetitive process,” he notes, “when you’re encountering lots of different and unique situations.”
Which leads to his bigger point: from here, it’s just all too easy for humans to risk getting better… at optimizing the wrong things, whether in construction or beyond.
Seeing that AI could replace up to 30% of hours worked across the U.S. economy by 2030, the real peril here isn’t the notion of speed itself. No, it’s what we choose to speed up, at the risk of slowly engineering our own blind spots and, eventually, societal detriment.
“Just because we have technology,” he adds, “doesn’t necessarily mean there will be improved productivity.”
Brian Potter’s proposal for revving up efficiency
Ultimately, it’s not about making everything move faster. What Brian ultimately argues for is that the right systems should upscale and do the heavy lifting, so humans don’t have to.
Pause for a second, and think of how commercial aviation came to be.
You see, planes don’t rely on pilots to manually fly every second of a long flight. The autopilot setting handles the repeatable, predictable phases, which gives pilots more wiggle room to monitor unpredictable conditions and make judgment calls in real time.
That’s how Brian approaches efficiency, too, both in construction and other areas of overall world-building. (You’ll see this right upon Googling “Brian Potter Construction Physics.”)
Across his newsletter and The Origins of Efficiency, the author often returns to a handful of principles that have peppered the history of human advancement, as shown below.
1. Prioritize repeatability before speed
According to Brian, efficiency only occurs when the things that do require automation are automated. Ergo, they are completed roughly the same way again and again.
In his book, he writes that if cost reduction is a priority and “you want things to get cheaper,” then you simply haveto “find ways to make the same thing again and again.”
Here’s what it can look like…
At the general workplace: Using the same onboarding flow for every new hire instead of reinventing it for each team.
In manufacturing: Relying on standardized components instead of custom parts for every product run.
In healthcare: Applying clear treatment protocols for common conditions instead of deciding from scratch each time.
For a construction project: Reusing proven layouts, parts, and methods that teams already know how to execute.
When you can automate the right workflows and tasks, there’s no need to relearn the basics. All of your human focus can go into improving creative details. That’s when your higher-level efforts compound for future reference.
2. Make all systems scalable by default
The biggest gains happen when improvement no longer depends on individual brilliance. Brian describes this shift as moving judgment upstream. Decisions get baked into processes, standards, and designs, so fewer problems need to be solved in real time.
Think standardized parts instead of custom components, proven methods reused across projects, or designs refined once and then copied many times.
In The Origins of Efficiency, he referred to some industries that made progress and encoded hard-won lessons into templates, rules, and routines:
Textile manufacturing. Once spinning and weaving were mechanized, knowledge moved out of workers’ hands and into machines, looms, and factory layouts.
Agriculture. So many farming tools, crop rotations, and methods were standardized and improved by leaps and bounds across generations.
Pharmaceutical production. Experts turned lab discoveries into repeatable manufacturing protocols that could scale safely and reliably.
That’s when progress stopped relying on “who’s in the room” alone.
3. Reduce overreliance on human intervention
…Where possible, of course. As Brian is careful to remind us all, not every domain should run on pure mechanistic efficiency. Fixing your car, for example, can’t get cheaper over time.
“You need somebody there,” he says, “who can figure out exactly what’s wrong with it.”
But say you’re in an industry that doesn’t. Scale hits a ceiling when progress depends solely on experts stepping in every time something goes wrong. As he tells the Mindvalley Book Club, systems “can only work at the speed that a person can work.”
In practice? This means identifying which decisions are often repeated and don’t require senior judgment each time. Those choices can be pre-decided, documented, or built into processes.
When fewer moments require a pause for expert input, a project can keep moving. Problems still get solved optimally, and not only in the heat of the moment.
4. Review how you work before embracing new tools
Brian’s rule here is simple: tools only magnify existing structure. If your systems are outdated, technology only speeds up their “tangle.”
“We’ve been very successful at making some tools better,” he says. “But the way the work actually flows hasn’t really changed.”
In the professional world, this can show up when:
Teams adopt new tools without changing how work is organized.
Software adoption is improving, but stakeholders still make important decisions a little too late in the pipeline.
Operational standards stay loose, and responsibilities remain fuzzy.
Sure, at first glance, the process looks modern on the surface with a shiny new tool, yet it behaves the same underneath.
So, before adopting new tech at work in any capacity, Brian suggests always looking upstream first. No matter your role in the project, don’t hesitate to ask:
“Where does my work tend to stall?”
“Why do some decisions arrive too late?”
“Where do teams wait unnecessarily on each other for information?”
Only after you’ve addressed those bottlenecks do tools start adding to your projects in very meaningful and expansive ways.
Fuel your mind
As Brian Potter has shown us, the pace of modern life asks for sharper thinking about how progress actually happens.
What truly moves the needle right now?
Which ancient paradigms still serve humans well?
What are the present and coming drivers of our evolution?
Questions like these sit at the heart of the Mindvalley Book Club. It’s a special “room” that exists to give space to ideas that deepen your understanding of the world around you, one book release at a time.
Follow Kristina Mänd-Lakhiani each week as she brings forward books specially handpicked for their depth and relevance. You’ll hear directly from both new and critically acclaimed minds who are shaping the future of how we think, live, work, and evolve.
News of thought-provoking books that update your worldview,
One-on-one conversations that go beyond surface insights,
Ideas that influence how you think, work, and make decisions,
A global community drawn to curiosity and meaning, and
A steady rhythm of learning that fits into your unique schedule.
This is where ideas stretch beyond the page and land as “eureka” moments in your mind. Consider this an invitation to challenge your thinking and step into your inherent greatness.
If you have ever kept a food diary, you know it can be time-consuming to measure portion sizes, read labels, and so on. Additionally, you’ll want to consider the learning curve of exploring how different foods, exercise, meal times, sleep, stress, and menstrual cycle affect your metabolism—it’s truly an endless process.
People call me disciplined, but what actually changed my life wasn’t discipline—it was building systems that removed temptation, noise, and chaos. In this conversation, I explain why success doesn’t come from adding more routines, habits, or hustle, but from subtracting the things that quietly drain your focus and energy. I share how eliminating distractions, protecting your “magic time,” and setting non-negotiable boundaries allowed me to scale businesses without sacrificing my family or my sanity. You’ll hear practical frameworks for reclaiming hours every week, escaping reactive living, and creating structure that brings peace instead of pressure.
If you want to work less, earn more, and live with clarity instead of constant tension, this episode will challenge how you think about productivity forever.
Let me know what you think of today’s episode! Did you learn something new? Am I missing something? Is there something that has or hasn’t worked for you in your path to success? Send me an IG DM or email and let me know how I can help you level up in life.
Ever felt like you’re stuck in quicksand, watching your career or personal growth slow to a crawl? You’re not alone.
Many of us hit a point where forward momentum feels like a distant dream. We yearn for progress, for that next level, but sometimes we forget the most crucial ingredient: investing in ourselves. It’s not about luck or waiting for opportunities to magically appear; it’s about intentional, consistent self-investment.
Think about it. When you invest in a stock, you expect a return. When you invest in real estate, you anticipate appreciation. The same principle applies to you. Your skills, your network, your personal development—these are your most valuable assets. And just like any other investment, they require nurturing, attention, and a strategic approach to truly flourish.
