I think this will turn out to be the Golden Rule for me. This isn’t necessarily about productivity – which it easily could be since it applies beautifully – but about putting ideas into tangible results. Shipping, so to speak.
When you consume you are not producing
When you have time at hand and you for example choose to watch a YouTube video you are not writing code, a blog post, filming a video or teaching. And the biggest bummer is, even when you read Paul Graham’s tips on how to start a business or listen to Mitch Joel’s podcast or watch the documentary about how Tim Ferriss learned Yabusame in 4 days, you are not producing. Sure you might learn, get inspired, connect but you are not crushing it. Mind you, I do read Graham, listen to Joel and watched the documentary and it surely was worth it. But I chose learning, inspiration and connection over progress. You just have to know how to choose when progress is needed.
3 Comments
Sven
For sure, while you consuming, you’re not producing business value. But without reading / listining/ watching about new stuff, you will also loose productivity and competitors will overtake. New technologies can also give you a perfomance boost. So if you don’t know them, you also have a problem with your productivity.
What is it worth learning about a technologie or methodology without trying to use it? As much as I enjoy consuming, I also like to get my hand dirty and actuallly try new things out in business.
Sebastian
Sure, and as you know I am all for reading and learning and everything you describe.
The ‘rule’ should be applied when you are actually trying to ship something, when you have to concentrate on your work.
I didn’t say it was rocket science, but it functions as a nice reminder.
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