Josh Kaufman

Josh Kaufman is the bestselling author of books on business, entrepreneurship, skill acquisition, applied psychology, and practical wisdom. About Josh Kaufman »

Essays on Skill Acquisition


Do It The Hard Way

It's tempting to wait, to hope someone will come up with a simple and easy way for you to get what you want. Usually, you wait in vain. »


How to Climb a Ladder

Say you want to climb a tall ladder. Here's the worst way to go about it: refuse to move until you find a way to teleport yourself straight to the top. »


Do To Become

Want to *be* somebody? Then *do* something. »


Kakorrhaphiophobia: Persistent, All-Consuming Fear of Failure

Don't fear failure. Fear not trying at all. »


3 Ways to Think About Winning

Judge the success of your efforts by whether or not they help you achieve the desired objective. »


What Must an Educated Person Know?

What does it mean to be 'educated' in the broadest sense? »


The Secret of World-Class Performance

Think of all of the things you 'have to' do right now. What would it look like if you took away the pressure and performance anxiety and maximized the fun? »


The Downside of Specialization

Specialization only works if things don’t change - and things always change. »


Do You Have These Core Human Skills?

Improving your skills in many different areas can make you uniquely valuable. »


The Safest Investment

What should you do in these troubled times? »