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In today's fast-paced world, the urge to seek approval can be overwhelming. However, “The Courage to Be Disliked” by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga sheds light on how we can achieve personal happiness by embracing our true selves—without relying on validation from others. The book is a powerful guide for anyone looking to live more authentically and courageously. The core of this book revolves around Adlerian psychology, established by Alfred Adler. This philosophy highlights the importance of personal responsibility in determining our life paths. We are not merely products of our environment rather an active participant in shaping it. This post outlines the main ideas from the book, providing insights and practical applications for those looking to embrace a fearless approach to life. The Power of Subjective Interpretation in Self-Perception When something is subjective, the individual has the power to interpret it either positively or negatively. For example, comparison is entirely subjective, so how we assess ourselves depends on our own interpretation and choice. If I have an issue with my height, it's only because I perceive it as a problem. The Dual Goals of Behavior: Self-Reliance and Social Harmony There are two goals for behavior: to be self-reliant and to live harmoniously within society. Consequently, the objectives of the psychology supporting these behaviors are the awareness of one's capability and the understanding that people are allies. The Power of Choice Considering an event as etiological means thinking in terms of cause and effect, which leads us to overlook the individual's ability to choose. The Dangers of Seeking External recognition Most people behave a certain way only because they desire recognition from others, our sense of self and confidence depends on that but it’s a dangerous way to live because then we only act when we get a reward or we are being punished. This implies that others are in control of our life and we are living their lives and not our own. Separation of tasks Many interpersonal issues can be resolved if we distinguish our tasks from others and take responsibility for our own tasks without interfering with others. For example, studying is a child's task, and parents should not interfere because the consequences of studying or not studying fall on the child, making it their responsibility. Parents should encourage them. Similarly, worrying about how others perceive us is not our task; we should focus only on our actions. Task separation fosters self-acceptance because it helps discern what is within one's control and what is not. Vertical vs. Horizontal relationships Praise often stems from a perception of hierarchy, where the praiser views themselves as superior. This vertical perspective on relationships leads to offering praise or recognition to those seen as inferior. Horizontal relationships on the other hand are relationships of equals and gratitude is expressed as a preferred mode of communication to show respect and encouragement Cultivating Self-Worth Through Community Contribution A true sense of self-worth arises from the subjective experience of being beneficial to the community and feeling a sense of contribution.Consider others not at the 'level of acts' but at the 'level of being.' This means others have something to contribute simply by existing, even if they cannot contribute through actions. For instance, an ailing elderly person is valuable just by being alive and present psychologically. Transitioning from Self-Interest to Self-Acceptance for Greater Confidence in Others There is a need for humans to shift from self-concern (self-interest) to concern for others. Thus, we need to transition from self-affirmation (which can lead to self-delusion) to self-acceptance, where we accept ourselve as we are and have confidence in others, viewing them as comrades. Only with self-acceptance can we have confidence in others. By placing unconditional trust in others and seeing people as comrades, one can engage in 'contribution to others.' This contribution leads to a deep awareness that 'I am of use to someone,' allowing self-acceptance. If one feels useful to someone, the desire for recognition from others diminishes because one becomes deeply aware of their usefulness as they are. Embracing the Present: Finding Meaning and Happiness in the Moment Life is composed of a series of moments, resembling a dot instead of a line, existing in the present. Consequently, happiness is accessible now, not at some far-off future time.The meaning of life must be assigned by the individual. Thus, life in general has no inherent meaning. However, you can assign meaning to your life, and you are the only one who can do so. With dance, it is the dancing itself that is the goal, and no one is concerned with arriving somewhere by doing it. Naturally, it may happen that one arrives somewhere as a result of having danced. Since one is dancing, one does not stay in the same place. But there is no destination.

Movie - Tamasha Lyrics - Irshad Kamil Before explaining what the lyrics mean, let me describe the scenes that precedes the song (spoilers ahead..) Taara(Deepika) denies ‘Ved’s’ (Ranbir) marriage proposal citing him to be a changed man from when they had first met. She seems to be in love with the former Ved(the one she meets in Corsica) instead of the latter Ved(the stuck-in-the-daily-rut Product Manager). This leaves Ved shattered. Later he visits her place in the middle of the night and loses his mind, blurting hate and acting insane. In this moment, she gets a glimpse into the mental mess he is in. It gives away his internal turmoil, a chaos created due to the dual life he has been leading(Not living his true self but being what the society expected him to be) and not just being rejected in love. She is numbed with guilt and feels the need to reach out to him as she realizes that there is more than what really meets the eye. So they decide to meet. This time again his madness comes to the forefront where he just says that ‘tujhe toh pyar ho gaya hay pagli par kisi aur se’. And ‘Taara’ accepts that it was all her fault and she still loves him as she feels that’s the only way she can redeem him. Thus begins ‘Agar tum sath ho’ to comfort a chaotic & broken heart. Pal bhar theher jaao dil ye sambhal jaaye kaise tumhe roka karoon meri taraf aata har gham phisal jaaye aankhon mein tumko bharoon, bin bole baatein tumse karoon, gar tum saath ho, agar tum saath ho. In essence, she is urging him to stay so that she can relax/feel better. She feels that she will be able to deal with all her sorrows if he is there, if he is there! Behti rehti neher nadiyaan si teri duniya mein meri duniya hai teri chaahaton mein main Dhal jaati hoon teri aadaton mein gar tum saath ho. She says that his forever moving life is where her world lies and it lies in loving him. And she moulds herself in his habits/ways of life if he is there, if he is there along! Teri nazron mein hai tere sapne, tere sapnon mein hai naraazi, mujhe lagta hai ki baatein dil ki hoti lafzon ki dhokhebaazi tum saath ho ya na ho kya fark hai bedard thi zindagi bedard hai This time he says! “You have dreams and those dreams reflect your disappointment/let down!(You have been let down in love as I am not the one you expected me to be)”. He feels the matters of the heart are just fooling around with the words. “Whether You are there are not,for me it doesn’t make a difference because my life will remain joyless/painful”-he says To me, this gives away that his turmoil lies much deeper and hasn’t got anything to do with her. It might be him being construed as rude but i think it aptly reflects a man’s point of view of living a worthless life devoid of any meaning! Palken jhapakte hi din ye nikal jaaye baithi baithi bhaagi phiroon meri taraf aata har gham phisal jaaye aankhon mein tumko bharoon, bin bole baatein tumse karoon, gar tum saath ho, agar tum saath ho.. There she goes again! Still consoling him. Telling him that her days just passby in a flash and she runs around (emotionally) and all her sorrows go away when he is with her..when he is with her! All in all, this song, the lyrics as well as the visual deserves a standing ovation for reflecting complexities of such fragile emotions like a heartbreak so sensitively. Immersed in hues of red and muted yellows gives it depth and meaning. The two lovers go beyond being just romantic partners. They are soulmates. You know they are! Kudos to them!

