Success doesn’t respond to half-hearted wishes—it demands obsession. Until you feel your dream in your bones, nothing changes. Desire is fuel, and the stronger it burns, the further it drives you.
The moment you stop dabbling and start pursuing something like your life depends on it—that’s the moment everything starts to move.

Desire – The Starting Point of All Achievement

Faith is belief before evidence. It’s imagining what you want with so much clarity and repetition that your subconscious starts treating it like reality.Visualizing your success—and feeling it—rewires your internal compass. Soon, your actions start matching your vision, and your vision starts becoming real.

Faith – Visualization and Belief in Attainment of Desire

Your brain listens to your mouth. Autosuggestion is the practice of feeding your subconscious new beliefs—on purpose, on repeat. You don’t have to feel strong to say something strong.With enough repetition, you’ll stop repeating your doubts and start living your affirmations.

Autosuggestion – The Medium for Influencing the Subconscious Mind

Loving something isn’t enough. You need targeted, applied knowledge to turn passion into results. You don’t have to know everything—just the right things.
Once you combine what you love with what you’ve learned, you stop guessing and start building.

Specialized Knowledge – Personal Experiences or Observations

Imagination turns invisible ideas into visible results. It’s where every solution, product, or business begins. Don’t wait for permission—start with the version in your mind.
The clearer you picture it, the easier it is to chase. Every dream starts as a sketch.

Imagination – The Workshop of the Mind

Ideas without plans are just daydreams. A goal needs structure. Planning breaks the big dream into small, winnable steps—and keeps you honest along the way.
Start rough, revise fast, stay flexible—but above all, write it down and track it.

Organized Planning – The Crystallization of Desire into Action

Indecision kills momentum. The longer you wait, the harder it gets—and the smaller your window becomes. Most regret comes from not acting, not from failing.Practice fast decisions. Even wrong ones teach you more than hesitation.

Decision – The Mastery of Procrastination

Persistence beats talent, luck, and timing. It's the quiet power behind every great result. Most people stop just before things turn around. Don’t.Every no gets you closer to a yes—if you’re willing to keep showing up.

Persistence – Sustained Effort Needed to Induce Faith

This isn't just about money—it's about mastering your mindset to achieve any goal. Hill studied hundreds of successful individuals to distill the principles that lead to greatness. If you're ready to harness the power of your thoughts and take decisive action, this classic guide offers the blueprint.

Ever wondered how life would be if we could condition our minds to Think and Grow Rich? Author Napoleon Hill claims to have based this book on twenty years of rigorous research on the lives of those who had amassed great wealth and made a fortune. Observing their habits, their ways of working and the principles they followed, Hill put together laws and philosophies that can be practiced in everyday life to achieve all-round success. The narrative is rich with stories and anecdotes, which not only inspire, but also show a way forward to take action. After all, riches are not just material, but also pertaining to the mind, body and spirit.  Having sold more than fifteen million copies across the world, this book remains the most read self-improvement book of all times!

Oliver Napoleon Hill was an American self-help author. He is best known for his book Think and Grow Rich, which is among the best-selling self-help books of all time. Hill's works insisted that fervid expectations are essential to improving one's life.

Napoleon Hill

Think and Grow Rich

Group therapy is an exposure-based large-group one-session treatment (LG-OST). It builds on the remarkable advances made in the development of highly effective cognitive-behavioural treatments (CBT) for various mental disorders. So-called ‘exposure strategies’ are at the heart of these approaches.

Getting Cured Of Phobias In One Day

Exposure therapy <a href="https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/381574">refers</a> to ‘repeated, systematic exposure to cues that are feared, avoided, or endured with dread’. Whether the therapy is delivered in vivo (ie, involving actual objects, events or situations), in sensu (ie, using the imagination – for example, to conjure traumatic memories or obsessional thoughts), or it’s interoceptive (ie, focused on the feared bodily sensations), it should provide the patients with new, anxiety-reducing and fear-relieving experiences that violate their fear-evoking expectancies.

