“Richard Feynman was fond of giving the following advice on how to be a genius: You have to keep a dozen of your favorite problems constantly present in your mind, although by and large they will lay in a dormant state. Every time you hear or read a new trick or a new result, test it against each of your twelve problems to see whether it helps. Every once in a while there will be a hit, and people will say, 'How did he do it? He must be a genius!” ― Gian-Carlo Rota, Indiscrete Thoughts

Here's my list, which I'll be refining constantly. Plus an additional pool of problems that might graduate to the top 12.

1. How can I cultivate a better relationship with God?
2. How can I take strong positions on things I believe in while at the same time maintain objectivity and fairness towards people who disagree with me?
3. How can I become comfortable with entertaining contradictory ideas in my head?
4. How can I do in 1 hour, what others can do in 10 hours?
5. How can I introduce more effortlessness into my life?
6. How can I adopt more natural ways of living?
7. How can I live a life of fearlessness?
8. How can I cultivate mental clarity consistently?
9. How can I become more articulate and express myself more clearly?
10. What habits can I cultivate to maintain my energy persistently?
11. How can I consistently maintain calm, despite any challenges and struggles I face in life?
12. How do I decide if my loss of interest in a project is a sign that it's not the right project for me or if I am hitting a dip that I need to work through?

Bonus

  • How can I avoid and manage burnout?
  • How can I optimize learning? How can I maximize my understanding/internalization of advanced concepts in the minimum amount of time?

My 12 Favorite Problems