We all feel frustrated, sad and unhappy at times due to the expectations that others have of us. We are pressured to live a certain way or adhere to demands that they have of us. As a result we tend to lose our control and react in the heat of the moment. These situations can range from a compulsion to do something we don’t want to, told to do something instead of being asked, forcing their opinions on us or being asked to live or behave a certain way. All these situations, demands, expectations drain us of our vitality and make us lose control of our lives. Though we prefer not react to them in the moment, there are times we feel powerless, frustrated and defeated. While we somewhere deeply know that there is no point in being reactive and losing control as it ultimately leads to conflicts and arguments which we want to avoid at any cost as it takes away our peace of mind, there can be a lingering sense of sadness and disconnectedness that we feel as a result. Although we know that we should set healthy boundaries and communicate our needs upfront but we still wonder if there is a different way to go about this. Our reactions mostly aggravate a situation. They are a sign of emotional immaturity and can make us feel like the ‘world is against us’. As per Nicole LePera, the author of the book ‘How to do the work’, ‘emotional immaturity revolves around the inability to tolerate’. Tolerance is thus dictated by how we feel not just about our own emotions but those of others as well. However, if we are observant and thoughtful we will find that instead of reacting and resisting, if we give-in to the situation and allow it to unfold as it is, there is a very different feeling or outcome. It’s a sign of emotional maturity defined as being at peace with the misunderstanding of others or with being misunderstood ourselves. On a closer look though there emerges another observation that can shift our perspective about how we view such circumstances or situations. After being in these different situations myself, feeling the way I do and dealing with them I have felt that there is a law/Principle that relates to our response to the situations that we face. This law is : ⚖️ “ The more i resist something, the more it persists” Another variation of this is : ⚖️ What we resist, persists. This applies to all situations, circumstances and scenarios. When we allow things to flow in their natural course they usually get resolved on its own. It’s almost like magic. It feels like the universe was asking us to be patient and resilient and weather the storm and once that storm has passed and we have been through it we will be a completely different person. This reminds me a quote from ‘Kafka on the shore’ - And once the storm is over you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about - Haruki Murakami This makes me think that everything unfolds according to a certain order and that everything has its own purpose. When we are in alignment with that, nature collaborates with us and our actions are infused with harmony and balance. The more mindful we are to nature’s processes the more we are able to experience flow. That is what is meant by going with the flow . In other words, this means responding to events, people or situations with a flexible attitude and an open mind, allowing the situation to evolve in the way it is meant to, instead of forcing ourselves onto it. We practice what Jay Shetty in his book ‘Think like a monk’ calls ‘detachment’ This is detachment, when you observe your own reactions from a distance—with your monk mind—making decisions with a clear perspective. - Think like a monk, Jay Shetty This way, we are able to adapt to the changes around us, and find a solution that works best for all. By embracing this way of thinking, we become co-creator’s with the universe and are driven by a purpose that is higher than our own self. The drama that ensues due to unnecessary resistance to ‘what is’ prevents us from fully inhabiting the present moment. By this simple act of letting go what is not in our control and focussing on the present moment and believing that it’s all happening for the better we honour the power of ‘now’. As a consequence of this, we feel more peace and contentment. Our actions are infused with meaning and purpose. So what can you do the allow life to unfold the way it is meant to : Be present . When you are facing a difficult situation where others are trying to be intrusive, check-in with yourself to observe your body and what’s happening inside you. Patiently listen and let them express their thoughts and expectations. Notice your thoughts and see if resistance starts to build up inside you. Acknowledge you thoughts and emotions by leaning into them Empathise and try to look at situation from their perspective. Smile and if you are comfortable share your point of view, opinion or whatever your course of actions is. This way instead of unconsciously reacting to a situation you are mindfully accepting the present moment and looking at it without any judgement or condemnation. And then the miracle happens which is very succinctly put by one of the greatest philosophers of our times. When we see the fact as it is, then that very fact is the truth which resolves the problem - Jiddu Krishnamurti I’ll leave you with that thought.

The Book in 3 Sentences The book gave me a wonderful introduction to the world of creativity and gave me insights into the creative process. What is creativity? Where does it come from? How does it manifest itself and what to do with it? How to persist and reasons for persevering with the creative process. The books through anecdotes and examples and stories weaves into it the philosophy behind creativity and devises a five step process or elements to being creative. Courage→Enchantment→Permission→Persistence→Trust Each step has several ways to dabble in the creative endeavour and details what does each element means and the strategies and mechanisms to incorporate and address each element of the creative process 🎨 Impressions The book was a very light and refreshing read for me personally as I haven’t read much on the topic of creativity prior to this. It gave me a lot of ideas and inspiration to persevere in my creative endeavor by giving me tools to address each step of the creative process. Who Should Read It? I think it should be read by people who are in a creative field or are planning to pick something like an art form or a creative project and draw inspiration from the book to persist in their chosen piece of work. How the Book Changed Me 💡 It gave me an insight into the world of the artist and made me realise that creativity is a skill that can be cultivated and it gave me tools and tips to be creative in whatever work i chose to dabble in My Top 3 Quotes Creativity is a path for the brave, yes, but it is not a path for the fearless, and it’s important to recognise the distinction. Bravery means doing something scary. Fearlessness means not even understanding what the word scary means. I believe that our planet is inhabited not only by animals and plants and bacteria and viruses, but also by ideas. Ideas are a disembodied, energetic life-form. They are completely separate from us, but capable of interacting with us—albeit strangely. Ideas have no material body, but they do have consciousness, and they most certainly have will. Ideas are driven by a single impulse: to be made manifest. And the only way an idea can be made manifest in our world is through collaboration with a human partner. It is only through a human’s efforts that an idea can be escorted out of the ether and into the realm of the actual. if you can pause and identify even one tiny speck of interest in something, then curiosity will ask you to turn your head a quarter of an inch and look at the thing a wee bit closer. Do it. It’s a clue. It might seem like nothing, but it’s a clue. Follow that clue. Trust it. See where curiosity will lead you next. Then follow the next clue, and the next, and the next. Summary + Notes According to the author life is a labyrinth where an end could be a beginning or there could be multiple paths to reach a particular point. She says that the universe has hidden deep jewels within us and the hunt that we must embark on to uncover those hidden jewels is called creative living. The result of that hunt is what is called ‘Big Magic’ Elements of Creativity - Courage, enchantment, Permission, Persistence, Trust. Courage . Fear is boring in the sense that it manifests in the same way every day. There is no variety to it. It never changes or isn’t able to spark any interest or delight. Once we understand the true nature of fear we don’t need to be afraid anymore. We must cultivate the courage to embark on creative journey by making space for fear. Courage is not fearlessness i.e the absence of fear but rather living alongside fear by making space for it to exist but never let it take the driving seat. Enchantment. How ideas work ?- As per Gilbert, the universe is inhabited not just by humans ,animals but also ideas. These ideas are conscious and have a will be manifested by collaborating with a human. These ideas come in the form of an inspiration and if they are not tapped into they fade away and look for another human for manifestation. There are different ways in which you can say yes to an idea - either you can suffer through while the idea manifests itself with your collaboration or you collaborate joyfully, willingly by co-operating fully. The same idea can be discovered by multiple people at the same time. This is called multiple discovery An idea can either be manifested like it was within you effortlessly. It might make you feel like it is calling at you and it can be at very odd times. You need to capture it then and there otherwise it might be elusive. Or it can be manifested by feeling like someone is guiding you though all along. When you look back what you have created you might feel like it was someone else all along. Permission. You don’t need anyone’s permission to live creatively. Why do you seek permission? You are entitled to live a life the way you want. You have the right to assert yourself just because you are born and alive. The creative endeavour should not be to help others but to help one’s own self. It’s also okay to not have any motive whatsoever. Gilbert argues that you don’t need advanced degree to be creative. As most advanced degrees in America implies huge debts and expenses. Art/Creativity doesn’t need to serve a purpose or be useful for being meaningful The paradox of creativity is that we need to make art as the most important thing that we do but at the same time it shouldn’t matter to us way too much. Make space in your life for this paradox to happily exist. Persistence . There is no age limit when you can make a start at something. As long as you stick around the different phases (frustration and disappointment) of the creative process you are fine. You are learning. Creativity shouldn’t be expected to pay your bills and moments of inspiration should be allowed to come freely not in a sort of a burden to pay your bills. There is never going to be enough time and resources to make art possible but one needs to take that time out and work on their creative pursuits. Fall in love with your creativity and you will find/make time for it. Make your self look presentable to attract and invite creativity. Perfection is the enemy of the good. Don’t hold yourself back because one is not perfect. Embrace imperfections. No ones thinking about you so go pursue whatever interests you . Uncertainty is part of living the creative lives. Keep trying and working towards your whatever it is that brings you joy Trust. We are co-creators of life and we collaborate with mother nature to create life through reciprocation of its services Creativity isn’t born out of chaos and pain as most creative people think that they need to be miserable to produce art. Gilbert argues that you need to trust love over suffering to be artistic. She doesn’t buy the idea of the ‘tormented artist’ and sees it as emotionally warping. Take the creative process with a light-heartedness and do not treat it as your baby. Passion Vs Curiosity : When you not feeling inspired or passionate about creativity then being curious is the antidote. Find clues to whatever interests you and creativity will find you eventually Don’t quit too soon as the process starts to become interesting once you get the hang of it. Ego and the soul : Ego demands rewards and satisfaction which is always elusive and there is no ending to it while soul desires ‘wonder’ and when we take refuge in the soul our ego remains silent or under control. Move on. Don’t dwell on disappointments. Keep busy and occupied. if one mental channel is blocked then figure out other artistic ways to open up another mental channel. Show your work without thinking about what the outcome is going to be. You have to have fierce trust in the creative process and should not piggyback it on the outcome that one wants from it. Don’e be ashamed of your work. Enjoy the process and let go of the outcome

