Hey friends
Action and Execution get shit done.
The big difference between knowing how to do something and actually doing it is taking action.
MASSIVE. FUCKING. ACTION.
Here is a simple 3 step process for taking action and getting stuff done:
- Identify the stuff you need to do;
- Work out which stuff needs to be done now, what can be done later, what can be done by other people, and what stuff doesn’t need doing at all; and then
- Just Do It.
If you get stuck at any stage, try this.
Prioritise your tasks
Start with a brain dump and list all the small, medium, and big tasks that you need to get done. Small tasks are things to be done right now, medium tasks are things that are less time-sensitive and big tasks are your life plans and big goals.
Now you’ve got an action plan that you can start executing. At the end of each month, review your progress and look at how many tasks you’ve completed, which tasks have been missed, which tasks are no longer necessary, and add new tasks to your list.
Decide the small, medium, and big tasks that you want to focus on next month and go again. Take action, execute, and get stuff done.
Analysis Paralysis
After you’ve completed your first brain dump, there’s a good chance that you will overthink the stuff you need to get done.
There’s also a good chance that you’ll get trapped in the Paradox of Choice, where having too many options and decisions actually stresses you out.
You don’t have to consider every possible outcome on your list of things to do.
Keep it simple, take action and start building momentum by getting stuff done.
Avoid falling into analysis paralysis by:
- Breaking down tasks into the smallest possible steps that you can take right now.
- Fuck perfect - learn to make do by settling for good enough.
- Feeling overwhelmed? Cut back on the stuff you need to get done and reclaim some downtime to re-focus.
Time to get stuff done.
Enjoy your weekly dose of marginal gains!
🚀 Performance Hacks
How to manage the effects of Negative Thinking (2min)
According to the National Science Foundation, an average person has about 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day. Of those, 80% are negative and 95% are repetitive thoughts. How many times has the fear of what might happen prevented you from taking action on something you wanted to do? This simple tool will help manage your negative thoughts.
9 habits that help improve your level of self-discipline (2min)
The difference between successful + unsuccessful people is the habits they follow every day. Successful people perform the same habits daily. They have a set routine and stick to it. Here is a list of 9 habits that you can develop to build your level of self-discipline.
🧠 Brain Food
📖 Blinkist: Manage Your Day-To-Day by 99U and Jocelyn K. Glei. This Blink helps you build routine, find focus and sharpen your mind in just 18 minutes. It’s packed full of valuable insights like matching your body’s rhythm, working frequently to practice focus, sticking to one task at a time, and how to use tech as a tool rather than a distraction.
📝 Blog Post: The Power of No by Nir Eyal. Here is why you should read this post: “Everything you say “yes” to is incrementally one more thing to support and you die a death by a thousand cuts…your success will be more defined by what you choose not to do than by what you choose to do. Of course what you choose to do has to be meaningful, timely, valuable, prescient and high quality.” - Investor Marc Suster
🎙️ Podcast: Learning How To Learn with Barbara Oakley. Barbara is a polymath and the creator of the most popular Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) ever(!), with over one million, enrolled students. This podcast episode is all about the science of learning quickly, overcoming procrastination, and getting better at practically anything. I’m currently researching how to learn better for a future blog post and this episode plus Barbara’s course on Coursera and edX (see below) are the cornerstones of my education!
❓❓Two Questions
Question for you: What is the legacy you want to leave to the world?
Question for me? Send me an email and I’ll be happy to help. If you want to have a chat to go deeper, schedule a Discovery Call.
✍🏾 Quote of the Week
“If you have no plan, aimlessly work hard, and pray for success, it’s going to be very difficult.”
From Reasons Why Hard Work Is The Key To Success by Patrick Banks. Resurfaced using Readwise.
📱 Tools + Tech
💻 App: edX. I love this app. I found it a couple of years ago and took courses on philosophy and critical thinking. edX is an open online course provider created by Harvard and MIT. It hosts a bunch of online university-level courses in a wide range of disciplines from Architecture, Computer Science, and Engineering to Humanities Law, and Social Sciences. The best thing is, a lot of these courses are FREE!! You can pay for certification and study whole degrees online if you choose. It’s been a great recreational learning tool for me, you should definitely check it out.
🐦 Tweet Thread: Here’s a simple 10-step framework that will bring back 20+ hours every week
😑 Chill out: The Zen Zone offers 3 simple games for when you need a short, calming break.
💡 Recommendations
💼 You have 80,000 hours in your career, which makes it your best opportunity to have an impact on the world. Find out how.