Getting Things Done - 1

26 Oct 2020

Following summary is extracted from Chapter 1 of Getting Things Done.

NOTE: Most of this summary are full quotes from the book.

Key Objectives

  1. Capturing all the things that might need to get done or have usefulness for you - now, later, someday, big, little or in between - in a logical and trusted system outside your head and off your mind
  2. Directing yourself to make front-end decisions about all of the “inputs” you let into your life so that you will always have a workable inventory of “next actions” that you can implement or renegotiate in the moment
  3. Curating and coordinating all of that content, utilizing the recognition of the multiple levels of commitments with yourself and others you will have at play, at any point in time

NOTE: When you try to improve something such as yourself, you adapt new values and habits. These do not necessarily lower your workload.

Upping the quality of our thinking and commitments does not diminish the quantity of potentially relevant and important stuff to manage.

Mind Like Water

Imagine throwing a pebble into a still pond. How does the water respond? The answer is totally appropriately to the force and mass of the input; then it returns to calm. It doesn’t overreact or underreact. Water is what it is, and does what it does. It can overwhelm, but it’s not overwhelmed. It can be still, but it is not impatient. It can be forced to change course, but it is not frustrated.

Anything that causes you to overreact or underreact can control you… Most people give either more and less attention to things than they deserve, simply because they don’t operate with a mind like water.

Personal Thought

I have only had little time to read this ever so famous Getting Things Done but I like what I have read so far.

This book seems practical to me. It quickly listed out the 3 key objectives in the early pages and didn’t try too hard to “sell stories”. As with most books on self-improvement, anecdotes from successful people are inavoidable. However, Getting Things Done only tried to “sell genenal ideas” - like asking readers to imagine throwing a pebble on a still pond. I guess it’s better than hearing a story about a successful person because it’s relatable (and therefore verifiable) and makes my mind work actively (imagine).

Your ability to generate power is directly proportional to your ability to relax.