1 weird trick for overcoming intellectual paralysis

How do you read anything without having already read everything?

Internal monologue: you little [redacted] why I oughta [redacted] the [redacted] outta you

For years I was wretchedly frightened of surfing alone in big (well, big-to-me) waves. I’d arrive at the beach and throw an invisible tantrum, vomit in my mouth, spend 45 minutes applying decorative curlicues of wax on the board, etc.

Finally I stumbled on a psychol…