It's been a long time since I found anything to be captivating. Almost everything bores me. I wonder if it is because of availability of everything in excess. There is an overwhelming amount of information available on any given topic under the sun. There are articles, podcasts, movies, TV series, blogs, webinars to chose from. Life feels like a metro station map with umpteen stations to visit and colourful, crossing lines attempting to show us the routes available to our destination and in the process confusing us with overwhelming amount of details. How does one navigate such a web of information and content? How does one prioritise what to consume and in what order? Choices available to any individual, at any given point, is humongous. There are myriad options to dine, shop, play, chill, date etc etc. Obviously one needs to list out whats important to them, based on their own individualistic physiological and psychological needs. But how does one do the said prioritisation. One thing that immediately comes to mind is the Maslow hierarchy of needs (the famous pyramid). I don't want to dig into the marketing jargons and carve out a fancy framework. Instead, I want to pour out a stream of consciousness thought paper. By that i mean something that is not structured as a model/framework but works like a philosophical dive into the very concept of 'choice' and 'excesses'.Outwardly, 'Choice' implies 'options', 'variety' and 'availability'. But if we look inwardly it implies 'confusion' and 'a lack of clarity'. One who is clear of one's purpose doesn't seem to have a choice. There is an assuredness of direction and aim. So the whole argument then becomes about finding one's true purpose. Externally, when we have choices it is difficult to make up one's mind easily given the myriad options available. We rummage through to find what we need and in the process end up wasting, trying some or all of the things that apparently we didn't need. Other times if we are lucky we stumble upon something that ignites new passions in us. So 'choice' may or may not help us discover or re-discover our interests, desires or passions in ways. There are times where we begin with mere exploration of what's available to us and go on to discover our true selves in the process. So 'choice', given where we are in our journey of exploration, isn't all that bad. So when we start our journey it's good to not be restricted with our choices. Explore the different platforms, ideologies, formats etc and eventually one shall be able to narrow down their lists, somewhat. Although there is nothing wrong with being eclectic but not to end up consuming content which eventually goes into our memory bins is crucial too. So beginners can explore and eventually settle for a selective bunch. So one tries latte, cappuccino, mocha, frappe and then eventually decides that he/she prefers latte and frappe more than others. The more one explores the more one's preferences are revealed and the better their decisions can be. Choices could lead to further confusion if there is a lack of direction. One should have some idea of the destination before one begins to research the routes available to reach a specific destination. Extending the analogy to 'choices', one needs to have a purpose or goal in mind otherwise there is a chance of getting lost in the sea of options. So we understand that choices play a key role but there is a need of direction, purpose, motive in order for us to be productive with our choices. This implies that someone who is indecisive or is overwhelmed with choices apparently lacks purpose, or goal. A goal deprived path will only lead to further confusion and eventually misery. Yes we can't deny that we have an abundance of everything. Markets are increasingly catering to niche customers with very specific and individualistic demands. With people becoming more expressive we are understanding their needs to be as varied and specific. We need to first understand ourselves and use that as a guiding light towards what we consume. So we come to the age old saying 'Know thyself'. That will empower us to declutter and be minimalistic. Our awareness will be centred on who we are and and we will channel that to identify our core needs. Choices then wont be dictating because we will be sure of our needs and wants which will be deeply rooted in who we are!

Right Things vs Right Way Essentialism = Do the right things. Effortless = Do those right things the right way. Essentialism answers: What truly matters? Effortless answers: How do I make what matters easier and sustainable? The Jar and Rocks — The Real Meaning The author tells an anecdote about how small rocks if put first will fill a big jar and there will be no room for large rocks. Instead if we put the large rocks first, there will be room for smaller rocks. In Life - Large rocks = health, relationships, purpose, deep work Small rocks = emails, errands, noise, reactive tasks If you fill life with small rocks first, the big ones never fit. What if there are too many “large rocks”? This is where Effortless comes in. You don’t solve competing priorities with more effort. You solve them with leverage and design. The Core Framework Effortless State → Effortless Action → Effortless Results Its a linear process which builds on top of the step prior. Effortless State (Inner Design) Before optimizing work, optimize your energy and clarity . Invert – “What if this were easy?” We assume: Success = struggle Worthy = hard Growth = painful What is it could be reframed or as the author suggests, reverted? Instead of asking “How do I push harder?” Ask: How can I make this to be easy? What’s the simplest, most easy version of this? That question alone reduces mental friction. Enjoy – “What if this were fun?” Pair something difficult with something pleasurable. Habit stacking = psychological leverage. Turn a tedious task into a meaningful ritual. Example: Listen to podcasts while walking Do budgeting at your favorite café. Transform your skincare routine into an evening ritual by lighting candles or playing music This activates behavior by reducing resistance. Release – Let go to move forward Holding resentment, perfectionism, or control creates mental blocks and drains energy. Practice gratitude and letting go. It frees you from emotional and cognitive burdens When you focus on what you have, you get what you lack. Rest Rest isn’t laziness. It’s strategic recharge and renewal. No rest → no clarity → no leverage. Take naps, mid work breaks or disconnect from work as required Presence Scattered attention leads to energy wastage while focused attention multiplies effort. Focus on the essential and let go of the rest Presence also helps deepen relationships as it prevents judgement or opinions from over-taking a conversation or interaction. It allows different perspectives to co-exist which leads to stronger and resilient relationships to form over-time. Effortless Action (Outer Design) Once we are aligned internally, now we simplify execution through some key principles. 1. Define what “Done” looks like - Envision the end state Ambiguity creates friction, clarity reduces it. For each goal that you set, be specific and define what ‘done’ looks like. Vague Goal : Work on fitness Measurable Goal : Walk 7,000 steps daily. Your brain relaxes when it knows the finish line. 2. Start Tiny (Minimum Viable Action) Massive goals = Overwhelm and paralysis. Break your goals down into simplest, most doable action and then take the first step. Big Goal: “Build data science portfolio.” Start: “Open Jupyter notebook.” “Write one function.” You lower activation energy. 3. Simplify Instead of simplifying the steps, eliminate the non-essential steps entirely. Most processes are bloated. Elimination creates momentum. 4. Progress Over Perfection Don’t wait for things to be perfect, take the first step now. Perfection delays results. Early failure provides feedback and thus accelerates learning. Iteration > perfection 5. Pace Yourself Set: A floor (bare minimum) A ceiling (max effort limit) This prevents burnout cycles. Effortless Results Once you have achieved the right state and taken the effortless action, then what is needed is for you to achieve your desired results repeatedly with little additional effort. Results could be categorized broadly into two types - Linear and Residual Linear Results Residual Results Start from zero every day Effort once Effort = immediate output Benefit repeatedly Stop effort → stop results Compounding over time Output → feeds back → increases future output. It’s a treadmill. This is leverage. Example: Examples: • Freelancing hourly • Writing a book • Daily gym session • Building a skill (Skill → better opportunities → more learning → better skill.) • Daily client work • Investing money (Interest earns interest.) • Automating systems • Recording a course • Building reputation (Trust → collaboration → deeper trust.) Residual results are due to a concept called ‘leverage’ which helps maximize our output and help achieve the desired results without putting in more effort. Applications of Leverage How do I reduce effort but increase impact? Leverage types: Knowledge (learn once, apply repeatedly) Systems (automate decisions) Technology (scale output) Capital (money working for you) Relationships (networks multiply opportunities) Example Goal - To become a data scientist Linear approach: Study daily → forget → repeat. Residual approach: Build GitHub projects Write explainers Create reusable code templates Build a personal knowledge system That compounds. The Bottomline Essentialism says: Cut down to fewer big rocks. Effortless says: Design those big rocks so they don’t crush you. The real takeaway: You don’t win by doing more. You win by: Choosing fewer things. Making them easier. Designing them to compound. Now let me ask you something thoughtful: When you look at your current life — Are you exhausted because of too many rocks? Or because you’re carrying them inefficiently? That distinction changes everything.