The most successful individuals aren’t necessarily the smartest or the luckiest. They’re the ones who consistently pour into themselves, understanding that personal growth isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity for sustained success and fulfillment.
So, how do you start making these crucial investments? Let’s break down three powerful ways to invest in yourself that will propel your career and life forward.
Sharpen Your Edge: The Power of Skill Development
We’re always learning, but there’s a big difference between accidental learning and intentional skill development. At Asian Efficiency, one of our core values is something we call “Glow Green.” Every week, our team shares what books they’re reading, what courses they’re taking, and the insights they’ve gained. The more you develop your skills, the more productive and valuable you become. This isn’t just abstract theory—it creates a ripple effect that frees up your time, energy, and attention across your entire life.
If you’re vying for a promotion or a new opportunity, who naturally has the edge? The person with more skills, all else being equal. I recall a digital marketing conference I attended years ago when I was just dipping my toes into that world. It was like fireworks going off in my mind. The return on investment from that focused learning session was off the charts.
You can choose to go wide—acquiring new, complementary skills—or go deep by perfecting what you already do, pushing yourself into the top 10%. Combining two top-tier skills can make you a true unicorn. For example, consider bodybuilders on YouTube: being in amazing shape is one thing, but add video editing and on-camera charisma, and you’re uniquely positioned to reach millions.
At Asian Efficiency, I combined my deep study of productivity with learning to write, and that’s really how our brand was born. Even being a generalist, like many on our team, can be a huge asset because it means you can step in and help out wherever needed. Whether it’s learning something new or refining an old skill, intentional development is a game-changer.
Expand Your Reach: Cultivating a Powerful Network
I once read a book called “30 Lessons for Living,” and one key takeaway was that our happiness largely comes from our relationships. I realized I had many shallow connections; knowing someone’s name and job isn’t enough. I started hosting dinner parties and events to cultivate deeper, more meaningful relationships. What began as a way to feel more fulfilled quickly turned into countless opportunities—from job offers to exclusive investment deals, all coming because of a robust network.
Networking isn’t about collecting business cards; it’s about building bilateral relationships based on trust. Whether you’re active on LinkedIn, hosting a monthly brunch, or attending industry meetups, investing time in your network pays dividends. Brooks also points out the value of internal networking at work. Even in small companies, connecting with colleagues outside your immediate team can open unexpected doors. As one example, when Brooks’ wife was laid off, her strong internal network quickly brought opportunities her way.
Accelerate Your Growth
If you want to fast-track your success, consider getting a coach. Most of us know what we need to do, but following through can be challenging due to distractions and lack of accountability. Look back at my own struggles with working out—I do just the bare minimum when left on my own. But having a personal trainer changes everything, because they hold you accountable and guide you through each step without letting you overthink it.
Years ago, when Asian Efficiency was starting out, I worked with a copywriting coach named Katie. Instead of spending endless hours digesting books on writing, her immediate, tailored feedback accelerated my progress significantly. That’s the magic of one-on-one coaching—it provides personalized guidance, helps you pinpoint your blind spots, and ensures you follow through on your goals. Even icons like LeBron James have coaches because no one is immune to their own blind spots.
At Asian Efficiency, we now offer 25X Productivity Coaching. This program gives you personalized coaching with me to walk you through our 25X Productivity System, tailored specifically to your needs. I personally review each application to ensure I can truly help you overcome your hurdles and achieve your ambitious goals.
Many people grew up believing intelligence is something you’re born with. Either you’re the next Einstein or Rick Rubin… or you’re not. If you don’t fit the mold of the “great” and “naturally gifted,” you must not really get how things work.
Well… that’s a lie. A lie we keep telling ourselves, over and over. Because somewhere along the way, we’ve let it quietly shape our ambition and determine who’s worthy of success and who should stay on the sidelines.
Thankfully, the triarchic theory of intelligence challenges this premise. And it helps prove that IQ test scores alone can’t determine smartness.
Who developed the triarchic theory of intelligence, and why?
This riveting theory exists all thanks to psychologist and psychometrician Robert J. Sternberg. Throughout his career, he was fascinated by how people think, learn, and solve problems in real life, far beyond classroom performance.
He knew this… because he experienced life outside the box firsthand. In his book, Successful Intelligence (1997), Robert shared how he struggled with severe test anxiety in his early academic life.
That curiosity? It led him to question traditional intelligence tests at the time, which were the status quo in his field. Built by earlier researchers, those measures tended to favor speed, memorization, and narrow forms of reasoning.
Now, insightful as these IQ tests were, they also left much of human capability invisible. To Robert, people seemed to exercise the might of their minds in many other forms in real-world situations beyond what those tests could measure.
“Intelligence means a somewhat different thing to each individual,” he writes in “The Theory of Successful Intelligence,” a study he published in the Interamerican Journal of Psychology, years after creating the triarchic theory of intelligence.
“The individual who wishes to become a Supreme Court judge,” he continued, “will be taking a different path from the individual who wishes to become a distinguished novelist—but both will have formulated a set of coherent goals toward which to work.”
What is Stenberg’s triarchic theory of intelligence?
In Sternberg’s view, intelligence is dynamic and situational, shaped by how you respond to real-life problems. And it wears three “faces”:
Analytical intelligence: The problem-solving, logic, and reasoning skills that help you break down complex ideas and make calculated decisions. They show up whenever you compare job offers, spot flaws in an argument, or map out a step-by-step plan.
Creative intelligence: Your ability to generate fresh ideas and approach challenges in innovative ways. Like the last time you hit a mental block in a project, and you borrowed an idea or tool from another team in another field.
Practical intelligence: It’s the street smarts that help you adapt and navigate everyday situations—office dynamics, salary negotiations, on-the-fly adjustments around crises—so the life outcomes you want eventually materialize.
The problem with older intelligence theories is that they often don’t account for this range. Reflecting on this gap in the same 2005 study, Robert writes, “Our societies can create closed systems that advantage only certain types of children and that disadvantage other types.”
Those excelling in memory and analytical abilities could “do well”; those who thrive in other abilities would “fail.” As a result, the latter group, he says, “may end up doing poorly on the tests and find the doors shut.”
But once you understand how intelligence truly works, it’s easier to move away from self-limiting labels towards the right paths of actual self-development.
This view aligns with many modern thinkers in the education space, including brain coach Jim Kwik, who’s helped everyone from Forbes 500 entrepreneurs to Hollywood A-listers. What he’s seen in his career proves that intelligence is not fixed.
Which is why, in his Mindvalley program, Superbrain, he says, “You could do so much more than you realize that you’re capable of.”
Steinberg’s triarchic theory of intelligence vs. other theories
Score high on a test? Wow, you’re labeled a genius. But hit low, and you were deemed average… or worse.
This was how things were done to measure intelligence, well before Sternberg and other modern researchers entered the scene with their unique theories of intelligence.
And here’s where the differences between these intelligence theories start to matter: Some would focus on what can be measured quickly on paper, while others look at how people learn, create, and function in real life.
Each has its own merit and place. Here’s how Sternberg’s triarchic theory of intelligence stacks up against other major views on intelligence.
