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Accomplish more by doing less (2007)
- labrador 4y agoThe Einstein Principle Einstein’s push for general relativity highlights an important reality about accomplishment. We are most productive when we focus on a very small number of projects on which we can devote a large amount of attention
- borroka 4y agoAll Cal Newport's advice is pretty mundane and, frankly, feels almost exploitative these days. "Let's give those distracted folks some old-as-sin observation, but packaged as new", it looks like he is saying. Deep Work = find a place with no distraction and work for a few hours with real focus. Einstein Principle = focus on a few things. Is there anyone in the world who thinks that in order to achieve excellent results (unprecedented, surprising, miraculous) from research and similar intellectual endeavors, it is better to divide attention and focus among many "projects"? I don't think so. In other professions, better results would be accomplished by diffusing attention (think of the Director or VP level in large tech companies, which are the companies I know the most about).
- jb1991 4y agoI just looked over the "time block planner" of his. At first I though, neat idea, then I realized, it's just ruled lines, a one-dollar notebook will accomplish the same thing.
- jacquesm 4y agoAnd let's throw in a name with high recognition value as a way to both validate the concept and attract more eyeballs. It's an argument from authority if there ever was one.
- aahortwwy 4y agoMost people read these things because it feels good to read them, not because it provides any lasting benefit. It makes sense that these productivity entertainment books include the simplest, least controversial ideas only. Anything else would reduce the size of their TAM.
- voidhorse 4y ago> he worked so hard that his marriage became strained and his hair turned white from the stress yeah, so maybe don’t follow the Einstein principle? The real issue is this obsession with abstract progress. Einstein was successful because he found something that he believed was important and meaningful. Prior to devoting yourself to some crazy project, I think it’s important to take time to reflect about whether or not the project is actually meaningful to you or if it’s just filler. This is sort of what this article goes on to recommend, but I’d rather do it talking about meaning and significance in life than organizing everything around “productivity”. The real issue is this line: > It’s too risky. If you invest fully in one thing, and then it fails, you’re left empty. If failure means your project and experience will be entirely sapped of meaning, it’s a good sign it’s not the right project for you. You’re not passionate about the work, you’re passionate about outcomes. Be passionate about the work and the outcomes will fall out naturally, and better yet, if you enjoy your work in itself, you won’t care too much about outcomes.
- paulpauper 4y agoReminds me of the 'Feynman Technique'...be as smart as Feynman..it tends to make progress easier Einstein was smart and well-connected enough to know he was not on a dead end. He had the support of others who helped formulate some of the math. Others are not so fortunate or smart.
- djmips 4y agoThe Feynman technique is compatible because it does say to think real hard. Sometimes people are so busy and distracted they don't even get to focus and think real hard. You don't have to be a genius to apply more to a particularly important problem.
- moneywoes 4y ago> It’s too risky. If you invest fully in one thing, and then it fails, you’re left empty. Makes me think about marriage with the divorce rate these days
- 4y ago
- metadat 4y agoWhat if you're not Einstein, though? Just saying.. This is an idiot fallacy.
- swayvil 4y agoYou could say that what separates the einsteins from the idiots is a willingness to obsess over worthwhile projects. And maybe the ability to locate worthwhile projects too, I suppose. That would be an important first step.
- metadat 4y agoBetter to embrace your own unique and [hopefully beautiful] nature full heatedly than obsess over someone else's ideas or what someone else did.
- Thursday24 4y agoLooks like everything a human does can fall into one or the other sort of fallacy. I sometimes think we should have a fallacy named merely for being around: "the breathing fallacy" (the mother of all fallacies)
- yasinaydin 4y agoWould an "existence fallacy" predate this?
- swayvil 4y agoIt's practically thermodynamics. Concentrate your energy on the smallest point possible if you wish to generate the highest temperature possible. And if your energy is spent on a hundred different tasks, it's gonna take you that much longer to boil that pot of water. This seems extremely straightforward and intuitive. Surely we do not need Einstin here to prove it for us.
- Lwepz 4y agoSometimes that point exists in a region of concepts that isn't touched by anyone directly, so you have no clue what its exact location is, hence you can't concentrate your energy on it. What you can do, however is identify the conceptually closest and well understood points. These points may end up being in vastly different fields, each requiring vastly different ways of thinking and/or computational paradigms. _IF_ you're resourceful enough to focus your attention on all of these neighboring points "virtually" at once, then you have a chance to interpolate the position the original concept and finally concentrate on it.
- arvinsim 4y agoIt's never the concept that's hard. It's the execution.
- prawn 4y agoIs the execution hard no matter what, or because the concept is vague or being addressed at too broad a scope?
- tyronehed 4y ago
- system2 4y ago"These numerous seeds, however, have a tendency to transform into weeds." Hit me the hardest.
- recroad 4y agoPink Floyd’s Time hit me like that. “Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines”
- j7ake 4y agoThe way academics and VCs handle the stochastic nature of research and innovation (eg only a small fraction of ideas end up working) is to hire many people ready to devote all their energy to one or two projects. That way you have multiple projects, each with a dedicated and talented person leading it. Then the seeds that grow into mighty oak trees survive, weeds are trimmed out and forgotten. Note the Einstein was not that productive after he moved to Princeton. All his seeds became weeds after a certain age.
- lifeisstillgood 4y agoThere ought to be some qualifier like "works in mice" "if you're Einstein"
- jeffail 4y agoIf I want to achieve something then I find the joy in pursuing it, at which point I will naturally do it when I'm capable and will do other things when I'm not. Letting my attention float around freely (within limits obviously) often looks like I have a low attention span. However, with a birds eye view on what I'm able to get done I look like I'm hyper focused. And if I can't find the joy in a long term pursuit then it's very unlikely to be worth my time.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- tpoacher 4y agoAnd here I thought the Einstein principle was that you can instantly make any idea or quote sound more credible by liberally attributing it to Einstein.
- jyriand 4y agoOr Mark Twain
- tardismechanic 4y agoBut not Jeffrey Epstein ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- tardismechanic 4y agoEwww I regret making this comment. Apologies to the community. Please delete
- MrVandemar 4y ago"The Einstein principle is that you can instantly make any idea or quote sound more credible by liberally attributing it to Einstein. " -- Mark Twain
- avidphantasm 4y agoIf you have kids and your spouse also has a career, all this goes out the window, and you are stuck in survival mode for at least the first 5 years (assuming one kid). For example: extracurricular activities basically cease, and personal is winnowed down to getting the bare minimum of exercise if you are lucky. Still it’s probably good advice to trim professional projects if you can. However, many people don’t have the same flexibility to do this as an academic does, but can learn to say “no” to projects, which sometimes works.
- cercatrova 4y agoAnother solution is to not have kids, interestingly enough.
- greymalik 4y agoSorry, horse has left the barn on that one.
- cercatrova 4y agoSure, I meant for other readers who have not (yet?) had kids.
- b-lee 4y agoWhat is the point of "productivity" if you're not accomplishing what is important in your life?
- cercatrova 4y agoThat's predicated on the false assumption that everyone finds kids important. Many certainly do not, like myself. I'd rather have more money and time than raise a child.
- ianceicys 4y agoSimple question: If not your kids, who's going to be at your funeral?