Probably 90 percent of our life decisions are powered by the twin engines of inertia and laziness.
A. J. JacobsIโd recommend learning to accept rejection. Become friends with rejection. Be nice to rejection, because itโs a huge part of being a writer, no matter where you are in your career.
A. J. JacobsA few weeks later, Iโm in a fluorescent-lit classroom in Chelsea awaiting the start of the official Mensa test. Iโm sitting next to a guy whoโs doing a series of elaborate neck stretches, like weโre about to engage in a vigorous rugby match. Heโs neatly laid out four types of gum on his Formica desk: Juicy Fruit, Wrigley Spearmint, Big Red, and Eclipse. I hate this guy. I hope to God heโs not a genius.
A. J. JacobsI got a sense of the amazingness of ordinary life, and I became aware of the marvel that we're around to begin with. I visited a lot of extreme communities, like the Amish, Hasidic Jews, and serpent-handlers. And I was proud, because I think I'm the first person to ever out-Bible-talk a Jehovah's Witness. After four hours, he said, "Okay, I have to go."
A. J. Jacobs