Theory
Developer
Core idea
Sternberg’s take
Spearman’s general intelligence (g-factor)
Charles Spearman (1904)
1. One general ability Intelligence can be measured as a single factor 2. Strength in one cognitive area predicts strength in others
1. Too narrow for real life Logical problem-solving matters 2. Success also depends on creativity and adaptability 3. IQ tests tend to miss how intelligence shows up outside exams
Multiple intelligences
Howard Gardner (1983)
1. There are different ways of being smart 2. There are eight forms of intelligence: musical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalistic, logical-mathematical, and linguistic
1. Talents aren’t intelligence 2. Skills reflect what you can do 3. Intelligence is the capacity that shapes how you think, create, and apply these skills, and refine your talents with them
The grit theory
Angela Duckworth (2007)
1. Persistence drives success 2. Passion and perseverance, not just raw intelligence, are the biggest predictors of success 3. Those who keep going, despite setbacks, go the furthest
1. Effort always needs direction 2. Hard work is fruitful when paired with sound judgment 3. Intelligence guides you when to adapt, shift strategy, and make smarter moves
So, who got it right?
Well, they all did… in different ways.
Charles Spearman was among the first to propose that intelligence is a unified construct worthy of observation and scientific inquiry. He believed intelligence could be measured as a single general ability, often referred to as g. Even if we now know that intelligence is far more flexible than his model allowed, his work opened the door for the conversation to exist at all.
Decades later, Harvard developmental psychologist Howard Gardner expanded that conversation. In his book, Frames of Mind (1983), he actively challenged the idea that being “smart” could be reduced to one score. His broader, more human view of capability widened the lens enough for Sternberg to come in and rethink how people actually use it.
Years down the line, Angela Duckworth added another piece to the puzzle with her take on grit. As a psychologist and professor at the University of Pennsylvania, she discovered that persistence and long-term effort play a major role in success, even when raw ability levels differ.
Together, these ideas shaped a more complete picture of intelligence, one that values how people think, adapt, and keep going when challenges show up.
The intelligence revolution: Why it matters today
Focus on only one type of intelligence, and you leave serious, multi-faceted potential on the table. In today’s world, that’s a risk you can’t afford to take.
Ergo, the old idea of mastering one skill and climbing a single ladder is fading. What replaces it rewards people who stay ahead by combining technical know-how with imagination, judgment, and social awareness.
Like Steven Bartlett. At Mindvalley’s Future Human event, the British-Nigerian entrepreneur and host of The Diary of A CEO podcast attributed his multi-million-dollar career to skill-stacking different abilities in business development, storytelling, and social media marketing. “I had to remain anchored to the fact that I’m nothing,” he shared, “and I can be everything.”
His career reflects the core truth of Sternberg’s model: you can succeed not just by knowing things, but by thinking, creating, and applying knowledge at the highest level.
Your memory is not fixed. Your ability to focus is not fixed. Your intelligence is not fixed.
†— Jim Kwik, trainer of Mindvalley’s Superbrain program
Analytical intelligence: The power of logic and reasoning
People with analytical intelligence tend to pick problems apart, piece by piece, until the pattern clicks. This kind of thinking shows up when they’re troubleshooting a system, weighing trade-offs, or mapping out a strategy that survives endless scrutiny.
In history, these folks have been…
Albert Einstein. This “mad scientist” rewrote the laws of physics with his theory of relativity, proving that space and time weren’t fixed concepts but could bend and stretch.
Stephen Hawking. He used pure logic to decode the mysteries of black holes, crafting some of the most influential scientific theories without ever writing on a chalkboard himself.
Ada Lovelace. As the first-ever programmer, she envisioned the first computer algorithm in the 1800s, predicting the power of programming long before the modern digital age.
Marie Curie. She’s the two-time Nobel Prize winner who pioneered research on radioactivity, proving that scientific breakthroughs happen when logic meets relentless curiosity.
Alan Turing. The cryptography genius who cracked the Nazi Enigma code, shortening World War II and laying the foundation for modern computing.
What these figures achieved was undeniably monumental and historical. But before you beat yourself up for not operating on that scale, it’s worth remembering that they’re statistical outliers, each working in a narrow field where analytical intelligence was the primary currency.
How to strengthen analytical intelligence (without getting stuck in theory mode)
So, if you’re the analytical type and you want to further sharpen your inner strategist, here’s what you can do:
Question everything. Don’t take things at face value. Always analyze motives, dig into data, and look for bias.
Play strategy games. Chess, poker, and puzzle-solving video games help you master the art of staying multiple steps ahead.
Debate and defend your ideas. Engage in deep discussions where you’re forced to back up your thoughts. It’s the best way to sharpen your gift of the gab, especially in times when you need to reason on the go.
Solve real-world problems. Theory is nice, but real intelligence comes from applying what you know. Find ways to use logic in everyday decision-making.
Being analytical means more than just absorbing information. It’s ultimately about knowing when to question, when to strategize, and when to act.
Creative intelligence: Thinking outside of the box
Creative intelligence is what separates the innovators from the imitators. Yet it’s also the most undervalued form of intelligence in traditional education.
Schools don’t test for it, and society doesn’t always recognize it… until someone disrupts an industry, builds a game-changing brand, or launches an idea the world didn’t know it needed.
Below are examples of leaders who have mastered it and, as such, rewritten the rules of the world through their legacies:
Vishen. The ex-Silicon Valley engineer who disrupted traditional education with Mindvalley, merging tech, neuroscience, and personal growth into a revolutionary learning platform.
Steven Bartlett. The former college dropout turned his popular podcast into a global podcast empire, proving that creativity thrives when you combine skills and leverage varying avenues for potential.
Sophia Amoruso. This serial entrepreneur built Nasty Gal, Girlboss, and Business Class from the ground up, using sharp storytelling and “street-smart” business instincts. As a result, she redefined entrepreneurship for a new generation.
Vitalik Buterin. The mastermind behind Ethereum reimagined what blockchain could do beyond Bitcoin, sparking a decentralized revolution in finance, art, and digital ownership.
Beyoncé. She reinvented the music industry by controlling her narrative, dropping surprise albums, and merging artistry with business. The results? New creative and financial standards for those following in her footsteps.
As their stories illustrate, creative intelligence comes from combining skills, spotting patterns early, and choosing to build something new instead of following what already exists.
And fortunately, it’s a skill you, too, can sharpen like a knife.
How to strengthen creative intelligence
The best innovators train their brains to see patterns, challenge norms, and create solutions where others see roadblocks. In other words? They always adopt the beginner’s mindset, most naturally seen in the youngest in society.
“Children can learn a language; they can learn musical instruments,” Jim points out. “And they can learn it fast.”
Take his words as a sign to reconnect with your inner child and rev up your creative streak by:
Exposing yourself to more ideas. Creativity thrives on variety. Read those “weird” books, watch thought-provoking podcasts and documentaries, and research the best use cases in different industries.
Asking better questions. Instead of accepting things as they are, challenge them. How could this be done differently? What’s missing?
Experimenting constantly. Try new skills, test ideas, and put things into action. Creativity happens when you stop overthinking and start doing.
Surrounding yourself with fellow bold thinkers. Being around creative minds pushes you to think bigger and take smarter risks.
When in doubt, remember that creativity is ultimately what you discover, well beyond the confines of what’s known to society in various forms of “school,” from actual classrooms to conferences.
Like Jim reminds us all, “Don’t let school get in the way of your education.”
Practical intelligence: street smarts and adaptability
While analytical intelligence helps you think things through and creative intelligence fuels new ideas, practical intelligence determines whether those ideas actually work in the real world.