"Consistency is key." We've heard this phrase countless times, in various contexts. But what does it truly mean to be consistent, especially when it comes to personal growth and achievement? The law of compounding tells us that small, daily actions accumulate over time, leading to significant results. Just as compound interest can grow wealth exponentially, consistent daily efforts can lead to exponential growth in skills, knowledge, and personal development. While the concept sounds straightforward, the reality of taking daily actions is far more complex. Each day presents its own unique challenges, opportunities, and energy levels. So what does consistency actually look like in practice? 1. Embracing Variability Consistency doesn't mean doing the exact same thing every day. It means showing up, even when the form of your action might vary. Some days, you might have the energy for a full workout; other days, a short walk might be your consistent action. 2. The Power of Choice At the heart of consistency lies our ability to choose. Each day, we have the opportunity to make decisions that align with our goals and values. This daily choice is what fuels consistent effort. 3. Listening to Inner Wisdom True consistency stems from choosing what we "deeply inherently know is right for us." This requires tuning into our inner wisdom and making choices that resonate with our authentic selves, rather than following external pressures or expectations. Choosing what's right for us every day isn't always easy. It requires self-awareness, discipline, and sometimes, going against the grain. However, it's these daily choices that compound into consistent efforts and, ultimately, significant results. In the end, true consistency isn't about rigid adherence to a predetermined plan. It's about showing up daily, making choices aligned with our authentic selves, and taking actions that move us closer to our goals. By embracing this flexible, choice-driven approach to consistency, we can navigate the ups and downs of daily life while still making steady progress towards our aspirations. Remember: Consistency isn't perfection; it's persistence. It's about making the choice to show up and do something, however small, that aligns with your goals and values every single day.

How I Adapted GTD for Modern Knowledge Work Using Notion For a long time, I thought my problem was poor time management. I had calendars, to-do lists, reminders, productivity apps. I was busy most days and exhausted by the end of them. Yet there was this constant feeling that something was slipping through the cracks. Even when I wasn’t working, my mind was. It took me a while to realize this wasn’t a personal failure. It was a lack of a system to manage and honor all the commitments I had made to myself. That realization eventually led me to Getting Things Done   by David Allen. Before getting into the GTD workflow itself, it’s worth stepping back and understanding how the nature of work has fundamentally changed—and why our old ways of managing it no longer work. The Nature of Work Has Changed Most of our productivity habits come from a very different era of work. Earlier, work was tangible and self-evident. Think assembly lines or clearly defined roles. Tasks had obvious start and end points. Projects had a finish line. Communication was limited and slow. Today, most of us are engaged in knowledge work —work that is invisible, ambiguous, and never truly finished. There are no clear boundaries Projects are never fully “done”, only improved Information is infinite Communication is constant Work leaks into personal time without asking permission Old Work - Assembly line New Work - Knowledge work Clear start and finish No clear finish line Work was visible Work is abstract Efficiency = productivity Productivity is hard to measure Limited communication Always online, always reachable We’re still using industrial-age tools —calendars, to-do lists, prioritization—to manage information-age work . No wonder it feels broken. The Real Problem: Open Loops What finally clicked for me while reading Getting Things Done  was the idea of open loops . An open loop is anything that has your attention but hasn’t been clearly defined or parked where it belongs. An email you haven’t replied to An idea you want to explore “someday” A commitment you vaguely remember making Individually, these seem harmless. Collectively, they drain mental energy. Your brain is excellent at generating ideas. It is terrible at storing them. When open loops live in your head, your mind keeps reminding you—at the worst possible moments. This creates background anxiety that we mistake for “being busy”. From Managing Time to Managing Attention Traditional productivity advice focuses on time . But time isn’t the real issue anymore. The real issue is attention . Knowledge work is ambiguous and infinite. There’s always more you could  do. GTD doesn’t try to help you do everything. It helps you decide what deserves your attention right now . A goal without a system is just a dream. Without a system to manage commitments, goals stay abstract and stressful instead of actionable. The End Goal : Mind Like Water David Allen uses the phrase “mind like water” —and it’s one of the best metaphors I’ve come across. Water responds appropriately. It doesn’t overreact. It doesn’t under-react. A calm mind doesn’t come from doing less. It comes from knowing that everything has a place . Stress isn’t caused by having too much to do. It’s caused by unclear agreements with yourself . The Core Principles That Make GTD Work GTD isn’t a list of hacks. It’s a way of thinking. 1. Capture Everything Stop trusting your brain as a storage device. Every open loop must live in a trusted external system. 2. Manage Actions, Not Priorities Priorities change. Context changes. Energy changes. Actions are what actually move things forward. 3. Bottom-Up Clarity Instead of starting with lofty goals, clear what’s already on your plate. Higher-level thinking becomes possible only after the runway is clear. 4. Next-Action Thinking Progress doesn’t come from planning—it comes from identifying the next physical action . 5. Outcome-Focused Thinking Define what “done” looks like. Clarity about outcomes reduces mental friction. GTD as a Decision-Making System At its core, GTD is a system for answering questions: Capture:  Is this out of my head? Clarify:  Is this actionable? Organize:  Where does this belong? Reflect:  Can I trust my system? Engage:  What should I do right now? Instead of reacting emotionally to tasks, you make clear decisions once—and then trust them. Clarify: The Most Underrated Step This is where most systems break. For every item you capture, you ask: Is this actionable? If yes: Do it (if it takes < 2 minutes) Delegate it (and track it under Waiting For ) Defer it (schedule or add to Next Actions) If no: Trash it Incubate it (Someday/Maybe) File it as reference One simple question changes everything: What’s the next action? The Weekly Review: Where GTD Comes Alive Without a weekly review, GTD collapses into another messy to-do list. The weekly review is a reset ritual . Get Clear: empty inboxes, capture loose thoughts Get Current: review projects, next actions, calendar Get Creative: revisit Someday/Maybe, allow new ideas This is how you rebuild trust in your system—and with yourself. Adapting GTD to the Digital World Tools don’t matter as much as thinking does. Digital systems help by: Externalizing memory Adding context (time, energy, location) Making reviews easier But no app can clarify a vague commitment for you. That part still requires thinking. What GTD Ultimately Gave Me GTD didn’t make me superhumanly productive. It gave me: Mental space Clear boundaries Fewer forgotten commitments More intentional workdays Most importantly, it taught me this: Productivity isn’t about doing more. It’s about worrying less. When everything is captured, clarified, and trusted, your mind finally gets to do what it does best— think, create, and decide . How to Apply GTD In Notion Understanding GTD conceptually is one thing. Living it day to day is another. The real challenge isn’t knowing what to do—it’s having a system you trust enough to stop thinking about everything all the time. For me, Notion became that system—not because it’s powerful, but because it allowed me to externalize thinking without overcomplicating it. This is not about building a fancy productivity system in Notion. It’s about translating the thinking behind GTD  into a simple, trustworthy digital system —one you’ll actually use. The One Rule Before You Start Your brain is for having ideas, not for storing them. Notion is your external brain. But it only works if: Everything lands in it Everything has a place You review it regularly Tools don’t create clarity. Thinking does.  