How to Make Your Life Easier in 2026 – New Tips from Maria Popova, Morgan Housel, Cal Newport, Craig Mod, and Debbie Millman (#857)
Many of us feel as if we are drowning in invisible problems. So I wanted to take a moment and ask a simple question: What 1-3 decisions would make my life easier in 2026? To test that, I invited five longtime listener favorites: Maria Popova, Morgan Housel, Cal Newport, Craig Mod, and Debbie Millman.
More about today’s guests:
Maria Popova (@mariapopova) thinks and writes about our search for meaning, sometimes through science and philosophy, sometimes through poetry and children’s books, always with wonder. He is the creator of The Marginalian (born in 2006 under the name Choice Brain), included in the Library of Congress digital archive of culturally significant materials. His books and projects include Traversal, Atmosphere in Verse, Measurement, The Most Beautiful Place on the Moon, again Bird Almanac: 100 Fortune Telling Uncertain Days.
Morgan Housel (@morganhousel) is a partner at The Collaborative Fund. His book The Psychology of Money it has sold more than three million copies and has been translated into 53 languages. Morgan is also the author of Same as Ever: A Guide to the Constant again The Art of Using Money.
Cal Newport is a professor of computer science at Georgetown University, where he is also a founding member of the Center for Digital Behavior. In addition to his academic work, Newport i New York Times best-selling author who writes for general audiences about the intersection of technology, manufacturing, and culture. His books have sold millions of copies and have been translated into more than forty languages. He also contributes The New Yorker and hosts popular Deep Questions a podcast. His latest book says Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Effortless Accomplishment.
Craig Mod (@craigmod) is a writer, photographer, and traveler living in Tokyo and Kamakura, Japan. He is the author of Things Become Other Things again Kissa by Kissa. He also writes newsletters Roden again The Ridgeline and contribute to The New York Times, The Atlantic, It has stringsand more.
Debbie Millman (@debbiemillman) named one of the most intelligent people in business by Fast company and one of the most influential designers working today is Graphic Design USA. He is an excellent host Design Matters—a great game and one of the longest running podcasts in the world. He is also the chair of the Masters in Branding Program at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, the editorial director of. Print a Harvard Business School Case Study, and a member of the board of directors at the Joyful Heart Foundation.
Please enjoy!
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How to Simplify Your Life in 2026 – New Tips from Maria Popova, Morgan Housel, Cal Newport, Craig Mod, and Debbie Millman
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Transcript
SELECTED CONNECTIONS ARE IN THE SECTION
Books
Movies and TV
People
Podcasts and media
Want to hear another episode with someone committed to the disciplined pursuit of the small? Listen to my interview with Greg McKeownthe author of Essentialism again Powerwhere we discussed how Gandhi would sum up Essentialism, the joy of simplicity, the difference between hard work and dull results, pet questions, practical gratitude, and much more.