Exposure Therapy

After an exposure treatment, between a half and two-thirds of patients are deemed to no longer suffer from an anxiety disorder or they show significant <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272735815001178">improvement</a>. This is a blessing when considering the life-limiting, long-lasting, progressing and – as increased suicide rates among anxiety patients <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11920-018-0885-z">show</a> – sometimes even life-threatening character of these disorders.

Benefits Of The Exposure Treatment

Despite the promising initial findings, it remains to be proven whether LG-OST is a feasible and effective treatment for anxiety disorders beyond phobias. Moreover, the ‘best’ therapist-to-patient ratio still needs to be calibrated. And most importantly, LG-OST effectiveness needs to be improved further, because not all participants benefited to the desired extent. The cost- and resource-saving aspect of LG-OST, however, is obvious.

A Lot Of Work To Do

A single-session, exposure-based treatment for large groups could help bring evidence-based psychotherapy to the masses

Understand yourself and those around you.

psychology

Psychology

mentalhealth

Mental Health

Strength in numbers: group therapy can beat phobias in a day | Psyche Ideas

As children, we are taught to live by an ever-expanding set of rules. The rules keep us safe. They limit our downside during a fragile period of our lives. They also limit our upside, as they create artificial constraints on our movement and collisions as we travel through the universe.
Rules are good—but just like the old man in the quote above, you have to know when to bend and break them.

Life Rules

The young man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions.

This rule has paralyzed would-be action-takers for generations.The reality: there is no such thing as the perfect moment.Sometimes you just have to open the door, jump out of the plane, and hope you packed the parachute tight.

Wait for the Perfect Moment

Hard work is important—but it's relative, not absolute.In the Digital Age—when creative and inspired work stands out and is rewarded—what you work on is more important than how hard you work.Play your game, not theirs. You’ll play it better.

You Have to Work Hard to Succeed

Society celebrates experts in any given field.But as David Epstein finds in Range, many experts succeed because of the range of pursuits that preceded their main endeavour.Become a polymath. Generalize first, specialize later.

Become an Expert, Not a Generalist

This isn't a movie that you're watching on your TV.You are not a passive observer of your own life. There are times to sit back, and there are times to push.Learn to identify the difference and never be afraid to provide a little push.

Let Things Play Out

Children are born with an insatiable curiosity, but somewhere along the line, we are told to stop asking questions.The most successful people in the world never listened—they broke this rule.Ask questions. Be curious. Be interested.

Don't Ask Too Many Questions

Complacency will always lead you down a bad path.Just because something isn't broken, doesn't mean it can't be improved.Continuous improvement is the way. Focus on small, incremental improvements—day in, day out.

If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It

This might have been a good rule in the Industrial Age, but its foundation is crumbling in the Digital Age.The way we work is fundamentally changing—opportunities for creative, unstructured career paths are endless.Find your Zone of Genius and operate in it.

Get a Stable Job

A rule of the fixed, stagnant, and hierarchical—often used to keep employees in line.It's great to double down on your strengths, but never let external pressures prevent you from expanding your domains.Growth mindsets rule the world.

Stay in Your Lane

We are told to methodically consider the pros and cons of every big decision in our lives.As a result, many of us have decision paralysis.With big decisions, you're actually better off making them fast—let your gut and instincts guide you.

Think Through Every Big Decision

A classic we are told as children—the residue of which carries into adulthood for far too many.When we open up to those around us, we stimulate, learn, and grow.

Don't Talk to Strangers

There are no strangers here; Only friends you haven't yet met.

For decades we told children they had to attend a traditional four-year college, or else they were a failure.That is a lie—and we loaded a generation with student debt because of it.Four-year degrees make sense for many, but not for all.Follow YOUR path.

