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My 12 Favourite Problems

How do you know what to focus on when there is so much you can learn? Knowing your 12 favourite problems, like Richard Feynman, will help you focus, and organise new knowledge.

Liam Darmody
Liam Darmody
1 min read

Tiago Forte introduced me to the concept of 12 favourite problems. The idea is to keep a dozen questions that fascinate you. When you learn information and ideas, the 12 problems become containers to organise new knowledge. The concept came from this Richard Feynman quote:

You have to keep a dozen of your favourite problems constantly present in your mind, although by and large they will lay in a dormant state. Every time you hear or read a new trick or a new result, test it against each of your twelve problems to see whether it helps. Every once in a while there will be hit, and people will say, "How did he do it? He must be a genius!"

Here are my favourite problems. I use these questions to guide my reading and to organise my notes.

  • How can I unlock potential in the people I work with and through the experiences we create?
  • How can I become a better coach and mentor for those around me?
  • How can I foster life-long learning in a culture that desires short-term results?
  • How can I consistently improve my communication? How can I write to inspire and speak to connect?
  • What would creating look like if it were easy and fun?
  • How can I help people achieve financial freedom?
  • How can I live in the present while prioritising self improvement and growth?
  • How can I balance learning, creating, and resting? How can I integrate more time for rest into my life?
  • How can I make vulnerability, play and awe a part of every day?
  • How can I live a long, healthy and happy life?
  • How can I jointly raise a family that values love, empathy, curiosity, adventure and growth?
  • What is my definition of success? How can I achieve a state of “enough”?
Life Design

Liam Darmody Twitter

I’m a leadership coach and product advisor. I help ambitious tech leaders navigate transitions and drive sustainable growth—for themselves, their teams, and their products.


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