Why this · The Manifesto
A Manifesto for Human Flourishing
A blueprint to improve human endeavors — a statement of the values and beliefs that guide Habit Learning Company.
Preface
A personal note from David
“If you've attempted change in the past and haven't seen results, you may have concluded that change is hard or that you can't succeed because you lack motivation. Neither is accurate. The problem is with the approach itself, not with you… It's a design flaw – not a personal flaw.”
BJ Fogg · Tiny Habits
Throughout human history, we have repeatedly faced a wide range of challenges. One constant challenge is improving and applying human intelligence. Although we have made many improvements, modern life has made it increasingly difficult to implement them. We believe that with the right approach, we can meet these challenges — not only improving human intelligence but also applying it for our collective benefit.
Science plays a huge role in demonstrating this approach, and our company will do what we can to bring it to light in practical, common-sense contexts. But this manifesto is not an exhaustive compilation of the research supporting this cause; it is a statement of values and beliefs that guide Habit Learning Company. We will publish many articles, papers, and links to that research should you wish to engage with it — we just will not do so in this document.
The manifesto is an invitation to like-minded people who wish to join us on this journey. I assure you that our approach will be pragmatic: we seek small, modest, realistic improvements now, which we hope will one day grow into something greater.
We hope you will join us in pursuing the realization of this manifesto and in testing its insights, science, and practice.
“Building a practice for human betterment — built one tiny experiment at a time.”
The problem
Improving human intelligence
Our understanding of human intelligence has seen an amazing expansion this century. Yet the world faces many of the same problems improving human intelligence now as it has for the last 100 years.
We've overemphasized training our cognitive abilities at the expense of other aspects of human intelligence — understanding how our thinking works (metacognition), comprehending the role of emotions in our intelligence (Emotional Intelligence), and recognizing the impact of cultural divides and a lack of shared common knowledge (Cultural Intelligence).
There are plenty of magazine articles, classes, and even organizational initiatives focused on these other parts of our intelligence, but they are largely halfhearted and suffer from significant design flaws in how they try to teach and habituate these improvements. Ironically, many of those design flaws result from shortcomings in the very same metacognition, emotional, and cultural intelligence.
The four intelligences — all of it improvable
The intelligences we've neglected are exactly where the obstacles live.
What we're up against →Why we do it
A practice people are hungry for
We hope that a practice for human flourishing — small, daily, accumulating habits — is something many people are quietly hungry for, and that a framework that respects their intelligence and refuses to lie to them about what counts is something they will recognize when they meet it.
Our operating principles
A modern approach to human improvement
The mission of this framework is to enhance the development and application of human intelligence. This objective is achieved when individuals can more precisely define the problem and solution spaces in their lives, leading to superior solutions and sustained improvements.
To operationalize this mission, Habit Learning Company is developing and refining a learning framework — tools and products that support, facilitate, and execute the company's mission.
The Company Operating Principle is best understood through what we believe, grounded in science and experience. We firmly believe that if more organizations embraced this Operating Principle, it would fundamentally align with efforts to achieve better human outcomes — a belief grounded in proven research and practice.
And perhaps most importantly, we believe it is critical to iterate and adapt to the changes around us. Science and our practice evidence are not static; they are a continual process of learning. The story of getting better requires curiosity, creative acts, and agility — our challenges do not sit still.
The story we believe
The principles we build on
Our research, our experience in learning & development, and advances in science have led us to a story that centers on a number of core principles:
Principle 01
Meet people where they are
Start by meeting a person where they are — help people become aware of how shortcomings in their intelligence are at the root of solving the problems in their life.
Principle 02
Intelligence is more than IQ
Human intelligence is more than developing and applying cognitive ability (IQ). Emotional Intelligence, Cultural Intelligence, and our thinking process (metacognition) are central to how we identify and define problems — and formulate solutions.
Principle 03
Defining the problem comes first
Identifying and defining the problem is by far the most important skill in the modern world. Without deciding which problems to solve, what their priority is, and how to define them, creating solutions is running in the dark.
Principle 04
We are story-making beings
Humans are story-making beings, and the arts and science are partners, not enemies. We all carry mental models that give the world meaning; part of improving intelligence is making those narratives better serve the truth and more easily expose misinformation.
Principle 05
Curiosity, creativity, adaptability
Curiosity, creativity, and adaptability are central sparks for improving human intelligence. Curiosity drives inquiry, creative acts make us visible to others, and adaptability recognizes that the world is a dynamic, evolving place that constantly challenges us.
Principle 06
Intelligence is foundational to ethics
Improving the full spectrum of human intelligence is foundational to morality and ethics. Humans are not rational machines; the emotional and cultural context of our relationships is critical to treating problems as more than logical puzzles to solve.
Principle 07
It applies across every domain
These improvements apply across all domains of humankind — child-rearing, individual mental health, business performance, politics, governance, relationships of any size, and scientific research, to name a few.
One tiny habit at a time
You can start today
All this can start to sound overwhelming and overly complex, leaving you unsure of what to do or where to start. But if you take only one thing from this manifesto, let it be this: human improvement happens one tiny habit at a time.
You don't need to read a book, take a class, or buy a habit tracker — although any of those might be fun or helpful, none of them are necessary. We will help you experiment with tiny, low-stakes behavioral change. After trying the little experiment, you'll learn something about yourself — whether the experiment fails or succeeds.
We hope you'll join us on this journey.
We hope you'll join us on this journey.
This manifesto is an invitation to like-minded people. Tell us which doors are yours — and we'll be in touch as we open each one.
Accept the invitation ›