Reflections on Our First In-Person Second Brain Summit
On October 3-4, 2024, we hosted our very first in-person Second Brain Summit in Los Angeles, and honestly, it was a dream come true. This event felt like a “bucket list” moment in every way. I’d count...
View ArticleA Quest for Self-Knowledge: From Self-Help to Somatic Healing (Part II –...
In Part I, I recounted the first chapter in my personal growth journey, which was all about my mind and intellect and reframing the narratives that defined my life.As transformational as that period...
View ArticleA Quest for Self-Knowledge: From Self-Help to Somatic Healing (Part III –...
In Part II, I told the story of how I opened my heart. This next chapter is about going further inward and downward – into the realm of the body and gut.It all started when I was 22 and began to feel...
View ArticleA Quest for Self-Knowledge: From Self-Help to Somatic Healing (Part IV – My 7...
It has been only by writing this series of essays that I’ve come to realize that I have a set of principles I follow for my personal development. They might not be right for everyone, but they’ve...
View ArticleRediscover Your Year: A Cheat Sheet for Reflecting with the Help of Tech
At the end of each year, I sit down to reflect on my milestones and memories—big and small—that shaped the past 12 months. It’s become one of my favorite rituals to celebrate progress and set the...
View ArticleThe Analog Productivity System: Journaling for Every Season of Life
I’m thrilled to share a special guest post by my wife, Lauren Valdez. Lauren approaches productivity in a way that’s refreshingly different from my digital-first philosophy. She’s deeply rooted in the...
View ArticleTiago’s 2024 Year-in-Review
As I write these words, I am crossing the Drake Passage, one of the most remote places on Earth.We are crossing from Ushuaia at the southern tip of South America to the spit of land known as the...
View ArticleTiago’s 2025 Projects, Questions, and Intentions
I recently published my 2024 Year-In-Review looking back over the events and lessons from last year.Now it’s time to look forward – to the goals, plans, and intentions my team and I are committing to...
View ArticleThe Death of Goals
I’ve suspected for years that the traditional concept of “goal-setting” was on its last legs. Every time I bring up “SMART goals,” I can see the light go out in my students’ eyes. An unmistakable...
View ArticleMy Time in Eastern Ukraine: A Story of Beauty, Community, and Hope
I spent 2 years serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Eastern Ukraine from 2009 to 2011. I lived in the town of Kupyansk, a couple hours outside Kharkiv, near the Russian border. It was one of the...
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