It shows up in business, leadership, and, basically, daily decision-making. You can see its impact through the lives of leaders who’ve mastered it for their success:
Oprah Winfrey. Built a media empire by understanding people, sensing cultural moments early, and connecting with audiences in ways that felt personal and timely.
Serena Williams. A master at adapting mid-match, reading opponents in real-time, and turning setbacks into wins—both on and off the court.
Richard Branson. A business maverick who built Virgin Group and other ventures from scratch by making bold moves, taking risks, and trusting his instincts.
Kobe Bryant. Relentlessly studied opponents, adjusted his game on the fly, and used his deep understanding of psychology to outmaneuver the competition.
Sheryl Sandberg. Helped Facebook scale globally, navigating complex business landscapes and making strategic decisions that kept the company ahead of the curve.
Forget luck or raw talent. The common ground they all share is that they have trained judgment. They knew the environment they were in and read social cues around them. On top of that, they could make decisions based on what was actually happening instead of what should have been.
And this multi-tiered ability to adapt in motion? It’s the engine of practical intelligence.
How to cultivate practical intelligence
With all this talk about being instinct-driven, it’s easy to believe practical intelligence is something you either have or don’t.
But reality check: it’s a skill that’s trained over time.
Here’s how you develop it:
Make more decisions, faster. Don’t wait for the perfect setup. Learn to assess risks quickly and make the best choice with the information you have.
Learn to read the room. Whether in negotiations, meetings, or networking, pay attention to people’s motives, reactions, and energy.
Expose yourself to real-world challenges. Start a side hustle, handle tough conversations, or take on responsibilities that push you outside your comfort zone.
Study high-level decision-makers. Observe how top entrepreneurs, athletes, and leaders make critical moves under pressure.
Get comfortable with uncertainty. The real world doesn’t come with a manual. Learn to trust your ability to adapt and figure things out as you go.
At the end of the day, practical intelligence is about making moves, not just making plans. The more you act, the sharper you get.
The science behind intelligence: What research says
Your brain isn’t a static storage box for facts; it can change itself based on how you think and learn, a process known as neuroplasticity. Every time you pick up or practice a new skill or solve a problem, your brain forms fresh neural connections.
According to a study published in Brain Research,this process is continuous. Neuroplasticity isn’t something that switches on only during childhood. It’s active throughout your life, responding moment by moment to how you use your mind.
That’s why intelligence isn’t set in stone. As Jim puts it, “Your memory is not fixed. Your ability to focus is not fixed. Your intelligence is not fixed.”
And this adaptability is at the heart of the triarchic theory of intelligence.
When the triarchic model was tested in real classrooms, the results were telling. Research published by the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented shows that students who learned through all three types of intelligence Sternberg outlined achieved more goals. Not only that, but they also understood concepts more deeply and were able to think on their feet in unfamiliar situations.
This way of thinking about intelligence sure doesn’t stop at classrooms, cultures, or even country borders. When Sternberg and his colleagues studied the Yup’ik people of Alaska in the early 2000s, that became obvious fast.
So it’s clear: stretch your mind in real-world situations, and it learns the terrain. You read situations more quickly, connect ideas more swiftly, and move with greater confidence…
…No matter who you are or your origin story.
7 pro tips on how to develop each type of intelligence
The key to sharpening your intelligence the Sternberg way is to learn better, not more. It’s changing how you learn, so what you pick up actually shows up when life asks for it.
Now, here’s where Jim’s Superbrain techniques work best. They rewire how you think, so every piece of information you absorb is retrievable upon command, later.
So, open the Kwik playbook on how to learn faster and expand your smartness:
1. The F.A.S.T. method
See, all three types of intelligence come down to how well you process what you learn and how easily you can use it when life calls for it.
Timing, context, application… they all matter.
All of which Jim’s F.A.S.T. method supports. It’s built to help your brain take in information in a way that feels natural and usable. The goal is clear thinking, quick recall, and ideas that surface when you need them, not later.
Behold, a breakdown of what the acronym in the technique stands for:
F is for “forget.” Let go of what you think you know about anything. Intelligence grows when you’re open to new perspectives. So, be quick to drop assumptions and let curiosity drive your learning.
A is for “active.” As in active learning. Because the thing is, passive learning is useless. Engage with what you’re learning, whether by questioning it, debating it, or applying it immediately.
S is for “state.” “All learning is state-dependent. If emotion is zero, anything times zero is zero,” explains Jim. You guessed it—the right “mood” and state of mind can supercharge your ability to think, create, and execute by leaps and bounds.
T is for “teach.” Teaching the knowledge you know to others locks it in, making it easier to recall and apply in real life. As Jim describes, “When I teach something, I get to learn it twice.” And a bonus if you can explain an idea in your own words.
When you accelerate your thinking, problem-solving, and executing skills, you stop waiting for opportunities… and start making them.
2. The M.O.M. technique
The fact of the matter is, you can’t apply what you don’t remember. But with Jim’s M.O.M. technique—which stands for “motivation,” “observation,” and “mechanics”—you can. It’s designed to encode knowledge into your long-term intelligence bank.
Game-changing, right?
Let’s check it out:
Motivation. Intelligence without motivation is useless. Why do you want to learn something? Dig deeper, then tie it to a real-life goal. This way, your brain will work harder to retain and apply information.
Observation. Finding it hard to remember facts? “You don’t have a memory problem. You have a focus problem,” reminds Jim. But you can break the brain fog by paying full attention to the world around you. It’s the surefire way to develop and accelerate practical and creative intelligence.
Mechanics. There are proven ways to learn and think faster, like creative visualization, association, and storytelling. Hack your brainpower with them, and watch yourself process complex ideas more effortlessly.
It helps to remember that the brain is nature’s best supercomputer. “If you tell yourself you’re not good at remembering names,” Jim points out, “you will not remember the name of the next person you meet because you programmed your supercomputer not to.”
And the opposite is true. Keep telling yourself your memory’s excellent, and you’ll eventually witness your knowledge bank expanding like never before.
Marine Gouffron, a travel agent based in Lausanne, learned this firsthand. Before discovering Jim’s method, it was a struggle to remember new information. But after applying it to her life, she’s improved her people-facing career by leaps and bounds. She shares with Mindvalley, “I can now learn all the subjects and languages I always wanted to learn.”
3. Radical note-taking
Want to think faster and connect ideas effortlessly? Then stop mindlessly copying information and learn how to take notes like a champ with Jim’s Capture and Create method. It optimizes note-taking to support your mastery of Sternberg’s three intelligence types.
Here’s how it works:
Capture. On the left side of your notebook, jot down key concepts, facts, and insights. This is the raw data—the “what.”
Create. On the right side, make it personal. Write your takeaways, questions, and ideas on how you can use this knowledge in real life. Here, you take stock of the “why” and “how.”
Most people write notes like they’re transcribing a lecture. Don’t.
If you’re just copying word-for-word, you’re not actually thinking. The brain thrives on forming new neural connections, not just storing information, which proper note-taking supports.
And the moment you start treating note-taking as an active process, you’re no longer a student. What you are is an innovator in training.
4. Spaced repetition
One-time learning is easily forgettable. Now, real intelligence sticks when you revisit and apply what you’ve learned at the right moments. It’s a technique Jim calls spaced repetition.
