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David Carson
David CarsonDavid Carson helps people use dumb-thinking as a superpower. He's a builder of ideas—some that seemed ridiculous at first, but ended up changing the game. His work, from shaping brands like American Express, Nike, Coca-Cola and IKEA to collaborating with inventive minds at Mother and Ogilvy, has sparked solutions that stick with people. Carson doesn’t just solve problems; he flips them over, asks the wrong questions, and finds answers no one saw coming. Millions have felt the ripple of his unorthodox thinking, whether they realize it or not.
If You Don't Pick the Scoreboard, the Scoreboard Picks You

If You Don't Pick the Scoreboard, the Scoreboard Picks You

Why sabotaging your scoreboard is the smartest move you'll make.

David Carson
David Carson
Jan 29, 2026
How Trader Joe's Wins by Getting Everything Wrong

How Trader Joe's Wins by Getting Everything Wrong

The grocery store that broke every rule of retail and became a $16 billion cult.

David Carson
David Carson
Jan 22, 2026
Stop Trying to Find Your Passion. Build It.

Stop Trying to Find Your Passion. Build It.

Passion isn't something you discover. Passion is something you cultivate.

David Carson
David Carson
Jan 15, 2026
Your Brain Needs Confusion Like Muscles Need Weight

Your Brain Needs Confusion Like Muscles Need Weight

Confusion is the resistance training that turns information into real learning.

David Carson
David Carson
Jan 8, 2026
Your art teacher lied to you.

Your art teacher lied to you.

This is the single dumbest thing we teach creative people.

David Carson
David Carson
Jan 1, 2026
The Gift of Being Wrong

The Gift of Being Wrong

How a typo saved Christmas and a glitch made billions.

David Carson
David Carson
Dec 25, 2025
Why You Should Talk to Yourself in Public

Why You Should Talk to Yourself in Public

Society tells us that mumbling to ourselves is a sign of madness, a habit reserved for the unhinged or the socially awkward. But what if the person muttering next to the Gouda is actually the smartest one in the room?

David Carson
David Carson
Dec 18, 2025
The science of wasting time effectively.

The science of wasting time effectively.

One dumb thing leads to another (literally).

David Carson
David Carson
Dec 11, 2025
In Defense of Dumb

In Defense of Dumb

Why the Anxious Try-Hards Are Losing Their Grip

David Carson
David Carson
Dec 4, 2025
Getting Weird With Friends & Family

Getting Weird With Friends & Family

Why "dignity" is the enemy of joy, and a step-by-step guide to lowering the bar until everyone is having a good time.

David Carson
David Carson
Nov 27, 2025
How your commonsense helps you choose which dumb idea is better than your other dumb ideas

How your commonsense helps you choose which dumb idea is better than your other dumb ideas

It’s not the voice that kills your weird ideas. It’s the one that keeps them from dying on impact.

David Carson
David Carson
Nov 20, 2025
❤️ The Dumb Guide to Emotion

❤️ The Dumb Guide to Emotion

Every feeling is a small burst of intelligence, whispering what matters before reason finds the words.

David Carson
David Carson
Nov 13, 2025
Your Brain, the Spielberg of Nonsense

Your Brain, the Spielberg of Nonsense

Why your imagination isn’t fantasy—it’s adaptive storytelling.

David Carson
David Carson
Nov 6, 2025
Your Gut Knows Something You Don’t (Yet)

Your Gut Knows Something You Don’t (Yet)

Ever get goosebumps for no reason? That’s not superstition. It’s your primal intelligence trying to send you a memo.

David Carson
David Carson
Oct 30, 2025
The Genius of Playing Dumb

The Genius of Playing Dumb

Delivered Weekly, Because Thinking Dumb Takes Time.

David Carson
David Carson
Oct 23, 2025
Ridiculous Rituals (and Why Your Brain Loves Them Anyway)

Ridiculous Rituals (and Why Your Brain Loves Them Anyway)

Delivered Weekly, Because Thinking Dumb Takes Time.

David Carson
David Carson
Oct 16, 2025
The Science of Being Stupid Together

The Science of Being Stupid Together

What if the secret to high-performing teams and genuine human connection isn't more professionalism, but less?

David Carson
David Carson
Oct 9, 2025
The Strange World of Cheese Influencers

The Strange World of Cheese Influencers

(And the Secret to Finding Joy)

David Carson
David Carson
Oct 2, 2025
How to Think Upside Down Good

How to Think Upside Down Good

The dumb art of being backwards.

David Carson
David Carson
Sep 25, 2025
Why Fight For Scraps When You Can Throw Your Own Party?

Why Fight For Scraps When You Can Throw Your Own Party?

Forget battling for attention in crowded markets. The Nobody’s-Here-Party Method shows you how to walk out, find an empty room, and make it the hottest spot in town.

David Carson
David Carson
Sep 18, 2025
The Things That Make You Weird Make You Memorable

The Things That Make You Weird Make You Memorable

You can spend your whole life trying to blend in and still get forgotten, or you can lean into the part of you that makes people tilt their heads and go, “Huh.”

David Carson
David Carson
Sep 11, 2025
The Trouble With Thinking You're Smarter Than You Are

The Trouble With Thinking You're Smarter Than You Are

How to cure chronic know-it-all syndrome (starting with yourself)

David Carson
David Carson
Sep 4, 2025
Why We Make Stuff Harder Than It Needs to Be

Why We Make Stuff Harder Than It Needs to Be

How the best solutions are hiding behind our need to look smart.

David Carson
David Carson
Aug 28, 2025
You Will Never Meet an Idiot Who Isn't Having a Good Time

You Will Never Meet an Idiot Who Isn't Having a Good Time

How my friend Adi accidentally solved the happiness equation.

David Carson
David Carson
Aug 21, 2025
Why Your Brain Craves What You're Afraid to Give It

Why Your Brain Craves What You're Afraid to Give It

When the problem is too much versus too little

David Carson
David Carson
Aug 14, 2025
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