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I started this site more than 15 years ago to share what I'm learning through my work at the Gates Foundation and elsewhere.

Reader Jeff wrote me back about funny stories to let me know that he was in the room when I told those skeptical, type-A business schoolers that if they wanted to succeed as capital allocators, they should try to be ent…

In the news today: A 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon and Israel halts fighting between Israel and Hezbollah; a messy GOP battle over a foreign surveillance program; and problems with ICE’s recent hiring spree.

Webcomic creator Sean Kleefeld logged into Amazon on Monday and found 15 years of order history, his Comixology library, his Prime membership, and every dollar of income tied to his self-published books… gone.

This was back in 2006, when a historic oil boom meant Chavez could just do things.

Good morning. It's Friday, April 17, and we're covering a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, a map showing William Shakespeare's London property, and much more.

Good news: my wrist is feeling better. Even better news: the injury pushed me to explore new ways of working, especially using my voice.

I had to dictate those words to ChatGPT so you could read them. A few days ago, I sprained my wrist and haven’t been able to type with my left hand since.

Three years ago, I started working on a book proposal for what would ultimately become Tiny Experiments.

Last week, I turned on my out-of-office autoresponder and took my first real break in a long time. I say “real” because anyone who cares about their work knows how hard it can be to truly disconnect.

The sun is shining in London, and I’ve decided to embrace the shift in seasons as an opportunity to reconnect with my creativity and curiosity.

This was a special week. I spent three days in the Fontainebleau forest with my parents and siblings.

I’m so happy to see the impact the book is having on readers’ personal and professional lives.

Last week’s article about the functional freeze seemed to really resonate.

• How can you cultivate an experimental mindset? • What are some tiny experiments anyone can do?

It’s tempting to stay in productive mode and push through to answer all these emails as quickly as possible, but I know I need to recharge my batteries if I want to have the mental and emotional capacity to explore what…

Book... Launched!

Thank you so much for the outpouring of support.

In this keynote, I talk about the science and stories that inspired Tiny Experiments.

Thank you so much for the outpouring of support.

One final reminder: the bonuses for Tiny Experiments disappear tonight. I put a lot of thought into these extra resources and really don’t want you to miss this.

I already had several friends who were familiar with my work and had kindly agreed to review the book, which I was incredibly grateful for.

By the time you’re reading this email, I’ll be stepping onto the SXSW EDU stage to deliver a keynote in front of 1,700 people – something that would have been unimaginable not long ago when the very thought of public sp…

It wasn’t just about promoting my new book.

When I was seven, I wanted to be a paleontologist.

In my book Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World, I explore how an experimental mindset can transform not just what we achieve, but how we experience the journey itself – and how that journey is …

You’ve probably seen this pattern in yourself and others. It’s far easier not to fail when you haven’t tried.

Have you ever opened a bag of chips, telling yourself you’d just have a handful, only to look down and realize the entire thing is gone?

When you think about people conducting experiments at home, you might picture scenes from old horror movies – a wild-haired scientist in a dark basement, mysterious bubbling potions, and mad declarations along the lines…

When you’re uncertain, your brain activates two key regions. Your amygdala, the emotional center, treats uncertainty as a potential threat.

At his school in ancient Athens, Aristotle encouraged everyone to walk through the gardens while discussing ideas, rather than sitting quietly for lectures.

As a child, I believed in magic. During family holidays in Brittany, I would scan the landscape for korrigans, the local gnome-like spirits.

Preorder your copy of Tiny Experiments before January 7th and receive an exclusive Year of Curiosity worksheet with 52 curiosity prompts, 12 monthly themes, and fillable weekly review templates.

I felt quite lost and had to apply all the principles in the book to enjoy this dance – one that had no clear steps, set to strange music I had never heard before – and trust that things would unfold in time.

In 2008, Spotify set the ambitious vision to create a legal music streaming service that could compete with piracy.

As the end of the year settles in, you might notice a distinct downshift in energy, both in yourself and the world around you.

Today marks the 250th edition of the Ness Labs newsletter.

Systemic complexity means that we cannot rely on our memory alone to know what to do and when to know it.

“In Tiny Experiments, Anne-Laure Le Cunff shows how to separate ambition from rigid linear goals; allowing uncertainty to bloom into possibility and a meaningful life to emerge organically.

“I loved this profound, practical, and generous book.

Help your colleague fix a bug, remind the sales team to follow up with a prospect, write a detailed brief for the marketing intern, share a list of healthy recipes with your spouse, plan out a fun day for you and your f…

Growing up, many of us are taught to fight off our fears—to be strong and confident, to cast away our doubts and insecurities.

Setting boundaries is hard. From an early age, we’re taught to be kind, helpful, and generous.

We spend a lot of time worrying. About work, money, friends, family, the future.

“Deliberate practice occurs when an individual intentionally repeats an activity in order to improve performance,” explains psychologist Guillermo Campitelli.

Whether it’s racing to meet a tight deadline or dealing with difficult clients, there are many reasons why you may feel anxious at work.

Following a recent essay by Paul Graham, everyone has been talking about Founder Mode (running the business with a hands-on approach at all levels) versus Manager Mode (delegating responsibilities to direct reports).

It was a lovely summer day in 2022 and I was about to close my laptop to enjoy the sunshine, when an email from a well-known publisher appeared in my inbox.

Sleeping is strange. We spend on average a third of our life asleep.

Regularly writing about your ambitions could be the key to a happier, healthier you.