In simple terms? Repetition + timing = mastery.
A review timeline that works on an “every other day” momentum helps you “really consolidate information from your short- to long-term memory so it becomes part of you,” says Jim. This way, instead of passively cramming facts (à la rote learning), you’re reinforcing new neural connections, making it easier to retain ideas.
And here’s where it ties back to the triarchic theory of intelligence:
Analytical intelligence. Revisiting problem-solving methods in spaced intervals helps them become instinctual for complex issues.
Creative intelligence. Space out creative skill-building—whether it’s writing, designing, or brainstorming—so your ideas flow effortlessly over time.
Practical intelligence. Rehearse real-world decision-making scenarios so your brain sharpens its ability to think on the spot.
Think back to when you’re watching your favorite show. The first time, you get the gist. The second time, you catch subtle details. By the third time? You can quote entire scenes without thinking.
See, that’s how radical intelligence development works. The more strategically you revisit and apply knowledge, the faster your brain retrieves it when it matters most.
5. Emotional regulation
Your emotional state plays a bigger role in intelligence than you might think.
“If you’re bored, your brain won’t retain the information,” says Jim. The same can happen with stress, endless digital distractions, or unending negative self-talk.
You can counter that by keeping your brain in the optimal state for learning and decision-making. And this starts with:
Breathing into your “genius.”Mindful breathing techniques, like the 4-7-8 method or the SOMA Breath® technique, can shift your brain into a more focused, relaxed mode.
Declutter the space where you learn and work. Too much visual “noise” can overwhelm the brain, making it harder to think clearly and stay present.
Journaling every day. Writing down thoughts helps process emotions, declutter the mind, and enhance problem-solving skills.
When you master your emotions, you stop second-guessing yourself and start making sharper, more strategic decisions… just like a true triarchic thinker.
6. A conducive environment
Jim often talks about curating a brain-friendly environment to optimize learning. That means:
A tribe that expands, not shrinks, your mind. Surround yourself with people who challenge and inspire you to grow and scale, not devolve.
A workspace that fuels clarity and creativity. Design your environment to minimize distractions and maximize focus. Think clean space, good lighting, and tools that keep your brain engaged.
A content diet that fuels your thinking. What you read, watch, and listen to shapes your thinking. Choose books, podcasts, and conversations that expand your perspective and sharpen your intelligence.
Ultimately, developing intelligence doesn’t stop at what you learn. Who and what influences your thinking on a daily basis matter just as much, if not more.
“The community,” she shares, “was friendly and helpful.” From there, her learning journey kept building momentum, supported in the right environment of like-minded learners who were expanding their minds alongside her.
7. A beginner’s mindset
Curiosity is a lifelong cheat code for expanding intelligence. It’s why children are the best students ever. “[They] can learn a language. They can learn musical instruments. And they can learn it fast,” explains Jim in his program.
And no—it’s not because their brains are “young” and “new.” It’s simply that they’ve not been conditioned to doubt themselves as they learn new information on the go.
So, what if expanding your intelligence, the triarchic way, is to embody the same unbridled curiosity you once had as a child? Well, only one way to know… and it’s through embracing the beginner’s mode and learning with the best resources on the topic.
Programs
Books
Limitless by Jim Kwik. A guide to unlocking your brain’s full potential, helping you learn faster, think smarter, and upgrade your intelligence at any stage of life.
Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein. This book argues that generalists outperform niche-focused professionals in an unpredictable world.
The Code of the Extraordinary Mind by Vishen Lakhiani. A playbook for questioning outdated beliefs, which Vishen calls “brules” (or bullsh*t rules), and designing a smarter, more limitless life.
Think Like a Rocket Scientist by Ozan Varol. Think in first principles, embrace uncertainty, and challenge assumptions to make smarter decisions and breakthrough innovations.
The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman. Learn the most valuable lessons from top MBA programs and apply them in real-world scenarios to set you up for success outside of the box. No six-figure business degrees are needed.
Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke. A masterclass in decision-making, risk assessment, and using uncertainty to your advantage, led by a former professional poker player.
Podcasts
The Mindvalley Podcast with Vishen. Expect mind-expanding conversations on spirituality, wellness, neuroscience, and the evolution of intelligence with world-class experts from diverse industries.
The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett. Think of this podcast as the blueprint for thinking creatively, making smarter moves, and expanding your intelligence in ways no textbook ever could help you with. Yep, you’re looking at insights from the world’s top thinkers, entrepreneurs, and disruptors.
The Mel Robbins Podcast with Mel Robbins. Mel Robbins doesn’t do fluff. And her podcast is a straight-talking, science-backed deep dive into the psychology of success, habit formation, and overcoming mental roadblocks.
The Genius Mind with Max Lugavere. It’s a platform where Max investigates science-backed insights in nutrition, movement, and lifestyle and how they impact cognitive function and overall intelligence.
No Stupid Questions with Angela Duckworth and Stephen Dubner. If you’ve ever questioned how intelligence really works, this podcast is your playground. Bestselling author and grit expert Angela joins Freakonomics’ Stephen Dubner in exploring the quirks of human behavior, learning, and problem-solving.
Women at Work by Harvard Business Review. Dive into the unfiltered truths about female leadership and decision-making in the pursuit of high-performance careers and the pressure women face to balance it all.
The Knowledge Project by Shane Parrish. In this podcast, the former intelligence officer turned Farnam Street founder breaks down mental models that help you make sharper decisions, cut through the noise, and see the world like a strategist.
Awaken your unstoppable
“The two most powerful words in the world are ‘I am.’ Whatever you put after them shapes your reality,” says Jim. In other words? What you tell yourself matters.
If you believe you’re fast at learning, great at remembering names, or that you are a creative person, your brain will register it. And since intelligence is fluid and flexible, you can build, refine, and expand it at any time.
Ready to fire up your brainpower to keep up with the rapidly shifting world? Then Jim’s free Superbrain masterclass is the right starting point for you.
This prelude to his actual Mindvalley program breaks down the science of:
Learning faster,
Remembering more, and
Unlocking your full cognitive potential.
You’ll walk away with practical takeaways to supercharge your learning speed, memory, and cognitive performance…just like the actors, CEOs, Olympians, and NASA scientists he has trained.
And the impact is real. For Milica Lazovic, an opera singer in Italy, it changed everything.
“Before this program, I had a morning routine, but it wasn’t consistent,” she explains. “I struggled to focus and follow through with learning.” But after applying the Superbrain techniques? “My memory improved, my habits became structured, and I finally understood why these practices mattered.”
Like Milica, you, too, will see that your brain has always been your greatest ally. The more you train it, the more it gives back.
So, master your mind with Jim at Mindvalley, and see everything else fall into place.
Coming Soon: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Transcript | Youtube
While most financial advice focuses on how to get rich, Morgan explains why the skills needed to stay rich are completely different. You will learn why “boring” investing beats complex strategies, how to avoid the social traps that destroy wealth, and the specific equation for finding contentment.
Morgan Housel is a partner at Collaborative Fund and the bestselling author of The Psychology of Money.
We’re all about honoring your cravings. If indulging in something sweet or salty truly serves your soul at that moment, you shouldn’t feel like you have to hold back. (In fact, being too restrictive with your diet has the ability to backfire.) However, it is possible to satisfy a craving without going overboard on sugar, artificial sweeteners, etc. Simply find a healthier alternative that delivers the same rich, high-quality taste you adore.