Notion only supports it. The Core GTD Building Blocks in Notion You only need three databases  to start: Inbox  (Capture) Projects  (Outcomes) Actions  (Next physical steps) Everything else is optional. 1. The Inbox — Your Capture System This is the most important part of GTD. Purpose A frictionless place to dump everything  that has your attention. What Goes Here Tasks Ideas Meeting notes Emails to respond to Random thoughts If it’s pulling at your attention, it belongs here. Notion Setup Create a database called Inbox  with: Title: Item Property: Captured On (Date – optional) That’s it. No categories. No priorities. No thinking. Capture now. Decide later. 2. Clarify — Turning Noise into Decisions Your Inbox is useless unless you process it regularly . For each item, ask: Is this actionable? If YES What is the next physical action ? Is it a single action or part of a project? If NO Trash it Store it as reference Move it to Someday/Maybe This step happens in your head, not in Notion—but Notion records the decision. 3. Projects Database — Defining Outcomes A project  in GTD is any desired outcome that requires more than one action. Purpose To hold clarity, not tasks. Notion Setup Create a database called Projects  with: Title: Project Name Status: Active / On Hold / Completed Review Date (optional) Inside Each Project Page Use this simple structure: 1. Purpose & Principles : Why does this project exist? 2. Definition of Done : What does success look like? 3. Brain Dump : All ideas, notes, thoughts related to the project 4. Next Actions (linked) : Only actions that move the project forward Projects don’t move. Actions do. 4. Actions Database — Where Work Actually Happens This is your real to-do list. Purpose A list of clear, physical, doable actions . Notion Setup Create a database called Actions  with: Title: Action Project (Relation → Projects) Status: Next / Waiting For / Done Context (Multi-select): Laptop, Home, Calls, Errands, Work Energy (Select): Low / Medium / High Priority (Select): Low / Medium / High (Optional) Duration (Select): <15 min / 15–30 min / 60+ min GTD works better with context and energy , not importance. 5. Calendar — What Truly Belongs There Your calendar is sacred. Only three things go on it: Time-specific actions (appointments) Day-specific actions (events/reminders) Day-specific information If something could  be done that day but doesn’t have  to be—keep it in Actions, not the calendar. 6. Waiting For — Delegation Without Forgetting Any task you delegate is not gone. It moves to Waiting For . In Notion Use the same Actions database: Status: Waiting For Add who you’re waiting on in the title or a property Review this list weekly. 7. Someday / Maybe — A Parking Lot for the Future Not everything needs attention now . Purpose To reduce guilt without deleting possibilities. Notion Setup You can: Use a separate database Or tag Projects with Status = Someday The rule is simple: If it’s not actionable now, it doesn’t belong in your Actions list. 8. The Weekly Review — The Heart of the System This is non-negotiable. Weekly Review Checklist Get Clear Empty Inbox Capture loose thoughts Process notes and emails Get Current Review Projects and outcomes Review Next Actions Review Waiting For Review Calendar (past & upcoming) Get Creative Review Someday/Maybe Add new ideas Without this review, Notion becomes clutter. With it, Notion becomes trustworthy. 9. Daily Use — How to Actually Work When it’s time to work, don’t scan everything. Filter Actions by: Context (Where am I?) Energy (How do I feel?) Time available Then pick one  action and do it. No re-planning. No guilt. Final Thoughts This system won’t make you do more. It will help you: Stop carrying work in your head Make clearer commitments Trust your task list When your system is complete and current, your mind can finally relax. That’s what mind like water  looks like in Notion.

"The Power of Habit" is a fascinating read, offering insightful case studies on human psychology and behavior. The author, an investigative reporter, clearly demonstrates his expertise in the writing. The book unfolds like a thriller, using anecdotes and stories to illustrate the concepts the author aims to convey. While it includes some practical tips for implementing the strategies discussed, these are not the book's main focus. Instead, it relies on real-world stories from various industries, such as music, retail, and shopping. The book is divided into three sections: Habits for Individuals, Habits of Organizations, and Habits of Societies. However, this division is somewhat ineffective, as the habits of organizations and societies are ultimately composed of the habits of their individual members, meaning what applies to an individual can also be applied to organizations and societies. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book because, rather than being dry and boring, the psychology kept me engaged and mostly entertained. It serves as a great precursor to other books like "Atomic Habits" by James Clear or "Tiny Habits" by BJ Fogg, providing additional context and history on habit formation and its science." What are habits? Habits are defined the choices that we deliberately make at some point which then becomes automatic as it is repeated. Overtime we stop thinking about them and they becomes largely unconscious. Habits are formed due to the effort saving tendency of the brain. It reduces the energy spent in decision making. The Habit loop The process of habit formation is a three step loop called the habit loop. Below are the steps in the habit loop - Cue -> Routine -> Reward. This habit loop is powered by Craving. Cue is a trigger that tells the brain to start a habit. Routine is the behaviour. Reward ensures that a habit is repeated. Craving enables anticipating a reward even before a behaviour has occurred just by looking at cues. Crafting Your Personal Habit Blueprint Habits are powerful but delicate which implies that they can be automatic or deliberately designed by altering its constituents ie cues and rewards. The initial step in modifying a habit is to become aware of your current habits, specifically identifying the cue and reward associated with that routine, and believing that change is achievable. To modify a habit, replace the existing habit with the desired one while keeping the same cue and reward. For instance, if you wish to stop smoking when you're stressed and feel the urge, choose to go for a run instead of smoking. As a result of running, you'll experience calmness and relaxation. Old habits never vanish as they are ingrained in the brain's structures. They can only be substituted. Keystone habits are those that create a ripple effect on other habits, meaning if you develop this one habit, it will support the other habits you aim to build. Essentially, a keystone habit triggers a chain reaction that can eventually lead to significant transformation. A habit is established when small victories accumulate through consistently applying minor changes, leading to substantial accomplishments. Willpower is not merely a skill but a muscle that gets fatigued with intense use. However, it can be developed into a habit by selecting a behavior in advance and planning for inflection points, i.e., deciding beforehand what action to take whenever there is a disruption in your routine. Ensure that cues are visible and obvious; otherwise, the habit may not occur. To change a habit, embed it within a routine that is already familiar.

