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816: The Einstein Principle: Accomplish More By Doing Less by Cal Newport

2018-03-06 | 🔗

Cal Newport of the Study Hacks blog shares how to accomplish more by doing less.

Episode 816: The Einstein Principle: Accomplish More By Doing Less by Cal Newport (Lifestyle Improvement - Albert Einstein).

Cal Newport is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Georgetown University, who specializes in the theory of distributed algorithms. He previously earned his Ph.D. from MIT in 2009 and graduated from Dartmouth College in 2004.

In addition to studying the theoretical foundations of our digital age as a professor, Newport also writes about the impact of these technologies on the world of work.

His most recent book, Deep Work, argues that focus is the new I.Q. in the knowledge economy, and that individuals who cultivate their ability to concentrate without distraction will thrive.

The original post is located here: http://calnewport.com/blog/2007/10/10/the-einstein-principle-accomplish-more-by-doing-less

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This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Real quick. I recommend listening to the show on Spotify, we can listen to all of your favorite artists and podcast in one place for free without a premium account. Spotify has a huge catalog of podcast on every imaginable topic, plus he can follow your favorite podcast, so you never miss an episode premium. Users can download episodes to listen to offline wherever and whenever and easily share what you're listening to with your friends on Instagram. So if you haven't done so already be sure to download the Spotify app search for optimal living daily on Spotify or browse podcast in the your library, Tab also make sure to follow me, so you never miss sort of optimal living daily. This is optimal living daily episode. Eight hundred and sixteen the Einstein principle accomplish more by doing, alas, by Karl Newport of Town Newport, our com and I'm just a moloch. This is deeply castle. act as a personal narrator for you for free, usually from blogs, but sometimes from books and happy birthday, am I really good friend and business partner Lee he used to host optimal business daily with me
but we handed that show overdid Dan, but anyway he's you are visiting, which is amazing, so maybe egg to see him or, as I shall birthday, maybe not just on my keep him for herself, but in either case, happy birthday to him. So today's author can you whereas a blog that he calls study, acts he's an assistant professor, but I think it's great for everyone so with Alice here his post, as we optimize your life. The Einstein principle accomplish more by doing less by Karl Newport of Cow, Newport, dot com, Einstein push between the years of nineteen twelve nineteen. Fifteen Albert Einstein was a focused, a man, his previous work on the special theory of relativity and the participation of light among other topics.
restoring gave Notice Einstein left the Swiss panned office and, after hopping, from professorships in Germany in Prague, ended up in nineteen twelve at Switzerland's eat each institute once there he met mathematician Marcella Grossman and became convinced that if we apply the new non euclidean Mass study by Grossman to his own work, relativity. He could generalised theory to account for gravity does advance would be huge. nothing short of overturning the single most famous law in the history of science. Einstein said a work between nineteen twelve nineteen fifteen. He be increasingly obsessed in his push to form a general relativity, as revealed by several sources in He has recently released letters. He worked so hard tat. His marriage became strained and his hair turned white from the stress, but he got a done in nineteen fifteen. He publishes full theory, stands as one of the greatest scientific accomplishments. If not, the single greatest
twentieth century the Einstein principle I size for general relativity highlights an important reality about accomplishment. We are most productive when we focused a very small number of projects on which we can devote a large amount of attention, achievements worth achieving require hard work. There is no shortage here, be starting up a new college club or starting a new business Eventually effort sustained over a long amount of time is required in approach world. We would all behind size. We would each only one or at most to projects in the three major spheres of our lives. Professional ice trickery. you're in personal, and we would be allowed to focus on the special. I sat in exclusion as we push the projects to impressive conclusions, but this doesn't happen in search of your own theory of relativity. Our problem is that we don't
oh in advance, which project might turn out to be our theory of relativity and which are duds because of this most ambitious people. I know myself included, follow a different strategy. We saw lots of project seas. We made a lot of people join a lot of clubs, commit to a lot of minor projects set of laws of meetings constantly sent out feelers a friend's income. Actions. Regarding our latest brainstorm, we don't know which seed will ultimately take root and grow. So by planting many we expose ourselves enough randomness over time to maximize our chance of a big deal. Interesting life, changing success eventually These new our, however, have a tendency to transform into wheeze, while some of them clearly grownups tooth worth continuing and others I have quickly. Many instead this in a shadowy in between state where they demand her time but offer little promise of reward. In the end, these we'd projects violate the Einstein principle. We
no longer focus on a small number of important projects, but find ourselves instead rushing between an increase overwhelming slate full of a variety of obligations, the time fracture can prevent real accomplishment, Einstein maintained a blog, wrote a book join a bunch of clubs that aviation try to master rowing at the same I'm he's working on general relativity with he'll, be living in the age of noon, the productivity purge mode. thus will never fully satisfy the Einstein principle. It's too risky, if you
