A User's Manual for Life and Career

Those of you who've been reading this newsletter with any regularity know that "self-help" is not a bad word in my vocabulary. In years past, I would sneak guiltily into that section of the bookstore, stealing glimpses at the Tony Robbins and Steven Covey tomes. I used to look over my shoulder when I did so, thinking it was slightly shameful to be in that area, that my peers would judge me if I wasn't in Literature, History, or Philosophy.

But I (mostly) let go of the embarrassment around "self-help" when it occurred to me that if I wasn't going to help myself, who was? Religion wasn't a reliable moral guide in my life, therapy was expensive, and the advice of friends and family came wrapped in a weird package of personality quirks and reciprocal obligations. So if modern writers had worked out systematic approaches to help me figure out what to do with my life, who was I to scoff at them?

And it was the systematic part that really appealed to me. I've always been drawn to the idea of mastering 7 habits or 12 steps, filling out a time management matrix or a rapid action plan. I like the idea that there's a method -- a recipe -- and if I just follow it, life decisions will come easily.

So it was zero shame and considerable enthusiasm that I picked up the recent New York Times bestseller called Just the Good Stuff: No-BS Secrets to Success (No Matter What Life Throws at Y ou) by Jim VandeHei

Early on, Jim didn't seem like someone marked for success -- he barely got into college, and was a pretty lackluster student. But once he found a passion for politics and journalism he caught fire, and went on to cofound two of the most prominent media sites around, Politico and Axios , where he is currently the CEO. Jim’s life path has taught him a few things, and he decided to put them down in writing, organizing his advice into categories like Life Stuff, Work Stuff, Boss Stuff, Small Stuff, Tough Stuff, and Good Stuff. In this last section, he recommends drawing up a Happiness Matrix (yay, a matrix!) to help you clarify the different "buckets" that contribute to your wellbeing and to make sure you're keeping those buckets filled.

Hear a few of Jim's key success strategies:

We heard a lot of other big ideas on the show this week, including:

• What the fight against political bombings in early 20th-century New York City tells us about modern polarization, from technology and culture writer Steven Johnson
• How small actions can make a massive difference in your life, from physicians and educators Adaira Landry, MD MEd and Resa E Lewiss MD .
• Why we need to better understand human intelligence to craft the next generation of AI, from tech founder Max Bennett .
• How corporate crimes are undermining capitalism, from journalist Grace Blakeley .

So if you're ready to help yourself, to take concrete steps toward leading a better, smarter life, have a listen to these ideas and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

By the way, if you're interested in having these and thousands of other big ideas right in your pocket, download the Next Big Idea app .