1000+ Bookmarks Later: These Are The 5 Most Influential Articles I’ve Read In the Past 5 Years

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Man has the internet taught me a lot.

Today I found myself digging through a time-capsule worth of bookmarks from the past 5 years in search for a master list of design resources requested by a co-worker.

In the process of all this digging, I came across countless articles I’ve since forgotten existed, yet at the time of reading were nothing short of mind-expanding for me.

It’s funny how learning works. When we really learn something, the lesson becomes part of who we are. But somewhere along the way, we tend to forget the source.

Perhaps this is where the myth of a self-made person comes from? In ourselves and others, all we ever see is the end-result; too easily forgetting all the people that’ve helped along the way.

As I look back on the 1000+ articles I’ve read and bookmarked over the past 5 years, I thought I would share the 5 that have been most influential on my thinking.

I’ve chosen these articles because, since reading each of them, I’ve experienced a distinct before/after in how I approach the given topic. And collectively, I would go so far as to say that the lessons I’ve taken away have served as more of an education than school ever could:

1) On making big life decisions:
https://hbr.org/2013/11/stop-worrying-about-making-the-right-decision

2) On minimizing regret and living a good life:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/study-reveals-5-biggest-regrets-people-have-before-die-iwuoha/

3) On asking for, and giving, advice:
https://cfe.umich.edu/no-advice-is-better-than-bad-advice/

4) On the pursuit of mastery:
https://jamesclear.com/deliberate-practice

5) On making things people want:
https://blog.bufferapp.com/people-dont-buy-products-they-buy-better-versions-of-themselves

Here’s to feeling infinitely grateful to all the people we’ve never actually met, and yet thanks to the internet, have permanently changed the course of our lives 🙏

What free article/video has expanded your mind or changed how you see and interact with the world? Share your own favorite(s) in the comments below!

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