fully in one thing, and then it fails your left empty. More importantly, it can be boring. Life requires zigzags. There is, however, a simple strategy for coming as close as possible to satisfying the principle without giving up a quest for the unexpected next big thing is called the productivity purge and it works as follows. Number one when it feels like your schedule, is becoming too overwhelmed, take out a sheet of paper and label it with three columns, prefer draw extracurricular and personal under professional list, all the major projects that you are currently working on in your professional life. If your student, then this means clauses in research if you have a job, and this means your job etc. Under, I sure curricular do the same for your sigh projects, your band, your blog, your plan to write a book and under personal
do the same for personal self improvement projects from fitness to reading more books ever to under each less to try to slight one or two points jack's, which at this point in your life, are the most important and see might they would yield the greatest returns put a star by these projects in Missouri next identify the Prague so you could start working on right away with no serious consequences. Cross tease out number for finally for the projects that are left unmarked, come up with a one the weak plan for finalizing and dispatching them. Many of these will be projects for which you, oh someone, something before you can stop working on them. Come over. The crunch plan for your future for shutting these down as quick as possible, number five was completed your crunch plan. You be with only a small number of important projects. In essence, you have purrs your schedule of all, but a few contenders
to be your next theory of relativity. Here's the unborn part, try to go at least one month without starting any new projects resist at all costs domain to anything during this month in just focus with an einsteinian intensity on her so like to list the productivity purge, is unnecessary piece of product gardening, by doing these regularly, you keep herself focused on what's important. You get at least one month after every Persian, which sir His work at stand on a small number of projects is during these focused months when I same principle comes into play. They end up making progress on those activities that might end up becoming life. Changing case study my most reach, Berge as a right? This I'm in the second week of a two week purge after busy summer travelling and wildly sewing project seeds. I've been looking forward for long time for a focused a month spanning MID October,
Thanksgiving, during which the Einstein principle can be in full effect. Here's the purchase taking shape professional life. I'm clearing some lingering research projects off my play. because, among other things, finishing some revision on papers under submission and finalizing improves for some close to being finished new work. My crunch point: and has me pushing to finish these lingerers with a rabbit intensity. I focus for the upcoming period. It is on to research. Projects loathing whole great promise. I look forward to spending ninety percent of my academic time rocky my brain on these pursuits, which I think will shape the direction of my first year or two after graduation bring it on my extracurricular life, I finishing up the final articles in a long series of those. I owe various editors through various pitches conducted over the summer. With its lay clear, I can spend my focus period on exactly two things: the first producing quality user tested content for this.
blog the second finally completing the preliminary research. For my second book idea, I need you are officially abandon it or get my agents blessing and start work on the proposal. In my personal life, I'm turning my focus back to someone Sal improvement issues that have fallen follow recently decided through to Clothing Abad before college. I am also play into pushed into overdrive. The variety of interesting things I do each week live a long list of other address, I would love to tackle, but they can wait in conclusion, if the Einstein from oh holds come Thanksgiving. I should have a fully developed new book idea. A much expanded readership of this blog Trusting new academic research results in a mind over stuffed with new experiences and ideas. I'm looking or do it? How would your life change if you were to plan a productivity purge today,
you just listen to the post. I told the Einstein principle accomplish more by doing less by car, Newport of Cow Newport dot com, just click. No, before we go about a good amount of sponsors, lately and promotional material took a break the last couple of days, but likely continued if Sure that plays a huge role in keeping this pike S running. But if you didn't know you can actually get add, Promo free versions of this podcast by becoming a monthly page for the show that starts at two dollars a month. I think that's like seventy, perhaps so you can contribute we get handwritten cars. For me, any more, but to remove the ads that promotional content in ending music it just two dollars a month do that and learn more at old podcast dot com slash help its leaves
birthday and he sees when we get new patrons, as they would be awesome day to do it. I'm sure make his birthday that much better again as old, podcast dot com, slash help right. That's enough or today have a great of your day in all see you tomorrow, where you're off him alive awaits hey. This is Dan from the optimal financed daily podcast, which is a lot like this show, except more focused on personal finance. Just in hand picked the best posts he can find from blogs and authors like were meet safety, Mr Money, moustache and more- and I read them team five days a week. So if you enjoy this punk guest come on over and subscribe to optimal financed daily to and together we optimize your financial life. You ve been listening to optimum living daily, be sure they hit the subscriber to stay up to date. On these new episode and heads pod task, dotcom, that's o Elsie! I cast dot com
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Transcript generated on 2020-10-19.