The Inforium

New Year's resolutions are a noble concept, but they tend to have a pretty terrible success rate. We talk about implementing and sticking to new goals.

Full show notes

This week’s episode is sponsored by:

Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you’re one of the first 83 people to use this link, you’ll also get 20% off your subscription.

Audible: Get a free audiobook download and a free 30-day trial by going to audible.com/CIG or texting “CIG” to 500-500 on your phone.

Things mentioned in this episode:

Martin and Thomas’ 2018 Year in Review (Ep. 244)

Thomas' Productivity course on Skillshare

John Green's How to Make Goals, Not Resolutions video

The Laws of Human Nature, by Robert Greene

The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss

Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.

You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.

Timestamps:

0:02:18 - Announcement: Thomas' productivity course on Skillshare

0:05:11 - Figuring out the things you really want to accomplish and acting on them

0:20:20 - Sponsor: Audible (Listening to audiobooks)

0:23:49 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)

0:25:38 - Figuring out the things you really want to accomplish and acting on them (continued)

0:33:00 - Being realistic about your limitations

0:39:27 - Recap and conclusion

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The new year is upon us, and before we let it this one slip through our fingertips we thought we'd give it one final look. Join us while we wrap up 2018.

Full show notes

This week’s episode is sponsored by:

Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you’re one of the first 83 people to use this link, you’ll also get 20% off your subscription.

Skillshare: with over 20,000 courses in a wide range of different skills, Skillshare can help you take things to the next level. Get started with 2 free months of unlimited learning at Skillshare.com/geek.

Things mentioned in this episode:

Martin and Thomas’ 2017 Year in Review (Ep. 191)

How Much Water Should You REALLY Be Drinking?

The Most Powerful Way to Remember What You Study

How to Stop Being TIRED All the Time

How to Study Effectively with Flash Cards

Thomas' Impossible List

Jordy Vandeput's Premiere Pro course on Skillshare

Duolingo (iOS | Android)

TextFugu

WaniKani

Satori Reader

Martin's Prints

3 Things Martin Learned Almost Dying on a Mountain Bike (Ep. 229)

I Replaced My Breakfast with This Ultra Healthy Smoothie

Tom's music channel

Smart Passive Income

Listen Money Matters

Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.

You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.

Timestamps:

0:02:59 - The state of the team, the website redesign and other business things

0:27:33 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)

0:29:42 - Sponsor: Skillshare (Learning new skills)

0:31:40 - What went well in our lives and what we improved on

0:51:58 - What didn't go so well

1:07:16 - What we want to accomplish next year

1:09:52 - Conclusion

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you'd like to give up on friendship for good, this is for you. Of course, you could ignore this advice and make friends instead, but who would want that?

Full show notes

This week’s episode is sponsored by:

Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you’re one of the first 83 people to use this link, you’ll also get 20% off your subscription.

CuriosityStream: High-quality streaming for people who love to learn. Get your first 30 days free by going to CuriosityStream.com/CollegeInfoGeek and using the promo code 'collegeinfogeek' when you sign up.

Things mentioned in this episode:

Fizzle

Smart Passive Income

Earning Passive Income The Smart Way With Pat Flynn (Ep. 7)

Charisma on Command on YouTube

How to Buy Your First House, Pt. 1: The Research Process (Ep. 205)

How to Win Friends & Influence People, by Dale Carnegie

The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg

Lifehacker's 90 Hours to Make a New Friend article

How to Be a Good Significant Other (Ep. 177)

How to Meet New People - 6 Tips for Making More Friends

How to Build Closer Friendships

Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.

You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.

Timestamps:

0:06:27 - Don't approach someone to start a conversation

0:11:23 - Don't try to become better at socializing

0:20:48 - Don't try to be the leader

0:27:35 - Don't talk to people about things unrelated to the current situation

0:30:09 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)

0:32:19 - Sponsor: CuriosityStream (Learning new topics)

0:34:33 - Don't take an interest in other people's interests

0:38:26 - Don't try new things to meet new people

0:42:02 - Don't try to remember people's birthdays or send them gifts

0:44:07 - Don't try to become friends when you don't immediately "click"

0:53:26 - Don't work on improving yourself

1:02:52 - Conclusion and good luck on being alone forever

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this 5 questions episode, we're talking about budgeting without an income, maintaining a mastermind group, staying productive while depressed, and more.

Full show notes

This week’s episode is sponsored by:

Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you’re one of the first 83 people to use this link, you’ll also get 20% off your subscription.

Skillshare: with over 20,000 courses in a wide range of different skills, Skillshare can help you take things to the next level. Get started with 2 free months of unlimited learning at Skillshare.com/geek.

Things mentioned in this episode:

Thomas' Ninja Warrior Training Routine (Ep. 241)

The Science Behind Why You Procrastinate

6 Steps to Stop Procrastinating NOW

How to Break Your Procrastination Habit (For Good)

Buffer: Why Practice Actually Makes Perfect: How to Rewire Your Brain for Better Performance

Rand Fishkin's SEO course on Skillshare

Build A Personal Brand You Can Be Proud Of

The Art Of Promoting Yourself (Ep. 4)

Promote Yourself, by Dan Schawbel

Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.

