46

Influences

People who have shaped my thinking.

Eckhart Tolle

Eckhart Tolle

Helped me reawaken a more intuitive and embodied form of mindfulness.

Naval Ravikant

Naval Ravikant

Clarified my perspective on building meaningful wealth and happiness through intentionality and leveraging personal agency.

Charlie Munger

Charlie Munger

Key inspiration for my multidisciplinary thinking and using mental models as foundational tools for improved judgment and decision-making.

Robert Greene

Robert Greene

Gave interesting insights into human nature, power dynamics, and strategic influence for navigating social realities effectively.

Thomas Sowell

Thomas Sowell

Significantly shaped my view on economics and society.

Donella Meadows

Donella Meadows

Enhanced my skills in systems thinking and strategic approaches to complex problem solving.

Alan Watts

Alan Watts

Expanded my understanding of the concept of the self and the characteristics of its illusions.

Carl Jung

Carl Jung

Fostered my introspective and external exploration of archetypes and the depth of human psychology to drive self-understanding and integration.

Nassim Taleb

Nassim Taleb

Sharpened my grasp on uncertainty, risk management, and the importance of antifragility in complex systems.

Jim Rohn

Jim Rohn

Influenced my beliefs around the transformative power of disciplined personal development and habit-building.

Esther Perel

Esther Perel

Deepened my awareness of relational dynamics and the nuanced balance between autonomy and intimacy.

David Goggins

David Goggins

Helped me strengthen my resolve and resilience and showed the importance of mental toughness through adversity.

Orson Scott Card

Orson Scott Card

Stimulated my imagination and strategic thinking through narrative and the exploration of ethical complexity.

Dave Chappelle

Dave Chappelle

The ultimate philosopher comedian, whose ability to see truth and absurdity in life has inspired me to pay more attention to the little things.

Debbie Millman

Debbie Millman

Inspired me to be more creative and focus on the power of intentional storytelling and sharing authentic personal experiences.

Jamie Foxx

Jamie Foxx

An entertainment polymath who shows versatility and creative confidence across multiple disciplines, inspiring my adaptability and charisma.

Tim Ferriss

Tim Ferriss

Introduced me to the idea of lifestyle design and systematic approaches to accelerated learning and self-experimentation.

Cal Newport

Cal Newport

Shaped my thinking on deep work, digital minimalism, and the value of focused craft over shallow productivity.

Nathan Barry

Nathan Barry

Demonstrated how creators can build sustainable businesses by teaching what they know and compounding in public.

Sam Shillace

Sam Shillace

Middle career mentor at Google and his Sunday Letters have been influencing on thinking like a programmer.

Scott Young

Scott Young

Inspired my approach to ultralearning and tackling ambitious self-education projects with structure and intensity.

Scott Adams

Scott Adams

Influenced my thinking on systems over goals, persuasion, and the power of stacking complementary skills.

Josh Kaufman

Josh Kaufman

Reinforced the value of rapid skill acquisition and first-principles thinking about business and learning.

Jordan Peterson

Jordan Peterson

Challenged me to confront the relationship between meaning, responsibility, and personal growth.

Shane Parrish

Shane Parrish

Strengthened my practice of building a latticework of mental models for clearer thinking and better decisions.

Barbara Oakley

Barbara Oakley

Gave me a neuroscience-grounded understanding of how learning actually works and how to do it more effectively.

Maria Popova

Maria Popova

Modeled the art of deep, cross-disciplinary reading and weaving ideas from literature, science, and philosophy into a coherent worldview.

Belle B. Cooper

Belle B. Cooper

Inspired my interest in thoughtful productivity, mindful technology use, and reflective writing about personal systems.

Sam Harris

Sam Harris

Sharpened my thinking on meditation, consciousness, and the intersection of science and spirituality.

Josh Waitzkin

Josh Waitzkin

Taught me about the art of learning itself, the power of presence, and how mastery transfers across domains.

Paul Graham

Paul Graham

Shaped my thinking on startups, writing clearly, and the value of doing things that don't scale.

Seth Godin

Seth Godin

Reinforced the importance of showing up consistently, shipping creative work, and leading with generosity.

James Clear

James Clear

Gave me a practical, systems-based framework for building better habits and making continuous small improvements.

Kanye West

Kanye West

Musical genius at the edges of peak authenticity and embodying the fuel depth of emotions and madness through reinvention.

Balaji Srinivasan

Balaji Srinivasan

Expanded my thinking on technology, network states, and how to reason about the future from first principles.

AJA Cortes

AJA Cortes

Early twitter follow who challenged me to take physical health and self-mastery seriously as the foundation for mental clarity and personal power.

Brene Brown

Brene Brown

Deepened my understanding of vulnerability, courage, and how shame resilience is essential for authentic connection.

Marie Kondo

Marie Kondo

Taught me that intentional decluttering is a practice of discernment and that tidying your environment reshapes your mind.

Gayle Laakmann McDowell

Gayle Laakmann McDowell

Gave me a structured approach to technical problem solving and helped me prepare for my early technical interviews through her books.

Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou

Showed me the profound power of storytelling, resilience, and using your voice to speak truth with grace.

Nicole LePera

Nicole LePera

Followed her on instagram early and has helped me learn about the practice of reparenting to break unconscious patterns and build emotional maturity.

Donald Glover

Donald Glover

A modern renaissance man whose fearless genre-blending across music, film, and comedy inspired me to resist creative categories.

Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani

Absolute GOAT who got me back into baseball and proved that mastering multiple disciplines at the highest level is possible when you refuse to accept false tradeoffs.

Tom Brady

Tom Brady

Demonstrated that sustained excellence comes from obsessive preparation, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to longevity.

Ludwig Goransson

Ludwig Goransson

Showed me how deep collaboration and musical versatility across genres can elevate storytelling to another level.

Joel Spolsky

Joel Spolsky

Shaped my understanding of software craftsmanship, developer experience, as well as been a helpful mentor in running a burning man camp.