Get Things Done: How To Organize Your Life And Take Action
Taking action To Get Things Done Just Start
FIND THE MOTIVATION TO TAKE ACTION ON ANY TASK – Get Things Done
The task is often the hardest part of doing it
- Give task attention, and your brain begins to think of the time, energy, and resources it will take to complete = resistance
Resistance becomes procrastination
- You rationalize: I can’t do this BIG task today, but I can tomorrow
Tomorrow, the process is repeated…
- Tomorrow, the task looks just as big – if not bigger
The cure: Just do something small
- Need to write a blog post – Type some nonsense on your keyboard
- Need to pay bills – Open one bill and look at it
- Need to clean the garage – Throw one thing away
- Need to call several people – Enter the number of one person
Similarity and simplicity are the best small actions
- The best small actions get your mind and body to think/act in simple ways that are similar to those needed to complete the actual task
Why just start works
- Small is doable – Your brain believes that small can be done, so its resistance to doing the task drops
- It creates momentum – Once you’ve started, it’s easier to just continue taking action
- Newton: Objects in motion tend to stay in motion
CHALLENGE/NEXT ACTIONS
- Think of 3 tasks you’ve been putting off
- Identify the smallest thing you can do to start each one
- Do those small things
How To Take Action When You REALLY Don’t Want To