You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.

Timestamps:

0:04:41 - Budgeting when you don't have a stable source of income

0:11:14 - Staying productive while dealing with depression

0:27:25 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)

0:30:02 - Sponsor: Skillshare (Learning new skills)

0:31:51 - Speaking a foreign language as well as a native speaker

0:43:54 - Keeping a Jedi Council alive

0:48:33 - Building your personal brand

1:02:05 - Conclusion

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Push-ups aren't going to cut it here. We talk about how Thomas has been switching up his exercise routine to try out for American Ninja Warrior.

Full show notes

This week’s episode is sponsored by:

Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you’re one of the first 83 people to use this link, you’ll also get 20% off your subscription.

Hover: Your personal brand is important, and it starts with your domain name. Get 10% off your first domain name purchase by going to Hover.com/cig.

Things mentioned in this episode:

The Science Behind Why You Procrastinate

6 Steps to Stop Procrastinating NOW

How to Break Your Procrastination Habit (For Good)

Linus Tech Tips on YouTube

How to Be Good at Everything — The Rapid Skill Learning Process (Ep. 210)

Atomik Climbing Holds

How to Be More Like Leonardo da Vinci (Ep. 240)

Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.

You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.

Timestamps:

0:10:02 - Thinking you're not cut out for something

0:12:25 - Training for different Ninja Warrior obstacles

0:29:25 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)

0:31:27 - Sponsor: Hover (Buying a domain name)

0:33:48 - Training for different Ninja Warrior obstacles (continued)

0:37:49 - How to prepare yourself

0:47:23 - Making yourself seem interesting to the audience

0:52:43 - Conclusion

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever wanted to be good at everything? Well, you're not alone. We talk about what we can learn from archetypal renaissance man Leonardo da Vinci.

Full show notes

This week’s episode is sponsored by:

Audible: Get access to the world's largest library of audiobooks with a 30-day trial - and a free audiobook download that you get to keep forever. For a limited time, you can also get 3 months of Audible at $6.95 per month. Go to Audible.com/cig, or text "CIG" to 500-500 on your phone to get started.

Skillshare: with over 20,000 courses in a wide range of different skills, Skillshare can help you take things to the next level. Get started with 2 months of unlimited learning for just 99¢ at Skillshare.com/cig.

Things mentioned in this episode:

Leonardo Da Vinci's Biography, by Sir Walter Isaacson

College Info Geek Merch

Business Adventures, by John Brooks

The Science Behind Why You Procrastinate

6 Steps to Stop Procrastinating NOW

5 Questions: Breakups, Skill-Building, and Sticking to Your Goals (Ep. 237)

Hardcore History's History Under The Influence episode

99% Invisible

The Buried Giant, by Kazuo Ishiguro

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, by John Ratey

Mike Vardy's Time Theming Skillshare course

Ode To A Flower video

What It Takes to Open a Coffee Shop (Ep. 114)

Deep Work: How to Focus and Resist Distractions (Ep. 100)

Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.

You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.

Timestamps:

0:02:03 - What was Leonardo da Vinci interested in?

0:18:47 - Addictions and Da Vinci's procrastination

0:27:55 - Being obsessive and curious

0:32:46 - Sponsor: Audible (Listening to audiobooks)

0:37:37 - Sponsor: Skillshare (Learning new skills)

0:39:41 - Thinking deeply about things

0:45:34 - Keeping your mind open to being wrong

0:47:16 - Collaborating with other people

0:52:46 - Thoughts on Da Vinci and Essentialism

1:03:57 - Recap and conclusion

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Not everything worth getting has to cost a lot. Here are some of our favorite reasonably-priced upgrades to improve your life without breaking the bank.

Full show notes

This week’s episode is sponsored by:

Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you're one of the first 83 people to use this link, you'll also get 20% off your subscription.

CuriosityStream: High-quality streaming for people who love to learn. Get your first 30 days free by going to CuriosityStream.com/CollegeInfoGeek and using the promo code 'collegeinfogeek' when you sign up.

Things mentioned in this episode:

How to Get Out of Debt as Fast as Possible (Ep. 238)

Iron Gym Workout Bar

ProSource Multi-Grip Pull-Up Bar

Audio Technica ATH-M20x

Chef Knife

Alex French Guy Cooking on YouTube

Leuchtturm Hardcover Dotted Notebook

Sharpie Plastic Point Stick Water Resistant Pen

Stainless Steel Electric Kettle

AeroPress

The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland, by Catherynne M. Valente

The Slow Regard of Silent Things, by Patrick Rothfuss

The Diamond Age, by Neal Stephenson

Turtles All the Way Down, by John Green

Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, by Eliezer Yudkowsky

Rationality and Precise Thinking (Ep. 57)

The Sirens of Titan, by Kurt Vonnegut

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, by Greg McKeown

Deep Work, by Cal Newport

Atomic Habits, by James Clear

The Productivity Project, by Chris Bailey

Practical Botany for Gardeners, by Geoff Hodge

The Victorian Internet, by Tom Standage

Isa Does It, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz

The Science of Cooking, by Dr. Stuart Farrimond

Ontario Knives Rat 2

Oster Blender

NutriBullet

Bean Zafu Meditation Cushion

Bean Bamboo Meditation Bench

Hover

Backblaze

Lifefactory Glass Water Bottle

How Much Water Should You REALLY Be Drinking?

Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.

You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.

Timestamps:

0:04:50 - Pull-up bars

0:08:22 - Noise-cancelling headphones

0:12:47 - Chef's knife and knife-honing tools

0:17:35 - Notebooks for your ideas and goals

0:20:25 - Wall of velcro

0:22:17 - Teapots, kettles and AeroPress

0:27:53 - Fiction book starter kit

0:32:37 - Sponsor: CuriosityStream (Learning new topics)

0:35:17 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)

0:37:31 - Fiction book starter kit (continued)

0:39:17 - Plug strips

0:40:30 - Nonfiction book starter kit

0:46:13 - Pocket knives

0:48:37 - Blenders

0:50:57 - Toolkits

0:53:21 - Meditation cushions and benches

0:56:21 - Taking care of plants

0:58:31 - Domain names

0:59:57 - Cloud storage services

1:06:07 - Reusable water bottles

1:07:46 - Conclusion

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Debt isn't always a bad thing, but it certainly doesn't feel good when you have too much of it. We talk about how to get out of unwanted debt faster.

Full show notes

This week’s episode is sponsored by:

Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you're one of the first 83 people to use this link, you'll also get 20% off your subscription.

SimpleContacts - The best way to renew your current contact subscription without needing to see a doctor. Get $20 off your first lens purchase by going to SimpleContacts.com/CIG or by entering the code 'CIG' at checkout.

Things mentioned in this episode:

How to Budget Your Money Without Cutting Coffee (Ep. 174)

A Crash Course on How to Start Investing (Even If You’re in Debt) (Ep. 168)

Invest or Pay Off Debt? on Listen Money Matters

Debt-Free U, by Zac Bissonnette

Debt: The First 5,000 Years, by David Graeber

Mint (iOS | Android)

Personal Capital (iOS | Android)

Thomas' Budget Modeler Spreadsheet

SoFi

Credible

LendingClub

Why You Aren't Successful Yet (Ep. 219)

Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.

You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.

Timestamps:

0:09:31 - Two different methods for paying off debt

0:19:09 - Investing in yourself to help you pay off debt earlier

0:32:37 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)

0:35:38 - Sponsor: Simple Contacts (Renewing your contact lenses)

0:37:58 - Should you pay off your debt as fast as possible?

0:49:04 - How to pay off your debt faster

0:52:27 - Taking on new loans to pay existing ones

0:57:53 - The money pipeline

1:02:59 - Focusing on growing instead of just making cuts

1:17:00 - Recap and conclusion

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this 5 questions episode, we're talking about breakups, schedules, letters of recommendation, skill-building, and staying consistent with your goals.

Full show notes

This week’s episode is sponsored by:

Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you're one of the first 83 people to use this link, you'll also get 20% off your subscription.

Hover: Your personal brand is important, and it starts with your domain name. Get 10% off your first domain name purchase by going to hover.com/cig.

Things mentioned in this episode:

College Info Geek Discord

Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Stack Overflow answer by a graduate professor

How to Ask for Letters of Recommendation and References

How to Be Good at Everything - The Rapid Skill Learning Process (Ep. 210)

How to Grow Your Social Media Following (Ep. 224)

Duolingo (iOS | Android)

Habitica (iOS | Android)

Momentum (iOS)

Strides (iOS)

iTalki (iOS | Android)

Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.

You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.

Timestamps:

0:06:30 - Staying productive while dealing with a break-up

0:20:09 - Writing your own letter of recommendation

0:25:42 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)

0:27:49 - Sponsor: Hover (Buying a domain name)

0:30:28 - Scheduling your work when you have flexible hours

0:40:32 - Comparing yourself to people who seem to accomplish a lot more than you

0:50:59 - Being consistent while building habits

0:56:56 - Conclusion

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can you be productive and still play video games? We talk about how we play games without sacrificing success, along with a few of our favorites.

Full show notes

This week’s episode is sponsored by:

Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you're one of the first 83 people to use this link, you'll also get 20% off your subscription.

Things mentioned in this episode:

Tom's Games:

Guitar Hero III

Celeste

Marvel vs. Capcom 3

Pokémon FireRed

Portal 2

Overwatch

Enter the Gungeon

Hollow Knight

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Dance Dance Revolution and Pump It Up

Martin's Games:

Monster Hunter: World

Celeste

Animal Crossing

Golden Sun: The Lost Age

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

Super Mario Odyssey

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Pokémon Silver

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Links:

Atomic Habits, by James Clear

Nerd Fitness

Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.

You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.

Timestamps:

0:01:44 - Are video games worth your time?

0:14:11 - Using video games as a coping mechanism

0:18:58 - Avoiding a video game dependency

0:27:03 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)

0:29:01 - Avoiding a video game dependency (continued)

0:36:13 - Some of our favourite games

0:52:15 - Conclusion

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.