Awesome video, but you should definitely use Excalidraw or something lol

Short Summary (24:08) : Work: - Use reciprocal meeting blocks - Use work quotas - Implement co-ordination Mondays and Summer Fridays - ALWAYS have working memory.txt open Life outside of work : - Use single-purpose notebooks for big challenges - Take thinking walks daily - Never post if you can avoid it - Do something hard all the time

The missing element in this discussion is loneliness. Loneliness, unsatisfying relationships, rejection, antisocial beliefs... all lead to a state of chronic desparation that most of us solve with our electronic playthings: games, videos, social media temporarily fill the void created by the crippling effects of loneliness. This electronic stimulation has a much greater influence on our behavior than any feelings of pride in work or responsibility to a job or paycheck, even. They automated our workplaces but ruined our personal lives and mental health.

KZfaq is far more addictive than social media, and yet I don’t see these productivity types railing against it… I wonder why.

This reminds me of the quote that goes somewhat like: "I do not fear the man who has practiced 10.000 kicks once, but the man who has practiced 1 kick 10.000 times."

In "so good they cant ignore you" you report the conclusion that a vocation walk hand by hand with years spent doing a certain job. But from an evolutionary point of view we can say that some poeple survive so long due to the love for their job, and people that dont love maybe change the job.

The theme music has me cackling. I love this podcast

I'm glad I found this video...I haven't been motivated lately...

I reduced my screen time by over 70% by just disabling the automatic connection of my iPhone to wi fi. The content connectivity is the problem.

High amount of Resources, food nd abundance leads to laziness.

fuck... i need 50 more hours a day...

WOW GREAT!! thank you so much for the tips cal

I do hear Cal’s phone dinging in the background, he hesitates a couple times, I imagine it was driving him crazy lol.

The article about you in the Spanish journal showed up in my news feed last week, probably because I’m always telling my husband what Cal said, in the car. I laughed too at Jesse Skeleton esp why it was named. Hilarious

Athenaeum! My condo was right across the street! Miss living there.

Sorry to rain on your parade, guys, but the low productivity music is nails on a blackboard… Wincing material every time! 😬😬😬

The example is laughably coherent. A website, better design skills (for websites), social media that can be used for business promotion (of websites)...

How did you post this without a KZfaq account?

Damn. Only 6 mins in but I have prayed for an answer to my metaphorical suffering of the past decade in which I’ve been addicted to my phone. Constantly gaining motivation to start something with only a few days later not giving a care in the world. Fleeting sense of motivation. This is the channel I have needed all this time

Cal, I would also like to add my thoughts on the issue of people distracted by their phones and apps. There are parental controls apps that can block social media, news, entertainment and other categories of websites. My wife keeps me accountable with these parental control apps on these things. I hope that helps. You can add these controls on all devices.

Use Excel

Introduction Objective: Reinvent your life in four months using the Deep Life Stack framework. Timing: Start in September and end by New Year's. Methods: Structured timelines and specific tasks for each layer of Deep Life Stack. Deep Life Stack Framework Discipline Layer Setup Core: Create a central place to track habits, disciplines, and systems. Three Keystone Habits: One professional One related to health and fitness One personal (e.g., reading, nature, meditation) Timeline: Spend the first two weeks on this layer. Values Layer Reconnect with Moral Intuition: Re-read influential works (e.g., Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning). Write Your Code: Create a personal code defining values, principles, and approach to life's ups and downs. Establish Rituals: Regular practices that reconnect you to your values (e.g., religious practices, meditation, nature walks). Timeline: Dedicate four weeks (mid-September to mid-October). Control Layer Multi-Scale Planning: Quarterly/semester planning, weekly planning, and daily time blocking. Professional life focus Household Planning: Capture and schedule non-work tasks together with your weekly plan. Automate and Curtail: Systematize recurring tasks and eliminate unnecessary obligations. Timeline: Four weeks (mid-October to mid-November). Vision Layer Small Overhaul: Make a non-professional area of your life remarkable (e.g., becoming a cinephile with regular film watching and study). Large Overhaul: Begin plans for a long-term significant life change (e.g., career change or relocation). Timeline: Six weeks (mid-November to end of December). Example: Becoming a Cinephile Concrete Steps: Upgrade home theater, watch two movies per week, join a film club. Habits/System: Read three articles per movie before viewing, participate in online film courses. Timing Overview September: Start with Discipline Layer. October: Work on Values Layer. November: Implement Control Layer. December: Focus on Vision Layer. By January, a significant reinvention will be achieved. Summary Why Four Months? Focused, structured reinvention aligning with New Year's. Deep Life Stack: Layered approach ensures all aspects of life are addressed systematically. Personal Relevance: Examples from Cal Newport's own annual overhaul process.