No, the title is not a mistake, it’s a reality. You can literally insert any app name there and it will still hold true. I know, I know, not quite ALL apps are replaceable by Claude Cowork, but still, a very sizable majority.
What Is Claude Cowork?
Think Claude Code, but for everyday tasks. If you are a coder (or a vibe coder), you already know what Claude Code is: the de facto AI tool for writing software, and it’s a damn good one. I’ve been using it for a few months already, as a developer (and not only) and I’m very pleased with it. It really makes my tedious tasks a thing of the past, and I can focus on high level architecture, bug fixing or adding features.
Now, Claude Cowork does the same, only not for the code. I know it’s a bit difficult to wrap your head around this.
So I’ll give you a few examples:
you can organize some files on your computer
you can ask Cowork to send messages (emails) for you
you can create files
you can crunch data from existing files and generate charts and diagrams
Claude Cowork is in research preview at the moment of writing, only available to Max users – but I honestly think this product was launched with market fit already.
The New UI Is Natural Language
I’ve been using an app called CleanMyMac for many years. It essentially scans my hard drive every once in a while and helps me get rid of the clutter. Identify huge files, leftovers, duplicates, and delete them.
I think you already know where I’m heading. Here’s a prompt I just used with Claude Cowork:
evaluate my Desktop folder and suggest improvements of the file organization. Some of them I still need, but it’s difficult to find them. The first thing that comes to my mind is organizing everything by year folders (maybe months inside year folders too?), but also some thematic structuring will be useful. Just give me your feedback, don’t do anything yet
It took Cowork about 5-6 minutes to:
identify duplicates and delete them
understand the type of file and its content (not only size or date, which CleanMyMac also does)
create a semantically correct folder structure: Boarding Passes, Projects, Data Exports, etc
move all the files around and show me the new structure
I find this impressive. And I think this hints at a completely new way (I was about to use the word “paradigm”, but let’s stick to “way” for now) in which we are using computers.
Before, we had visual interfaces with fixed layouts and actionable surfaces – buttons, checkboxes, menus. We were the ones initiating a workflow through these actionable surfaces, to generate some outcome.
Now, we instruct someone else about the outcome and things get done. That’s it.
But it goes even further. It can accomplish complex flows, involving several tools, for which there is no app yet. Read that again.
Here’s another prompt:
I want you to look in the Desktop folder and find me appTaskManager screenshots for Assess, Decide, Do and search functionality. I also want to use these screenshots to create a hero image 1256×640, with Assess, Decide, Do screens showing up the ADD framework.
Claude Cowork identified the screenshots, created the hero image with all the required constraints, here’s a part of its output:
The hero image is 1256×640 pixels and displays all three ADD framework screens (Assess, Decide, Do) side by side with color-coded labels matching your app’s theme (red for Assess, orange for Decide, green for Do).
I followed up with this prompt:
convert the hero image to .webp, make a folder called app_assets and move there the generated hero image, the containing iPhone screens as separate files, also .webp. and the hero search image, as separated .webp file
It did this in a few seconds. I estimate this workflow would have taken me maybe 10-15 minutes, on a good day. Cowork did it in less than a minute.
Endless Effectiveness
I think AI tools, and especially Claude Cowork – which seems to have found its market fit from day one – are becoming extremely effective now. I didn’t use the words “good at what they do”, because that’s not the point. They are very, very effective tools.
Imagine now that instead of prompting, we can chain a couple of other AI tools, like real time voice transcription and text-to-voice transform. That means we can actually talk to the machine. No more apps, no more UIs. Just endless effectiveness.
Pitfalls? Yes, Quite A Lot
While I find Claude Cowork extremely impressive, I think there are also some serious downsides. Some behavioral, some purely economical.
From an economical point of view, an entire app ecosystem will crumble. Maybe not today, maybe not next week, but we will see this unfolding before our eyes in less than 6 months. Apps will fold. Companies will close. Developers will switch jobs.
At the behavioral level, I already touched on this in a couple of posts here. If AI brings instant gratification, a.k.a. getting what we want instantly, then patience will become obsolete. If the friction involved in learning something new is gone, then we will literally become more stupid.
And last, but not least, if content production will become that easy, a lot of people will jump to the low hanging fruit of letting AI do everything, flooding the market with cheap, bad, but instantly available content. Because of this, I strongly believe bio content, or content generated by humans, will become a delicacy, carrying a significant premium.
Like this article, for instance. Not a word here was written with AI, yet I’m sharing my personal, live experience of using AI – which, in this current context, is like selling shovels instead of digging for gold.
Time is the book we fill with the story of our lives. All great storytelling has the shape of music. All music is a shelter in time. In these lives hounded by restlessness, trembling with urgency, we need this shelter, need a place still enough and quiet enough to hear the story of our becoming, the song of life evolution encoded in our cells: “Life is exquisitely a time-thing, like music,” wrote the pioneering marine biologist Ernest Everett Just as he was revolutionizing our understanding of what makes life alive.
Rebecca West (December 21, 1892–March 15, 1983) offers an uncommonly insightful meditation on how music can help us befriend the fundamental dimension of our lives in her 1941 masterwork Black Lamb and Grey Falcon (public library), which I hold to be one of the past century’s great works of philosophy — her lyrical reckoning with art and survival lensed through three visits to Yugoslavia between the world wars, exploring what makes us and keeps us human.
West recounts a painful moment of political tension at a restaurant table, suddenly interrupted by a Mozart symphony flooding in from the radio box, making “an argument too subtle and profound to be put into words” — an argument for the breadth of time, for how it can hold and heal our longings and losses. With the touching humility of acknowledging the limitations of one’s gift and craft, she writes:
Music can deal with more than literature… Art covers not even a corner of life, only a knot or two here and there, far apart and without relation to the pattern. How could we hope that it would ever bring order and beauty to the whole of that vast and intractable fabric, that sail flapping in the contrary winds of the universe? Yet the music had promised us, as it welled forth from the magic box in the wall over our heads, that all should yet be well with us, that sometime our life should be as lovely as itself.
The greatest music offers something even greater than itself — an amelioration of the most subterranean struggle of human life: our anxiety about time. West writes:
The major works of Mozart… never rush, they are never headlong or helter-skelter, they splash no mud, they raise no dust… It is, indeed, inadequate to call the means of creating such an effect a mere technical device. For it changes the content of the work in which it is used, it presents a vision of the world where man is no longer the harassed victim of time but accepts its discipline and establishes a harmony with it. This is not a little thing, for our struggle with time is one of the most distressing of our fundamental conflicts, it holds us back from the achievement and comprehension that should be the justification of our life.
One morning, West follows a waterfall up the river to its source across “a broad and handsome valley,” toward a lake that splits into two streams linked by a dilapidated village nestled in flowering trees. There, she encounters music wholly different from Mozart’s yet just as elemental, just as much a benediction of time in its syncopation of urgency and silence:
From the latticed upper story of one of the houses that were rotting among their lilacs there sounded a woman’s voice, a deep voice that was not the less wise because it was permeated with the knowledge of pleasure, singing a Bosnian song, full of weariness at some beautiful thing not thoroughly achieved… Later, standing on a bridge, watching water clear as air comb straight the green weeds on the piers, we heard another such voice… urgent in its desire to bring out beauty from the throat, urgent to state a problem in music. Both these women made exquisite, exciting use of a certain feature peculiar to these Balkan songs. Between each musical sentence there is a long, long pause. It is as if the speaker put her point, and then the universe confronted her with its silence, with the reality she wants to alter by proving her point. Are you quite sure, it asks, that you are right?
