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Bill Murphy Jr.

Hi. I write the Understandably daily newsletter—no algorithms, no outrage, just an essential daily newsletter trusted by 175,000+ smart people who want to understand the world, one day at a time. Plus bonus ebooks (aka 'Ubooks').

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October 14, 2024 "I've got to give props to the Jesuit priests." — Neil deGrasse Tyson ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Hey look, a chance to support the newsletter! Sponsored by: Lulu Want to publish a book? It’s never been easier! Think about the most respected leaders in your industry. What do many of them have in common? They’ve probably published a book. Becoming an author in your field establishes you as an authority. It’s powerful social proof that tells the world you have valuable knowledge to share. And...

October 7, 2024 "I put instant coffee in a microwave oven and almost went back in time." — Steven Wright ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Hey look, a chance to support the newsletter! How to Get the Most Out of Your Non-Fiction Reads Looking to upgrade your reading routine with a nonfiction book summary app? Shortform might be just what you need. Here’s the deal: most apps only skim the surface, but Shortform takes it up a notch with in-depth guides that really unpack the core ideas of each book. With thousands...

September 26, 2024 "I was literally just doing my job." — Stanislav Petrov ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Hey look, a chance to support the newsletter! Focus Up! Unlock your brain's full potential with Brain.fm—neuroscience-powered music designed to sync your brain patterns for peak focus, relaxation, or sleep the moment you hit play. If you're anything like me you spend a lot of time working on the things you care about. I love writing Big Optimism, but it takes a lot of time, energy, and... focus. That's...

September 23, 2024 "A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad." — Shigeru Miyamoto ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Hey look, a chance to support the newsletter! sponsored by: Shortform How to Get More Out of Your Non-Fiction Reads Want to level up your reading game with a nonfiction book summary app? Give Shortform a shot.Here’s the thing: most book-summary apps just hit you with the highlights, but Shortform goes way deeper. They’ve got detailed guides that dive into the heart of the...

September 17, 2024 "His music just left the solar system." — Aaron Sorkin ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Hey look, a chance to support the newsletter! Please let me know here if you can't see the ads. Thanks! ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ Blind Willie Johnson When Willie Johnson was about 7 years old, near the start of the last century, he endured something horrible. The son of a Texas sharecropper, Willie's father confronted his stepmother for supposedly cheating on him; in revenge, she threw a solution of lye in Willie's face,...

September 16, 2024 "God works a miracle! — William Bradford ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Hey look, a chance to support the newsletter! How You Can Learn More from Non-Fiction Books Want to improve your reading with a nonfiction book summary app? Shortform is one to try. Unlike other services that only offer brief overviews, Shortform stands out with their quality and in-depth guides. And, with thousands of book guides across more than 30 categories, Shortform covers all your interests, whether you're into...

September 5, 2024 "Write this down, young man. Life has been extremely, I say extremely, kind." — Margaret Gorman ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Hey look, a chance to support the newsletter! Learn proven AI-Strategies for Business in just 4-Hours for free! 🤯 Are you struggling to solve problems for your business? 🤯Or want to create new strategies to grow it? 🚀Join this 4-Hour AI Business Growth & Strategy Masterclass to learn secrets that the top Professionals at Mckinsey & Company use to solve business...

September 3, 2024 "You may think using Google's great, but I still think it's terrible." — Larry Page, co-founder of Google ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Hey look, a chance to support the newsletter! Learn proven AI-Strategies for Business in just 4-Hours for free! 🤯 Are you struggling to solve problems for your business? 🤯Or want to create new strategies to grow it? 🚀Join this 4-Hour AI Business Growth & Strategy Masterclass to learn secrets that the top Professionals at Mckinsey & Company use to solve...

September 2, 2024 "All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance." — Martin Luther King Jr. ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Hey look, a chance to support the newsletter! My father worked as a waste collector for years. Occasionally he would share, "Today I saw a box of shoes/jewelry/DVDs/etc. I wish I’d brought it home!" Then the excitement would wane as the realization grew that the objects were now lost treasures, forever forgotten.Reflecting on this memory and other inspirations we knew we wanted...

August 29, 2024 "It's good to learn from your mistakes. It's better to learn from other people's mistakes." — Warren Buffett ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ Hey look, a chance to support the newsletter! Learn proven AI-Strategies for Business in just 4-Hours for free! 🤯 Are you struggling to solve problems for your business? 🤯Or want to create new strategies to grow it? 🚀Join this 4-Hour AI Business Growth & Strategy Masterclass to learn secrets that the top Professionals at Mckinsey & Company use to solve...