Maker Mind

Unknown unknowns.

Hi friends!

If you are reading this newsletter, you probably consider yourself a curious mind, a life-long learner, an eternal student. You enjoy asking questions and exploring new mental territories.

But what about these corners of our mental maps we don't even know exist? How can we learn something new if we don't know we don't know?

This week, we will talk about uncovering our blind spots. First, by studying the Dunning–Kruger effect (or the illusion of knowing), then, by questioning our own open-mindedness: are you as open-minded as you think you are?

I also had the pleasure of interviewing an incredibly talented storyteller, who openly shared their thoughts on creativity and curiosity.

Enjoy the read, and hit reply if you have any questions, feedback, or want to say hello!

p.s. do you also struggle to know when to use a hyphen, en dash, or em dash? I made a memo card.

Brain food

The Dunning–Kruger effect: you don’t know what you don’t know
Why do ignorant folks tend to overestimate the extent of their knowledge? How do incompetent people often seem to be unaware of how deficient their expertise is? Turns out, we are not very good at evaluating ourselves accurately.

From closed mind to open mind
Do you consider yourself an open-minded person? Most people would say yes. Which, paradoxically, shows a form of closed-mindedness by failing to consider our own shortcomings.

Investing into the unknown with Lawrence Yeo
“Life as a human is a weird experience, but one that I’m very grateful to be a part of. And when you have a sense of gratitude for the peculiar, you get a little something called curiosity.”

Brain candy

The garden of forking memes (Aaron Z. Lewis)
“Like Louisa Banks in the film Arrival, we are all trying to figure out how the alien language of digital tech has transformed our psyches and warped our sense of time.”

Failure (Casey Handmer)
“If in doubt, love more. Give more. Practice empathy and consideration. Treasure your friends. Put in the effort to stay in touch, especially after leaving school. Call your mum. Spend time with older relatives while you still can.”

Why some words may be more memorable than others (Science Daily)
“By combining memory tests, brain wave recordings, and surveys of billions of words published in books, news articles and internet encyclopedia pages, the researchers not only explored how our brains may recall words but also memories of our past experiences.”

Brain trust

A sneak peek into what's going on in the members area this week. Becoming a member is the best way to support the newsletter.

• Building a mental gym. Our next meetup on July 24th will be all about implementing high-ROI habits, routines, and rituals into our lives. Join to share your strategies and learn from others. Register.
• Community. Currently discussing stealing like an artist, the definition of creativity, quantum theories of consciousness, and Foam, an alternative to Roam Research. Join the conversation.
• Mind Match. And if you prefer 1:1 chats over group conversations, all members can fill this form to get matched with a fellow member for a virtual coffee chat.