Recently I read the book ‘Show your Work’ by Austin Kleon. I have seen this book at so many places - at a friends house, as a gift, on book stalls, at coffee tables but never got around to reading it. But this time i decided that I am going to buy the physical copy as opposed to an ebook as it contains a lot of drawings and graphics by the author and also because it was a long time since I held a physical book. I got my husband to buy it along with the other two in the series - Steal like an artist and Keep Going - as an anniversary present. I was inspired to read this after Youtuber ‘ Ali Abdaal’ shared how this is one of the most life changing books he has ever read. About the book This book gives you tools, mindsets, frameworks and strategies to be creative in the digital age. It is simple to read and divided into 10 chapters each providing you a way to operate and be creative.The idea is to cultivate an ability to showcase you work. You don’t need to be an expert. Share a work-in-progress and take your audience behind the scenes to reveal your process of working. It might be useful for someone and might help them to get creative and show their work themselves. Instead of being a hoarder of information, be a curator and a collector of ideas that resonate with you. Share your interest and passion with others and you will be able to find your tribe. Once you are successful, help out those that you took inspiration from. This book feels so good to hold and read. It’s a short book, which is easy to consume and reflect and write on. I finished it in one sitting and then re-read it for capturing my notes. I thing its a great coffee table book and I am going to read it several times in the future just to refresh and feel inspired whenever I am feeling a creative block. Who Should read this book? Any one who has a creative pursuit, in this digital age, should read this book. Even if you are not an artist or a creative person, you will definitely benefit from it. Summary + Notes Through this book, the author argues that it’s not just enough to be good at your craft. In order to be discovered by others you have to be ‘findable’. One needs to be able to share their work freely so that they can be discovered by those who share their interests and passions. The book is also not meant to teach you tricks of self-promotion instead it lays out the idea of being so good that others will not be able to ignore you. All you need is a new way of operating. H e lays out ten philosophies/way of being that you can imbibe to be able to thrive creatively, in the digital age 1. You don’t have to be a genius Good work isn’t created in isolation. Instead it is a work of collaboration with other minds, who are part of whole movement of people who are supporting each other, stealing and contributing ideas. So its not about how smart or talented you are but what you have to contribute - ideas that you share, the connections you make and the conversations you start. Be an Amateur. An Amateur is an enthusiast who pursues his/her work in the spirit of love (In french the word means ‘a lover’) which allows them to not be afraid to look stupid or silly. They have an advantage over the professional as they are willing to try and share new things, experiment and follow their interests and in the process make new discoveries. They know that contributing something is better than contributing nothing. Amateurs are life long learners and open to learn from their successes and failures. In this fast paced and changing world, everyone is turning into an amateur, the point is to learn to work with unknowns and uncertainity. The best way to start sharing your work is to think about what you want to learn and then learning it in front of others. See what others are sharing and find out gaps that you can fill in through what you know. Don’t worry about how will you financially support your choices and just continue to create and share what you love. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few. - Shunryu Suzuki You can’t find your voice if you don’t use it. Share the things that you care about online and people will find you Read obituaries of people to derive meaning into your life 2. Think Process not product Take people behind the scenes : In the digital age, people just are not interested to see the finished product but instead they want to know the process behind the product. It helps the audience to be a part of the creative process and in forming a relationship with the customers Become a documentarian of what you do : There is an art to whatever we do and there might be people who are interested in the art. You can start to keep a journal, or a blog to record your process and share it with the world 3. Share something small every day From your documentation find a little piece that you can share. If you are in the early stages of work, share what’s inspirational and motivational, when you are in the middle of a project, write about your methods or show your work in progress. If you have just completed a project, show the final output or your learnings from it. This is similar to the idea of ‘intermediate packets’ from the book ‘Building a second Brain’. Only share something that you think intuitively is worth sharing. Turn your flow into stock. Share something daily (flow) and in the background work on the content that is more durable and meaningful (stock). Maintain your flow while working on your stock in the background. If you follow sharing as part of a daily routine, you will notice themes and trends emerging in what you share. You can then turn them into something bigger and substantial. Buy yourself a good domain name where you can start sharing whatever is it that you are working on. Make it your own turf and spend time doing and posting good work and other things will eventually follow. 4. Open up your cabinet of curiosities Share your influences, interests, tastes as it tells people who you are and what you do. Don’t be a hoarder of things instead try to be a collector or a curator which is not very different from being creative. Share anything you like that other people might discard. Look for the gems in the discarded and do not be afraid to edit or filter out your influences. Give credit to the creator of the work that you are sharing. Also give context for what you’re sharing i.e what the work is, who made it, how they made it, when and where it was made, why you’re sharing it, why people should care about it, and where people can see more work like it, where we found the work that we are sharing 5. Tell good stories Human beings are interested to know where things came from and how it were made and who made them. The stories we tell about a work we do has a huge impact on how its valued by others. This value is derived by how people feel about your work and what do they understand about your work from the stories that you tell them. In order to become effective when sharing ourselves and our work is by becoming a better story teller Have some structure to the stories that you tell Be honest and candid about the work you do and strike up a conversation with others about your work 6. Teach what you know Whenever you learn something, turn around and teach it to others. This helps generate interest in what you do. Teaching others doesn’t subtract value from what you do, it adds to it. Whenever you share your work with others its is an opportunity to educate your self through people who provide either feedback on your work or connect you to further resources 7. Don’t turn into a human spam A human spam is a person who just keeps on sharing his own work all the time instead of finding out what others are truly interested in. If you want fans, you have to be a fan first. If you want to be accepted by a community, you have to first be a good citizen of that community. If you’re only pointing to your stuff online, you’re doing it wrong. You have to be a connector. If you want followers be someone worth following. Do a vampire test to know whether you should keep someone in your life. If someone drains you of energy they are a vampire and if someone energises you then they are not. Be around people who are not vampires. Find and meet people who share your interests and passions and nurture your relationships with them. 8. Learn to take a punch When you are ready to put your work out there into the world. Be ready for the good, the bad and ugly. The more people read and consume your work the more criticism you will face. Relax and breath deeply and take whatever comes. Keep moving with your work. You cannot control other’s actions so just focus on your momentum Protect your vulnerable areas don’t avoid them. If you spend your life avoiding vulnerability, you and your work will never truly connect with other people Remember work is something that you do not who you are Take feedback from people who care about you and what you do and be wary of feedback from anybody who falls outside of that. 9. Sell out Don’t be afraid to charge for your work - through donations, crowdfund, selling your products and services. Asking for money in return for your work is a leap of faith you take when you are confident that your work is truly worth something. Keep a mailing list for the days when the technology might expire but everybody will have an email where we can directly reach out to our audience. Don’t be a pushover and provide value through your content to all those who have signed up over the email in the form of newsletters. Experiment with and expand your work. Embrace opportunities that are line with what you want to do with your creative work. Leave the rest. Pay it forward - Once you have had success, use your influence, money etc to promote the work of people that have helped you along your journey. Provide them with opportunities where they can show their own work. 10. Stick around Don’t give up and continue to pursue your ambitions even if you think you are failing. Don’t quit. Chain-smoke : Once you complete a project, don’t idle out, instead keep the momentum going by using the end of one project to start another. This is similar to building a hemingway bridge of ideas. Take a break when needed from your work to rest and recharge and avoid any burn-out. The thing is, you never really start over. You don’t lose all the work that’s come before. Even if you toss it aside, the lessons that you’ve learned from it will seep into what you do next.