Get a Four-Year Degree

All mainstream financial advice tells you one thing: save now to enjoy later.It should come with  a caveat:You have to enjoy the prime of your life! Now and then, it's ok to save a bit less to go to that concert with your friends.Find your balance.

Save Now to Enjoy Later

It's important to have a plan.But as Mike Tyson famously said, "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."Plans have to be dynamic—and punch-proof! You'll only go as far as your ability to absorb and pivot on the fly.

Have a Plan & Stick to It

It's easy to condemn self-promotion when you're at the top.But when you're first starting out, you may be the only one in a position to promote.When you put in the work, energy and love, share it with the world! Genuine pride is infectious.

Don't Be Self-Promotional

It's not up to anyone else to decide what is possible for you or your life.Are there constraints outside of your control? Sure. Is that a reason to settle? Hell no.As Will Smith says in Pursuit of Happyness: "If you want something, go get it. Period."

Be Realistic

Listen now | A player's guide to mastering the video game of life

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

motivationandinspiration

Motivation & Inspiration

15 Life Rules Worth Breaking

<ul><li>The “secrets” of jacked prisoner inmates is pretty simple: frequency and consistency</li><li>Former inmates are known to break up their day with 2-4 blocks of exercise throughout the day</li><li>Best glute exercises: hip thrusters, barbell squats, deadlifts, single-leg deadlifts, heavy kettlebell swing, good mornings</li><li>Building stronger glutes are not just about choosing the movement, you have to mitigate any quad dominance that might be taking place by starting with activation sets </li><li>Do not bench press with feet off the floor. You will reduce the effectiveness because stability comes from the lower body</li></ul>

The Podcast: Key Takeaways

“Jacked” just means showing more muscle definition<ul><li>The definition of “jacked” is a lot different than it used to be – if you lose fat (which you will probably do with prison food) and exercise – you will have a lot of muscle definition</li><li>Former inmates are known to break up their day with several different workout blocks to maintain sanity</li><li>If you didn’t work out prior to prison, you will also develop muscle quickly since it’s new</li><li>It’s possible those seeking gains barter for additional calories or smuggle food, etc.</li></ul>

The Jacked Up Prison Body

Best glute exercises: hip thrusters, barbell squats, deadlifts, single-leg deadlifts, heavy kettlebell swing, good morningsQuad dominance: if you’re not building glutes, the solution might not be in the exercises you’re choosing but instead in your ability to activate and connect to glutesIf you’re quad dominant, the quads will take over the movement.

Accelerating Muscle Growth In Glutes

<ol><li>Start with glute exercises first and finish sessions with other exercises.</li><li>Start with glute activation sets (e.g., donkey kicks, etc.)</li></ol>

Building Glutes With Quad Dominance

Do not bench press with feet off the floor unless you’re doing the advanced guillotine press.<ul><li>The guillotine press is very advanced and not recommended for most people – it requires tremendous stability and mobility.</li><li>You’re making the bench press less effective when you take your feet off the floor</li><li>Stability comes from the lower body when bench pressing</li></ul>

