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How to focus, make progress, and more
3 Concept, 2 Frameworks, 1 Proverb Pic - Newsletter #2
3 Growth concepts from others.
Concept #1
"Before you throw more time at the problem, throw more focused action at the problem. You don’t need more time, you need fewer distractions." - James Clear
My Takeaway: We all have the same amount of time. Why are some wildly productive and others can't get out of bed? The former knows exactly what needs to get done. If it's important, it should be prioritized. Getting things done is very difficult in a world that is constantly trying to distract you with notifications. Focused action on a single problem allows you to put all your energy toward it. This is more difficult than you think. It is better to have more focused action toward a problem and have a lot of free time rather than thinking you can fill that free time with other things. It's all about how you're managing your capacity. If something is difficult for you, you need to devote double or triple the energy to make progress. It's kind of like pushing a car. Very difficult to get rolling but once it's rolling, it's rolling.
Concept #2
Most people suck at setting goals. The reason is they optimize for the destination, not the journey. -Nathan Barry
My Takeaway: Most of the time when we said out to accomplish a new goal, we optimize to get to the goal as quickly as possible. This insight from Nathan Barry helps shift the perspective to optimizing for the journey rather than the destinations. Most of the time, the reason why we do not achieve our goals is that the journey is too difficult for us to endure because of the speed in which we are looking to accomplish it. Rather, when we optimize for the journey, we will achieve our goals and go much further.
Concept #3
“What you don’t do determines what you can do.” -Tim Ferriss
My Takeaway: Start with "no". You can always change your mind and say yes. If you are not sure, it's still a no. It's much more difficult to take a back a yes. When your default is no to the request for your time, it gives you a moment to evaluate and prioritize that decision. This will give you the freedom to design your life and do the things you want to do and not the things that find their way onto your calendar.
2 Personal frameworks
Create > Criticize
We default to criticism. But we live in a world that was created by others. Criticism has its place, but in today's world, it has taken centerstage undeservedly. Why? Because it is easier than creating. Creating is a vulnerable act. Because you take something and put it out there into the world to be criticized. Most of those that criticize will never take the step of becoming a creator. It reminds me of that Theodore Roosevelt quote " “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither knows victory nor defeat.”
Doing ideas > Talking ideas
Similarly, talking ideas - is the less aggressive cousin of criticism. Good ideas occur often but great execution is rare. The best doers, in my experience, execute quietly. They don't need others' validation to accomplish the vision that they have. Talk is cheap.
1 Proverb Pic
In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9
My Takeaway: This proverb is a statement about God's sovereign control. It can be both frightening and comforting. If it's frightening, we are holding too tightly to the plans in our hearts and not trusting that God is working for our good. It is not a bad thing to plan our course, and we should. If it's comforting, we can move through all the twists, and turns in life, knowing that every questionable detour is providential. Then, when we look back, we can see all the ways he has safely guided us to our destination. If fear strikes, look back, remember, and let His faithfulness be a comfort to you.
Genesis 1:1- “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”. The word "created" (ex nihilo) emphasizes a crucial point that God created out of nothing.
Similarly, entrepreneurship is creating as God creates. Thanks for being a part of this community of entrepreneurs and creating something out of nothing.
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