That may be what we can learn from music, what it means to have a harmonious relationship with time — training the mind to be unhurried, to halt the rush of certainty just enough to remain curious, to press an ear to the silence of the universe and listen for the clear sound of who and what we are.
I’m celebrating my birthday with a small group of close friends. And for my birthday experience, I took them to see a flamenco show.
Not the flashy, tourist kind.
The real thing.
Low light. Raw guitar. A small room where you can see every line on the dancers’ faces.
And that’s what struck me first.
Their faces.
They weren’t just performing steps. They were telling stories—of heartbreak, resilience, pride, longing.
You could see entire lifetimes etched into their expressions.
These were people who had lived.
And something inside me paused.
I caught myself thinking:
Their lives must be fascinating. What would it be like to live a life like that?
Then a playful thought followed.
If I wanted to understand that life… Why wouldn’t I just learn flamenco?
Not casually. Not “once a week after work” learning.
Flamenco in London, squeezed between meetings and emails, would be like learning to surf in a bathtub.
So I asked a different question.
What if I did it properly?
What if I moved to southern Spain for a week? Took daily flamenco classes. Immersed myself in the culture. Late dinners. Struggled through Spanish. . Lived—briefly—a different life.
And that’s when something clicked.
I realized I’ve started thinking about life differently.
Over the last few years, AI and leverage have quietly changed everything for me.
What used to take 50 hours now takes one. Teams of 20 have become teams of two or three.
As a result, I’m building multiple new companies alongside Mindvalley with tiny teams, massive leverage, and far more freedom than I ever imagined possible.
But here’s the unexpected side effect of optimization:
It gave me time.
And time, I’m realizing, isn’t meant to be endlessly reinvested into more work.
It’s meant to be lived.
So I decided to test a radical idea.
I’ve committed to taking one full week off every month to deeply immerse myself in a different life—learning something new in the place where it truly belongs.
Some examples of what’s coming:
I’m considering spending a week living with monks in a Greek Orthodox monastery near Thessaloniki. No phone. No electronics. Waking at 5 a.m.
Working the land. Eating simple meals. Praying. Meditating. Napping in the afternoon. Cooking together. Sleeping as the sun sets.
Silence. Simplicity. Presence.
I briefly thought about moving to Paris to learn bartending… and then realized that probably wasn’t the direction my nervous system or my liver wanted to go.
So instead, I’ll spend a week in Paris learning French cooking, the way it was meant to be learned.
Each immersion follows two simple rules:
Rule #1: Meet locals. Not wealthy. Not influential. Not “network-worthy.” Just locals. The baker. The bartender. The monk. Ordinary people living ordinary lives—because their stories are often the most eye-opening.
Rule #2: Learn the skill where it was born. Flamenco in Spain. French cuisine in Paris. Orthodoxy in Greece. No shortcuts. No simulations.
This curiosity isn’t just intellectual; it’s physical too.
As much as I love my current training, I’m now exploring entirely new relationships with my body. Pilates. Yoga. Aikido. Ways of moving I would never have touched before.
My goal is simple and slightly absurd:
I want to be in better shape at 60 than I was at 21, when I was 19 and representing Malaysia in the U.S. Open for Taekwondo.
And then there’s the biggest shift of all, now that I’m turning 50.
I’ve decided to stop chasing money.
If my company reaches a billion-dollar valuation, great. Nice milestone.
But it’s no longer a requirement.
My goal now is this: Live 100 lives before I die.
I will be a flamenco dancer. A monk. A Bedouin. A French cook. Maybe even a barista.
Each for a week.
100 weeks. 100 lives.
This is worth more to me than a billion dollars in net worth.
I start today.
I’ve officially signed up for a week-long stand-up comedy immersion in London.
And yes, you’ll be seeing me perform in comedy clubs soon.
I’ll be sharing these experiences as I go, what I learn, what breaks me open, what surprises me.
And I’d love to hear from you too.
If you could live a different life for one week every month…
What would you study? Where would you go? Who would you want to live alongside?
Share them in the comments. I read them. They shape what comes next.
Thank you for being part of this journey, and this chapter of my life.
Here’s to living many lives.
P.S. If this idea of living many lives resonates with you, you’ll enjoy what’s coming next.
On January 18, we’re bringing together Social Media Summit Highlights:
This is a LIVE curated selection of the top-rated sessions from our recent summit.
You will learn how to build visibility, leverage, and impact in the modern world from Brendan Kane, Prince EA, Marie Forleo, and me.
Now, if you’re curious how ideas turn into movements on social media (and how people design lives with more freedom once they have an authoritative personal brand), I’d love for you to join us there.
Learn why systems… not motivation… drive consistent progress. We explore shifting from goal-chasing to system-building through small structural changes. Discover how a “never skip twice” rule and systematic relationship management can lead to long-term results without relying on willpower. Stop waiting for inspiration and start building the engine that powers your productivity every single day.
If you enjoyed this episode, follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts or your favorite podcast player.It’s easy, you’ll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show. You can also leave a review!
In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, businesses are constantly seeking ways to enhance their online presence. One effective method is to partner with a professional Australian SEO agency. These agencies are adept at improving website visibility on search engines, thereby driving more traffic to your site.
Understanding SEO and Its Importance
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a process designed to enhance a website’s content, structure, and backend, enabling it to be more easily discovered by search engines like Google. Higher rankings on search engine result pages (SERPs) often correlate with increased organic traffic, which is crucial for businesses aiming to capture a larger audience.
The Role of an Australian SEO Agency
An Australian SEO agency serves as a valuable partner in navigating the competitive online market. These agencies employ a range of strategies tailored to meet the specific needs of Australian businesses. This localisation ensures that businesses can effectively reach the right audience, enhancing engagement and conversion rates.
Customised SEO Strategies
One of the primary advantages of partnering with an SEO agency is their ability to create customised strategies. Agencies focus on your business goals, target audience, and industry trends to develop an SEO plan that delivers measurable results. This targeted approach is essential for businesses looking to stand out in a crowded digital marketplace.
Benefits of Using Professional SEO Services
Investing in professional SEO services provides numerous benefits that go beyond mere visibility. First, it enhances user experience by improving website navigation and loading speeds. Second, SEO strategies focus on content quality, ensuring that the information presented is relevant and valuable to the audience.
Increased Credibility and Trust
Customers are more likely to trust websites that appear on the first page of search engine results. By employing effective SEO tactics, agencies help businesses establish credibility and trust, which are crucial for building long-term customer relationships.
Cost-Effectiveness
Unlike traditional advertising methods, SEO is a cost-effective marketing strategy. It targets users who are actively searching for relevant products or services online, thereby increasing the chances of conversion. An SEO agency optimises this process, ensuring higher returns on investment.
Choosing the Right Australian SEO Agency
Selecting the right SEO agency is vital to achieving your business objectives. Consider agencies with a proven track record of success, experienced personnel, and a deep understanding of the local market. These qualities ensure that the strategies implemented are both effective and sustainable.