Way over my head.

Glad I scrolled long enough to find the video.

A philomath. Interests in studying, philosophy, politics, law, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, physics, biology and had most of these from a very young age- I circle through them instead of improving them simultaneously. I get a decent knowledge in things without burnout. You have to learn to “shove a few into the wardrobe” and minimise burnout.

round 3

Hard work is important. But hustle culture has sent many a man to an early grave. This doesn’t exhibit a great deal of emotional intelligence to me.

I am a content creator for my own business, but also for a software company. Keeping an online presence is very important for the brand to continue to grow, but I am aiming to keep it educational and cerebral, and avoid the digital doritos/Mr. Beast hyper edited content. It is a very fine line to walk and may cause loss of engagement, but in the scheme of things I feel and hope it will be worth it. I have certainly felt the effects of eating ultra processed foods as well as ultra processed social media, you really do become numb to it. Thank you for this perspective, I very much agree with it and it is certainly helping me grow in my understanding of how to further work more efficiently and push through the mind-numbing environments that have been created in our everyday lives.

When I sit quietly, there is always a list, ledger, inbox of things I need to be attending to, and caring of. When I ignore these things, and let them pile up, there is no focus or peace or clarity in bigger life plans, and I don't enjoy the day to day grind usually as a result. I noticed that it always bothered me when my bed was messy, so I started making my bed every morning, then I was never bothered or distracted or worried of it ever again. Action is the thing that changes people, thinking is an action, and too much of it without structure can ruin you.

Why should I care what a computer science professor has to say on this topic? Stay in your lane homeboy.

Could you please put a link to that neuron article

Staying on the phone for hours listening to Cal talking about leaving the phone..... 😂

I use to tutor math. When kids said they don’t like math, I said “you don’t have to like math to learn math, you can be a masochist.” 😂

Thank you .. this is helpful

11:05 In 2024, we call this raw dogging.

"stimuli" is plural, singular is "stimulus"

Excellent episode today. I'm reading Cal's new book right now.

Do you have a link to the Reddit thread?

I will hear this on the treadmill

Appreciate the UP shout-out!

Thank you so much Cal for this very concrete description of discipline. Most advice I've heard has been very abstract and I've always tried pushing myself to be more disciplined but failed several times. I think you hit the nail on the head with your subtle point that I was more focussed on how do I avoid these short-term indulgences, but the focus should be on developing the long-term motivation system through a rich cognitive map and clear examples of successful people. Absolutely brilliant!

You're content has just been like the light at the end of the tunnel, its crazy for how long someone can feel stuck wanting to do something but circles right back

I have two desks in my home office. One for my day job and one for my side gig. I also have a reading chair and use my TV to watch KZfaq. Unless I want to comment. Then I use my side gig Mac to leave a comment. I also stop working on anything by 5pm; leaving the rest of the day with my family and leisure. Thanks for the great podcast!

Todd Henry is my favorite author on the topic of discipline and creative work. He always mentions that “passion” is derived from Latin for “suffering”. Die Empty, Accidental Creative, and The Brave Habit are all great books that touch on the idea.

‘Behavior control’ is a great term. If we control our behavior and those behaviors add up to your goals then you are disciplined.

This works if you have a meaningful goal. If not, this is just masochism.

I removed the TV, PC, and PlayStation from my house. I only now have my Mac for creative work and a keyboard for practice.

First , pin me pls. I read deep work. Awesome wook

First

i jsut slowly got rid of the ones i didnt use at all. wait a few weeks, realised i never used it anyway. moved on to the next app. moved people over all to e.g whatsapp. then deleted facebook & only kept messenger. then slowly told people on insta to go to catch me on whatsapp. and slowly over a year - i deleted snapchat, toktok, twitter, facebook, insta, pinterest and people jst whatsapp me. im never cut off from people. because of my extra 4 hours a day!! i got my dream job & lost 8kg!