Three ways I achieve more
Step by step, until I get there
Ali Abdaal is the son of a single mum and immigrant to the UK. After graduating from Cambridge University, he worked for two years as an NHS doctor. In between patients and during his breaks, he worked on material for his side-hustle. In these intermittent periods, he developed ideas for education, productivity and personal development videos. This personal effectiveness hack enabled him to kick off and grow his YouTube startup. Today, Ali has a thriving £4m.pa business which employs 20 people.
Messy productivity
Productivity is not pretty. - Matthew Dicks
To be creative, I used to think that I needed just the right environment, e.g. on my regular seat in my favourite coffee shop with a Flat White. Otherwise I felt I could not write, code or design a logo. Productivity, I have come to realise, does not have to look pretty. I now use in-between times. Sharing a post on LinkedIn while waiting in a queue. Coding on my laptop on a train. Shaping ideas while out walking. I believe my prospects of achieving what I want are far greater now I embrace messy productivity.
Lily pad progress
To begin, begin. - William Wordsworth
I am developing a free to play mobile game called Scarper (Tetris meets Candy Crush). There are many different aspects to design and build. Some elements need to be completed in a sequential order, but many do not. When I have flexibility, I like to jump around from one activity to another, depending on my mood and energy. Matthew Dicks refers to this as the Lily Pad Method. Imagine a pond with lily pads spread over its surface. We need to get across the pond (complete a project) by hopping from one lily pad (a task) to the next. The route we take across the pond, via the lily pads, can vary.
My older self decides
The obsession with instant gratification blinds us to our long term potential. - Mike Dooley
For relatively unimportant decisions, I find it natural to take the easy option that leads to short term gratification or pain relief. If I’m making an important decision, however, then a more considered approach is justified. A useful perspective is to consider what my 90 year old self would advise. This helps me prioritise things that have greatest long term value, e.g. learning and experiences. Bronnie Ware, a palliative care nurse, said the top regret of the dying was, I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
Other resources
Someday is Today interview with Matthew Dicks
Make Time post by Phil Martin
Creative Momentum post by Phil Martin
Matthew Dicks sums it up. The only real failure for any creator is to stop making stuff.
Have fun.
Phil…