What is Deep Work? Deep work is defined as “professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit. These efforts create new value, improve your skill, and are hard to replicate.” There is a ubiquity of deep work among influential individuals like Carl Jung, Woody Allen, J.K Rowling and it is in sharp contrast to the behaviour of most modern knowledge workers, who are rapidly losing the familiarity with deep work. The reason for this is there exposure to a vast number of network tools - email, SMS, Social media sites and infotainment sites like Reddit etc which has resulted in fragmented and narrowed attention span for most knowledge workers. In contrast to the idea of deep work, there is shallow work which is defined as “Non-cognitively demanding, logistical style tasks, often performed while distracted. These efforts often don’t create much value in the world and are easy to replicate”. Shallow work has the potential to permanently reduce our capacity to do deep work. There is an ongoing debate about how the network tools are distracting us from what is truly important. There are people on both sides of the debate - techno-skeptics who argue that many of these tools are damaging society and then there are techno-optimists who argue that these tools are changing the society for the better. The author’s interest though is in exploring, through this book, how there is a work culture’s shift towards the shallow which is exposing a massive economic and personal opportunity for the few who recognize the potential to do deep work. Why is Deep Work Important? 1. Deep Work is Valuable. In the information age, there has been a shift towards deep work, as more and more population are now knowledge workers for whom deep work is becoming a key currency. There is an increasing evidence that those who cultivate the skill for deep work and make it core of there working life will thrive. Also deep work is becoming increasingly scarce and thus its becoming increasingly valuable. There are two reasons for this value - Quickly learning complicated things and the ability to produce the absolute best stuff that one is capable of producing. **** The rise of digital technology is transforming the labour markets in unexpected ways. We are in the early throes of the Great Restructuring. There is a rapid increase in the capabilities of a machine and as they improve, the gap between machine and human abilities is shrinking, as a result employers are likely to hire “new machines” instead of “new people”. There has also been massive improvements in communication and collaboration technologies that is making remote work easier than ever before, motivating companies to outsource key roles - leaving the local talent pool underemployed. This Great restructuring is not driving down all jobs but instead dividing them - though an increasing number of people will lose in the new economy as their skills become automatable or easily outsourced, there are others who will thrive - becoming more valued than before. There are three groups of people who will fall on the lucrative side of this divide and reap benefits of the intelligent machine age. These are : The Highly Skilled workers : People who are good at working with Machines. The Superstars : People who are great at what they do. The Owners : People who are investing capital in technologies that are driving the great restructuring. The author focuses on the above two groups - The highly skilled and the superstars and proposes methods on how to become a winner in the new economy. There are two core abilities to thriving in the new economy - The ability to quickly master hard things. The ability to produce at an elite level - in terms of both quality and speed. These two core abilities depend on the ability to do deep work. There are following benefits provided by deep work : Deep work helps you learn hard things : Learning requires intense concentration and deliberate practice.So, what is deliberate practice? Your attention is focused tightly on a specific skill you’re trying to improve or an idea you’re trying to master. You receive feedback so that you can correct your approach to keep your attention exactly where it’s most productive. Deep work helps you produce at an elite level High Quality Work Produced = Time Spent * Intensity of Focus Maximizing intensity maximizes the quality of work produced per unit of time. Attention residue: Switching from one task to another leaves our attention fragmented ie. when you move from Task A to Task B, your attention doesn’t immediately follow - a residue of your attention remains stuck thinking about the original task. By not switching task and focusing on working on a single hard task for a long time helps maximizing performance and minimizing the negative impact of attention residue from other obligations. Thus to produce at the peak level you need to work for extended periods of time with full concentration on a single task free from distraction. So, the type of work that optimizes your performance is deep work. 2. Deep Work is rare Below are the trends that are driving the move towards depth which will become increasingly rare and therefore increasingly valuable as a result. Busyness as proxy for productivity: Since there are no clear indicators of what it means to be productive and valuable in a job for most people are, they are just keeping busy assuming it to be an indicator of productivity. Deep work should be a priority in todays climate but its not since shallow work is easier and in the absence of clear goals employees tend to gravitate towards shallow work to appear busy and our culture rewards behaviour if it is in alignment with “the internet”. Also there is a difficulty in measuring the value of depth or the cost of ignoring it. 3. Deep Work is meaningful The connection between deep work and a good life is evident in craftsmanship but its a bit muddled when it comes to knowledge work. One of the issues could be clarity as it is difficult to define what does a knowledge worker does and how is it different from others. Another issue is the presence of people who are trying to convince knowledge workers to spend more time in shallow work. The central theme of this following arguments (neurological, psychological and philosophical) is to establish a connection between meaning and depth in knowledge work The Neurological Argument of depth. We generally place a lot of emphasis on our circumstances assuming that what happens to us determines how we feel. Instead research suggests that we construct our worldview based on what we pay attention to. So deeper the attention we place on things that are important to us the deeper we will work on it. The Psychological Argument of depth The experience of the flow state enables us to go deeply into the work we are doing as it orders our consciousness and makes our life worthwhile. The Philosophical Argument of depth. The task of the craftsman is not to generate meaning but to cultivate in himself the skill of discerning the meanings that are already there. A similar potential for craftsmanship can be found in the jobs in information economy. Whether you are a writer, marketer, consultant: Your work is a craft, and if you work diligently to hone it and give it its desired respect and care then you will be able to generate meaning in your daily efforts in professional life. There is potential of craftsmanship that can be found in knowledge work as well. Be it a writer, marketer, consultant : Your work is craft, and if you hone your ability and apply it with respect and care, then you can generate meaning in your professional life as well. How to implement Deep Work We have a finite amount of will power which is different from character that can be summoned(deployed) when needed without limit instead will power is a muscle that gets tired. So, we need strategies in place to cultivate deep work, make it part of our routine to minimise the amount of willpower needed. There are different type of depth philosophies- The Monastic Philosophy of Deep Work Scheduling : Attempts to maximise deep work by eliminating or radically minimizing shallow work. The Bimodal Philosophy of Deep Work Scheduling : This philosophy has divided time into some clearly defined stretches to deep pursuits and leaving the rest open to everything else. The Rhythmic Philosophy of Deep Work Scheduling : This philosophy argues that the easiest way to consistently start deep work sessions is to transform them into a simple regular habit. The goal is to generate a rhythm for this work instead of deciding if and when you are going to go deep. The Journalistic Philosophy of Deep Work Scheduling : Indulge in deep work whenever time or one’s schedule permits. It based on your moment to moment decision to whether to go deep or not. Strategies to implement Deep Work 1. Ritualize To make the most of deep work sessions, we need to craft/ build rituals like the greatest men or thinkers have had. The rituals must address some general questions like Where will you work and how long? How will you work? How will you support your work? 2. Make Grand Gestures Commit seriously to the task at hand. Put yourself in exotic location to focus on a writing project, or take a week off away from work just to think, or lock yourself into a hotel room are all examples of making grand gestures which pushes your deep goal to a level of mental priorities that help unlock the needed mental resources. 3. Don’t Work Alone There seems to be an assumption that indicates that deep work which is an individual endeavour is incompatible with generating creative insights which is said to be a collaborative endeavour. Big corporations like Facebook believe that new ideas emerge with smart collaborations. The key is to have both in an arrangement called the hub and spoke architecture of arrangement where you expose yourself to ideas in hubs on a regular basis but maintain a spoke in which to work deeply in what you encounter. 4. Execute Like a Business The 4DX method of execution: Focus on the Wildly important : Identify a small number of ambitious outcomes to pursue with your deep work hours Act on the Lead Measures : There are two types of metrics to measure your success : lead measures and lag measures. Lag measures is a metric that defines what are you trying to improve and Lead measure is the behaviour that will drive success on the lag measures. The problem with lag measure is that it’s something that you can’t control. For example if you write a blog post than how many people read and appreciate it is not in your control but you can control how many hours will you work on a blog to produce quality output which is a lead measure. So take action on things that you can control Keep a compelling Scoreboard : Have your deep work hours on display Create a cadence of Accountability: Do a weekly review by looking at your scoreboard, celebrate good weeks and try to understand what led to the bad weeks and how can one improve. 5. Schedule Down-time from deep work 6. Instead of scheduling the occasional break from distraction so you can focus, you should instead schedule the occasional break from focus to give in to distraction.Schedule a fixed time to complete an identified deep task and then commit publicly to the deadline. 7. Try Productive Meditation. The goal of productive meditation is to take a period in which you are physically but not mentally occupied and focus on a single well defined professional problem. Keep bringing back your attention to the problem at hand whenever it wanders. 8. Try to chose and pick your preferred network tools by following the craftsman approach to tool selection instead of the any-benefit approach to tool selection The any-benefit approach to tool selection states that using a networking tool is justified if you can identify any possible benefit to its use, or anything that you possibly miss out on if you don’t use it. The craftsman approach to tool selection on the other hand states that one identifies the core factors that determines success and happiness in one’s personal and professional life and adopt a tool only if it positive impacts on these factors substantially outweighs its negative impacts 9. Apply the law of vital few to your internet habits : which is 80% of a given effect is due to 20% of the possible causes First identify your personal and professional goals. Then list for each of the two goals three important activities that helps satisfy the goals Next consider the network tools that you currently use. For each such tool, go through the key activities you identified and ask whether the tool has a positive, negative or little impact on your regular and successful participation in the activity. 10. Drain the Shallows Schedule every minute of your day Quantify the depth of every activity : Ask how much would it take to train someone with lesser experience to complete the task Ask your boss for a shallow work budget Fixed Schedule productivity : Fix a firm goal of not working past a certain time and then work backward to the productivity strategies that help with the implementation of this rule. Become hard to reach A commitment to deep work is not a moral stance and it’s not a philosophical statement - it is instead a pragmatic recognition that the ability to concentrate is a skill that gets valuable things done - Cal Newport

