Book Summary

• This is not a book about how to get more things done, it’s about getting the things that matter most done and getting them done in a way that leaves you energized.

• By making work more fun, you’re more likely to do a better job, and you’ll enjoy the work more along the way.

• In any work you do, there is always a way to make the process a bit more fun. You may need to just look a little bit harder. While we can’t always control the work that we have to do, we get to choose our mindset and thoughts while we do it.

Top Quotes

• Success doesn’t lead to feeling good. Feeling good leads to success.

• Life is stressful. Play makes it fun.

• Being curious about everything not only makes you more creative. It enriches your life. —Walter Isaacson

• When we can’t take ownership of the situation, we can still take ownership of the process.

• When you think you’ve communicated plenty, you almost certainly haven’t.

• If you don’t know when you’re doing something, chances are you won’t do it.

• The mindset of ‘no one cares’ can be totally transformative.

• If you wouldn’t say yes to something happening tomorrow, you shouldn’t say yes to it in a month or more.

• Doing nothing can be surprisingly productive.

• Productivity isn’t about discipline; it’s about doing more of what makes you feel happier, less stressed, and more energized.

Notes & Highlights

• When we’re in a positive mood, we tend to consider a broader range of actions, be more open to new experiences, and better integrate the information we receive.

• When we feel good, we generate energy, which boosts our productivity.

• Harnessing your curiosity is a method for building adventure into your life. Curiosity doesn’t simply make our lives more enjoyable. It also allows us to focus longer.

• Ask yourself: What would this look like if it were fun?

• Music is a great way to bring more playfulness to work.

• Success isn’t down to how often you fail. It’s about how you frame your failures.

• If we could just frame our learning process so that we weren’t so concerned with failure, how much more could we learn?

• No failure is ever just a failure. It’s an invitation to try something new.

• When you feel like your work is draining or overwhelming, try asking yourself, ‘How can I approach this with a little less seriousness, and a little more sincerity?’

• There’s an element of fun in every task, even if it isn’t always obvious.

• Confidence isn’t something you’re born with; it’s something you learn.

• The ‘vicarious mastery experience’ is when you witness or hear about someone else’s performance related to a task that you’re going to undertake yourself. You see other people’s examples, and it boosts your confidence.

• Find people who’re going through the same challenges as you and spend time with them - or find other ways to hear their stories. By immersing yourself in vicarious success, you’ll be building a powerful story in your own mind: that if they can, you can too.

• When people have power over their own actions, they’re much more likely to be intrinsically motivated to engage in them.

• ‘Have to’ is coercive language that makes you feel powerless. ‘Choose to’ is autonomy-affirming language that makes you feel powerful. Whenever you feel you must do something, think again. How did your choices lead you to this moment? And is there a way to turn this ‘have to’ into a ‘choose to”?

• Ask yourself: how can I start teaching others even though I’m not an expert yet?

• We think our confidence is fixed, but actually, it’s extremely malleable. So why not try ‘flipping the confidence switch’—and playing the role of someone who’s already filled with self-belief?

• When the going gets tough, it’s better to have friends to lean on than enemies to lord it over.

• When we ask someone for help, it’s likely to make them think better of us.

• Try treating the people you’re working with as comrades rather than competitors.

• The main way uncertainty drives procrastination is by creating ambiguity over our ultimate purpose.

• Try approaching goal-setting a little bit differently by using NICE goals:

  • Near-term: near-term goals ensure that we’re concentrating on the immediate steps we need to take along our journey. They help us avoid being overwhelmed by the bigger picture. Try using a daily or weekly objective.

  • Input-based: this focuses on what your can do in the here and now. These emphasize the process, rather than some distant, abstract end-goal.

  • Controllable: focus on what’s in your control.

  • Energizing: Is there a way to integrate play, power, and people into the goals you set yourself?

• If you don’t put the things you want to do into your calendar, they won’t happen.

• Time blocking isn’t about creating a rigid schedule that stresses you out; it’s about providing structure and ensuring there’s dedicated time for what matters most to you.

• Knowledge is power. Getting to know our fears is the first step towards overcoming them.

• If you’re feeling bad about something, chances are that it probably won’t matter that much in the future. Ask yourself: ‘Will this matter in 10 minutes? In 10 weeks? In 10 years?’

• We spend our lives believing a spotlight is always trained on us, and that everyone around is constantly looking at us, analyzing our behaviors, and passing judgement on our worth as human beings.

  • Just say to yourself ‘No one cares.’

• It takes way more energy to get started than it does to keep going. When you’re doing nothing, it’s easy to carry on doing nothing. And when you’re working, it’s much easier to carry on working.

• We need clear, concrete steps to take, rather than distant, abstract goals. Otherwise, we might do nothing at all.

• When dealing with procrastination, ask yourself, ‘What’s the next action step.’

  • This method takes our eyes off the intimidatingly huge long-term goal and focuses our minds on the more achievable one.

• Tracking your progress provides you with tangible evidence that you’re moving towards your goals.

• Procrastination isn’t something we can always control. Forgiving ourselves is something we can. You can focus on the small losses. Or you can celebrate the small wins.

• We tend to think we can do everything. It’s a myth. Sustainable productivity means recognizing the limitations on our time.

• Ask yourself: ‘Would I be excited about this commitment if it was happening tomorrow? Or am I only thinking about saying “yes” to it because it’s easier to make it a problem for my future self?’

• Things that we do when we’re feeling drained of energy might include scrolling social media, watching Netflix, or ordering takeaway. But things that actually energize us include, going for a walk, listening to music, catching up with friends, and working out.

• Creative activities are particularly likely to make us relax. They also give us a feeling of liberty. They help us properly disengage from our ‘work mode.’

• Nature, helps us heal and triggers a physiological response that lowers stress levels and rejuvenates our ability to concentrate.

• Sometimes taking a break and not being productive at all can actually lead to improved productivity.

• The Reitoff principle is the idea that we grant ourselves permission to write off a day and intentionally step away from achieving anything.

  • This technique can be a great way to feel less guilty about taking a night off. By doing less today, you can do more of what matters tomorrow.

• Think about the very end of your life. And use it to reappraise what matters in the here and now. The ‘eulogy method’ is when ask yourself ‘ What would I feel good about someone saying in my eulogy?’

• By focusing on the immediate, short-term steps—rather than on the whole year ahead—you turn living your values into something immediate.

• “What are 3 actions today that might take you a little step closer to the life you want in a year?”