We no longer rely on our memories the way we used to.

Everything is easily googleable.

Can’t remember that restaurant you went to last week? Google.
Can’t remember the directions to your in-laws’ place? Google.
Can’t remember the recipe for mac and cheese? Google.

But, I would say, having a good memory is essential to overall success. Don’t you think?

In this post, I will outline the strategies recommended by Dale Carnegie in his book, How to Develop Self-Confidence and Influence People by Public Speaking, first published in 1957!

I found them timeless and practical! I hope you do, too.

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Money Making Tricks on Medium

Okay, I’ve been stalking a couple of accounts on Medium who claim to make over $100 a month on Medium. Meaning, they are in the top 6% of writers on Medium!

I’m happy for them, I really am. But I can’t get over how bad their writing is. Weak language. Poor grammar. Vague content. It’s what you would call shitty writing. I’m actually surprised at the number of publications who are OK with this level of writing.

Yet, they are making over $100 a month, and I believe them. Here are four tricks they have been using:

1. Write about Medium

Most of their…

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life, for there is in London all that life can afford.” — Samuel Johnson, 1777

These were the words of the renowned English writer when London was the most populous and vibrant city in Europe. It was the start of the Industrial Revolution; new projects were underway, with lots to do. At least this was the Instagram version of London in 1777. You wouldn’t have seen the American Revolution, political instability, and riots.

But times have changed. There’s a lot more competition.

It’s not just about population, construction, and…

I’ve been away from Medium for a while — seven weeks, to be specific.

I want to blame it on COVID-19. See, I recently got the latest Delta variant, and I was vaccinated, and I always ensure to have a mask on. I also infected my wife (also vaccinated) and two-year-old daughter.

This is what they call a “breakthrough infection.”

There’s not much to break through, to be honest. There’s a lot of this going around. The vaccine is no longer effective at preventing an infection, but it reduces the severity. It definitely works at reducing the severity.

I was…

Thank you, Medium, for yet another curation!

Tons of writers complain about the new Medium curation — that it no longer has the impact it once had. That it’s a…

Self Improvement: Atomic Habits

Many of us are aware of the compounding power of making tiny improvements, or Atomic Habits, popularized by James Clear.

A 1% improvement each day, or a tiny bit better, will lead to a 3778% improvement by the end of the year. That is almost 38x better than where you started.

But it’s easy to lose sight of your goals. When you make tiny changes, you won’t see immediate results. Who knows what 1% is, anyway? When can I see real change?

It wasn’t until I read Clear’s ice cube analogy that I truly got it.

It isn’t just about…

Thank you, Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她) for the prompts that get us thinking and writing!

Here are my responses.

[1] What did you like to do most when you were 10? They say that this hobby is likely what brings you the most joy in life — is this something you still do?

When I was ten, I rode my bike for hours every evening, and I practiced Karate three times a week. I do none of these now and haven’t in years.

I’m still active, in a sense. I do enjoy working out four or five times a week. It brings me joy and sore muscles.

[2] What genres do you write? Why do you choose to write with these types of structures? What’s attractive about them?

I focus on non-fiction articles on personal growth, self-improvement, life purpose, and parenting. I’ve never tried poetry or fiction.

I enjoy reading non-fiction, and I like to…