Assessing Agency Experience
Experience matters when it comes to SEO. Agencies with years of experience are likely to have encountered various challenges and learned how to navigate them effectively. This expertise translates into robust strategies that adapt to changes in SEO algorithms and market dynamics.
Evaluating Client Success Stories
Reviewing case studies and client testimonials can provide insights into an agency’s capabilities. Positive reviews and a portfolio of successful projects indicate a high level of competence and reliability.
Long-Term Growth with SEO
The true power of SEO lies in its ability to deliver long-term growth. While some marketing tactics offer short-lived results, SEO is a long-term investment in your business’s success. An effective SEO strategy continues to yield positive results, including higher search rankings, increased traffic, and strengthened brand credibility over time.
Continuous Optimisation
SEO is not a one-time task. It requires ongoing optimisation to stay ahead of competitors and adapt to changing search engine algorithms. Partnering with a reputable Australian SEO agency ensures that your website remains optimised for continued growth and success.
Conclusion
Engaging with a leading Australian SEO agency can significantly amplify your business’s online performance. By employing customised strategies, professional SEO services can enhance your website’s visibility, credibility, and user experience. Ultimately, choosing the right agency is pivotal for sustained growth and achieving a competitive edge in the digital marketplace.
Let’s be honest for a second. When people plan a kitchen, the sink is usually an afterthought. Big discussions happen around cabinets, countertops, chimneys, and appliances. The sink? That just gets picked somewhere in between, usually in a hurry. Which is a bit strange, if you think about it, because the sink is the one thing you touch every single day. Sometimes when you’re half asleep. Sometimes, when you’re already annoyed.
And that’s exactly where a handmade sink slowly starts making sense, not because it sounds premium, but because it behaves better in real life. Not perfect, but improving.
The Kitchen Sink Reality
A kitchen sink doesn’t live a gentle life. It doesn’t get treated politely. It gets hot water, cold water, soap, oil, turmeric stains, heavy pressure cookers, sharp knives, and the occasional bang when something slips from your hand. All in one day.
In Indian kitchens, especially, the sink goes through:
Continuous utensil washing
Heavy kadais and pans
Spicy food residue that refuses to leave
Long hours of water flow
Most factory-made sinks look fine at first. Smooth, shiny, thin. But after some time, you start noticing things. That hollow sound. The slight bending. The scratches look messy instead of natural. And slowly, irritation creeps in. This is where a handmade sink starts feeling like a relief, almost without you realizing it.
What Is a Handmade Sink?
Despite how the name sounds, a handmade sink is not some uneven, rough piece of metal. It’s actually the opposite.
A sink produced by hand is something created using thicker sheets of stainless steel, manually shaped and finished by the hands of skilled technicians, rather than simply stamped out by machinery. That manual process allows better control of thickness, depth, and finishing.
So what you get is:
Stronger construction
Deeper bowls
Sharper, cleaner edges
Fewer weak points
It doesn’t scream for attention. It just feels reliable.
Why People Slowly Switch to Handmade
Most people don’t wake up one day and say, “I need a handmade sink.” It’s usually a gradual realization. Something like, “Why does my sink feel so flimsy?” or “Why is water always splashing everywhere?”
Here’s what makes handmade sinks stand out in everyday use:
1. Feels Solid, Not Hollow
First, you notice the weight. The handmade sink will not shake or vibrate when you drop a stainless steel spoon. It takes the hit better. The annoying metallic sound? Much lesser. It is why such small things slowly begin to feel calming over the years.
2. Depth Really Is Useful
Most of the mass-produced sinks have been made shallow. But, generally, a handmade sink will not be. The deeper basin gives you good room for washing large utensils, so water does not splash over the countertop and onto your clothes. Practical, rather basic, and simple.
3. Finishing That Ages Nicely
Because each handmade sink is finished manually, the surface tends to wear more gracefully. Scratches don’t stand out aggressively. They sort of blend in, which sounds odd, but is actually a good thing.
How a Handmade Sink Changes Daily Kitchen Work
This is not something people talk about, but it matters. A better sink doesn’t make washing dishes fun, but it makes it less annoying. You’re not constantly adjusting utensils. You’re not wiping water every five minutes. You’re not worrying about dents when you place something heavy.
With the best handmade kitchen sink, the workflow just feels smoother. Things fit better. Water drains properly. Cleaning doesn’t feel like a fight.
And slowly, without you noticing, your kitchen feels easier to manage.
Is This Just About Looks?
Yes, handmade sinks do look good. Clean lines, matte finishes, minimal seams. They fit nicely into modern kitchens without looking flashy. But the real value is hidden in how they handle stress. Thicker steel means:
Better resistance to dents
Less flexing under pressure
Longer lifespan
A handmade sink doesn’t try to stay “new-looking” forever. It just stays functional. And that’s honestly more important.
Choosing the Best Handmade Kitchen Sink
Not every handmade sink is automatically great. You still need to look at a few basics.
Steel Quality: High-grade stainless steel is non-negotiable. It resists rust, stains, and daily abuse better.
Thickness: Thicker sinks feel sturdier and last longer. They also reduce noise.
Depth: If you cook regularly, deeper bowls are a blessing.
Finish: Brushed or satin finishes are easier to live with. They don’t show every fingerprint or watermark.
Drain Placement: Good drainage design avoids water pooling and makes cleaning simpler.
The best handmade kitchen sink isn’t about brand hype. It’s about how well it fits your daily kitchen habits.
Installation: The Part People Forget
Even a great sink can feel wrong if it’s installed badly.
A few practical points:
Make sure the sink is properly leveled
Ensure clean countertop cutouts
Use quality plumbing fittings
Consider sound insulation pads
A well-installed handmade sink feels like it belongs there, not like it was forced into the space.
Cost vs. Long-Term Sanity
Yes, handmade sinks cost more upfront. That part is true. But over time, what you get is:
Less maintenance stress
Fewer repairs or replacements
A sink that doesn’t feel outdated quickly
Instead of replacing a cheaper sink every few years, many people prefer investing once and moving on. In that sense, a handmade sink quietly saves effort, if not money, immediately.
Do You Actually Need One?
If your kitchen is rarely used, maybe not. But if cooking is a daily thing, if you wash utensils often, cook heavy meals, and expect your kitchen to keep up, then a handmade sink makes a lot of sense.
It’s not a dramatic upgrade. It’s a sensible one. The kind you appreciate when you’re tired, busy, or just not in the mood to deal with kitchen problems.
Let’s Conclude
A kitchen sink isn’t meant to impress guests or start conversations. It just needs to hold up, day after day, without complaining. Handmade sinks do exactly that: they add strength, balance, and a quiet sense of ease to everyday kitchen work, without trying to steal attention.
If you’re looking at premium sink options and actually thinking about how they’ll hold up over the years, Glen Appliances is worth considering. Their handmade sink solutions are built for modern Indian kitchens, with a clear focus on solid materials and designs that make everyday work easier. It’s the kind of choice that feels sensible now and still feels right years down the line.
Magnesium is one of the most essential minerals necessary for the body to function at its best—and yet, many of us aren’t getting enough of it. As a result, you may have started supplementing magnesium in the hopes of sleeping better, feeling more relaxed, or just getting your levels where you want them.