🌈 Overview In the information age, the value of human capital is tenfold than the value of physical capital in the US. (Source) Human capital includes “the knowledge and the knowhow embodied in humans—their education, their experience, their wisdom, their skills, their relationships, their common sense, their intuition. Most of us are knowledge workers i.e., involved in working with information. Instead of being mere consumer of information, our focus should shift to assimilating and making sense of large amount of data. We can start using technology as a tool for thinking. Historically great artists, poets, creative thinkers use to keep their notes in a place called ‘the commonplace book’ which had the record of the most interesting thoughts, ideas that they came across. This translates to the ‘Second brain’ in the digital age. Imagine it to be a combination of a study notebook, a personal journal, and a sketchbook for new ideas. 👉🏼 Who Should Read This Book? Anybody who is into note-taking (students, writers etc) and does knowledge work must read this which i think is a big majority of people. I read it because I found the idea of second brain quite intriguing. I have also watched a couple of YouTubers raving about it and applying it to their lives which made me go to the bottom of the concept and hear it from the ‘horse’s mouth’. ❤️ Impressions The book was easy to read with highly practical and actionable insights into the process of note-taking and expands on our current understanding of what it means to be creative. The notes, references and bibliography was interesting. Since I had already read about the principles of building a second brain I went into the book with the expectation that i’ll not find anything new and insightful into it but I was proven wrong. Almost every paragraph is packed with a lot of smart and new insights that will blow your mind away. It was structured, to the point and filled with exciting anecdotes.Shout out to specifically the ‘The Art of creative execution’ section that distilled the ‘creative process’ into a simple diagram and overlayed it with Forte’s own method (CODE) onto it to showcase an elegant way how note-taking can eventually be a creative process if done right. 🔥 How the Book Changed Me 📍 I couldn’t put the book down as it was so fast paced and interesting. I could’t believe that a book on taking notes could be packed with so many ideas and tips, tools and strategies. The CODE framework and the the principles of creativity explained in the book was previously unknown to me. 🛖 Structure of the book The book is structured in three parts - Part One provides an overview of the concept of second brain and its implications for a knowledge worker. Part Two explains in detail the four-step method to create and implement a second brain. Part Three explores what are the possibilities of a second brain. 📗 Summary + Notes Part One: The Foundation: Understand what is possible. What is a second brain? There is a need to make our ideas concrete and our notes digital so that it can be observed, rearranged, edited, and combined together. When we make notes digital, we combine them with capabilities of technology—searching, sharing, backups, editing, linking, syncing between devices, and many others. Thats what a second brain is. It is a digital archive of all our memories, ideas and knowledge so that we don’t need to remember anything and to keep everything in our head. This concept is also alternatively referred to as Personal knowledge management and is based on the simple habit of writing things down. It’s a collection of reusable personal information collection and can be used in the following ways. A laboratory to develop and refine thinking. A studio to experiment with ideas until they are ready to be put to use externally. A whiteboard to sketch out your ideas and collaborate on them with others. How Does the Second Brain Works? The capabilities of a Second Brain - Making our ideas concrete: We need to offload our ideas into paper or in the virtual form where they can be organised, searched, observed, formatted etc. which helps in decluttering our brains. Revealing new associations between ideas to boost creativity by connecting ideas together. Incubating our ideas overtime which means allowing ideas to simmer overtime instead of storing and always having ideas on the top of our minds. Sharpening our unique perspectives by drawing on the existing resources available and having a unique spin on it. There are three stages of progress in digital note-taking: Remembering → Connecting →Creating Remembering - Use note taking to aid memory. Connecting - The Second Brain becomes a thinking tool. Ideas from notes translates and feeds into other streams. Ideas gravitate towards each other and cross-pollinate. Creating - Use ideas to create something new and meaningful that can be shared with others. Part Two: The Four step process to create your own second brain. CAPTURE Capture whatever resonates and what is useful and store it in a trusted place. It helps you learn more about yourself as we capture information that resonates with us at an intuitive level. What to capture? Twelve favourite problems: Feynman Technique - Ask yourself 12 most important questions and that will guide you about your interests and passions and direct you to find out what to capture as notes. Capture Criteria Most articles will not be useful in its entirety. We should only be looking at capturing the most relevant and interesting (to us) bits. Become a curator of the information stream and curate only the content that most resonates with you and leave the rest. Your future self will only have to look at material in its most condensed and relevant form. Criteria #1: Does it inspire me? Criteria #2: Is it useful? Criteria #3: Is it personal? Like noting down our thoughts and reflections. Criteria #4: Is it surprising? Anything that surprises us is typically different from what we already know and thus makes a good case to be captured to change the way we think. ORGANISE Organize notes for action i.e. active projects that you are working on. The PARA technique for categorization of your notes: Projects - Short term efforts being worked upon now Areas - Long term responsibilities Resources - Topics or subjects might be useful in the future Archives - Inactive items from other three categories 3. DISTILL Find the true essence of an idea and distill it into 2-3 sentences. Always try to explain complex terms in simple form as you are also taking notes for your future self that will consume that idea. 💡 Think of yourself not just as a taker of notes, but as a giver of notes—you are giving your future self the gift of knowledge that is easy to find and understand Discoverability of the information which is most relevant to you at the time is the most important aspect of keeping notes Highlighting is important. Progressive Summarisation - the 4 layers of distillation of what your have consumed as information to distill only what’s truly essential (see diagram) 4. EXPRESS The last step is shift as much of your time and effort as possible from consuming to creating i.e to express yourself by showing your work. Information becomes knowledge—personal, embodied, verified—only when we put it to use. You can divide your work into smaller packets (individual blocks) and then have a creative outlet in the form of a presentation or a blog post for it to be effective. Ways to retrieve intermediate packets from your second brain so that you can combine them in interesting ways and form a creative output : Search Browse Tags Serendipity It in important to seek feedback early in our creative process instead of working on it in isolation You only know what you make - Engage with ideas, apply them and make an effort to make them concrete for them to be truly useful and transformational. Part three : The Shift : Making things happen The Art of Creative Execution - Possibilities of the second brain The creative process is ancient and unchanging though its application keeps on changing and its output varies. It works through a principle called ‘convergence’ and ‘divergence’ Divergence which is the starting point begins with collecting, capturing and organising information from various sources. Convergence which is the end point begins by discarding what’s not relevant and then converging towards a solution. Overlaying the four steps of CODE onto the model of divergence and convergence, reveals a powerful template for the creative process. Strategies to practice convergence (which is more difficult) while doing creative work Archipelago of ideas - Instead of starting from scratch build on ideas that you already have. Create a layout, an outline and start filling in your own research findings. The Hemingway bridge - Write down the next steps after the end of each section Write down current status Other details Intention for the next session Dial down the scope of the work and work on the project iteratively The Creative Process The CODE Method is based on an important aspect of creativity that it is always a remix of existing parts. The creative process is fueled by attention at every step. It is the lens that allows us to make sense of what’s happening, to notice what resources we have at our disposal, and to see the contribution we can make. The ability to intentionally and strategically allocate our attention is a competitive advantage in a distracted world. We have to jealously guard it like a valuable treasure. Building a second brain is a journey towards self growth and it can achieved by making these three fundamental mindset shifts : Shift to an abundance mindset which means knowing that insights, ideas and information are available to us all the time. Shift from obligation to service fuelled by the desire to give back to society as they become aware of all that they already possess as part of their second brain. Shift from consuming to creating by focussing on all the knowledge we already possess ( called tacit Knowledge) and offloading what resonates with us in our second brain. 💬 Top 3 Quotes To truly “know” something, it’s not enough to read about it in a book. Ideas are merely thoughts until you put them into action. Thoughts are fleeting, quickly fading as time passes. To truly make an idea stick, you have to engage with it. You have to get your hands dirty and apply that knowledge to a practical problem. We learn by making concrete things—before we feel ready, before we have it completely figured out, and before we know where it’s going. Note-taking is like time travel—you are sending packets of knowledge through time to your future self. Our time and attention are scarce, and it’s time we treated the things we invest in—reports, deliverables, plans, pieces of writing, graphics, slides—as knowledge assets that can be reused instead of reproducing them from scratch. Reusing Intermediate Packets of work frees up our attention for higher-order, more creative thinking. Thinking small is the best way to elevate your horizons and expand your ambitions.