Bench Pressing With Feet Off The Floor

podcasts

Podcasts

videos

Videos

sports

Sports

health

Health

exerciseandfitness

Exercise & Fitness

How To Build Muscle

In this episode of Quah (Q & A), Sal, Adam & Justin answer Pump Head questions about how men get jacked in prison if they are not eating in a calorie surplus, good glute exercises to build the butt, bench pressing with feet off the floor, and how the Mind Pump founders connected and decided to start the show.  Adam addresses the haters in his DM’s. (4:41) The difference between discipline and motivation. Plus, the importance of having a trust circle. (7:42) Another example countering the risk of consuming too much dairy fat. (28:34) Dairy or nut milk with your Organifi Gold Juice? (32:52) Mind Pump Recommends, Star Wars: Visions and What If…? on Disney+. (38:03) Another glowing review for the benefits of Caldera. (40:33) What is the deal with vaccine mandates and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement? (42:10) #Quah question #1 – How do men get jacked in prison if they are not eating in a calorie surplus? (50:20) #Quah question #2 – What are some good glute exercises to build the butt? (58:01) #Quah question #3 – What do you think about bench pressing with feet off the floor? (1:01:18) #Quah question #4 - How did you guys get connected to start Mind Pump? (1:06:04)  Related Links/Products Mentioned   September Promotion: MAPS Performance and MAPS Suspension 50% off!   **Promo code “SEPTEMBER50” at checkout** Visit ZBiotics for an exclusive offer for Mind Pump listeners!  Biomarkers of dairy fat intake, incident cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality: A cohort study, systematic review, and meta-analysis Visit Organifi for the exclusive offer for Mind Pump listeners! **Promo code “MINDPUMP” at checkout**  Watch Star Wars: Visions | Disney+ What If...? | Disney+ Originals Visit Caldera Lab for an exclusive offer for Mind Pump listeners! **Code “mindpump” at checkout for the discount**  BLM leader in NYC threatens national 'uprising' over 'racist' vaccine mandates after three Texas women attacked hostess at Carmine's in vax passport feud Visit MASSZYMES by biOptimizers for an exclusive offer for Mind Pump listeners! **Promo code “MINDPUMP10” at checkout**  Mind Pump #1362: What You Can Learn About Building Muscle from Inmates, Gymnasts and Sprinters   Mind Pump #1640: Five Steps to Build Muscle Without Adding Fat   Mind Pump #1370: The 4 Reasons Your Butt is Not Building  How To Grow Your Glutes (FREE Butt Building Guide)  Vince GiRonda’s Guillotine Press  Mind Pump Podcast – YouTube Mind Pump Free Resources 

In this episode of Quah (Q & A), Sal, Adam & Justin answer Pump Head questions about how men get jacked in prison if they are not eating in a calorie surplus, good glute exercises to build the butt, bench pressing with feet off the floor, and how the Mind Pump founders connected and decided to start the show.  Adam addresses the haters in his DM’s. (4:41) The difference between discipline and motivation. Plus, the importance of having a trust circle. (7:42) Another example countering the risk of consuming too much dairy fat. (28:34) Dairy or nut milk with your Organifi Gold Juice? (32:52) Mind Pump Recommends, Star Wars: Visions and What If…? on Disney+. (38:03) Another glowing review for the benefits of Caldera. (40:33) What is the deal with vaccine mandates and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement? (42:10) #Quah question #1 – How do men get jacked in prison if they are not eating in a calorie surplus? (50:20) #Quah question #2 – What are some good glute exercises to build the butt? (58:01) #Quah question #3 – What do you think about bench pressing with feet off the floor? (1:01:18) #Quah question #4 - How did you guys get connected to start Mind Pump? (1:06:04)  Related Links/Products Mentioned   September Promotion: MAPS Performance and MAPS Suspension 50% off!   **Promo code “SEPTEMBER50” at checkout** Visit ZBiotics for an exclusive offer for Mind Pump listeners!  Biomarkers of dairy fat intake, incident cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality: A cohort study, systematic review, and meta-analysis Visit Organifi for the exclusive offer for Mind Pump listeners! **Promo code “MINDPUMP” at checkout**  Watch Star Wars: Visions | Disney+ What If...? | Disney+ Originals

MindPump exposes the RAW TRUTH about health, fitness, nutrition and more... Hosts Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer & Justin Andrews pull back the curtain on the mythology, snake oil and pseudo-science that pervades the fitness industry and present science-backed solutions that result in increased muscular development and performance while simultaneously emphasizing health. No fitness institution or fitness "truth" is safe from their quick wit and over 40 years of combined experience in the fitness industry. Produced by Doug Egge. Find Mind Pump and the Mind Pump hosts on Instragram @mindpumpmedia, @mindpumpsal, @mindpumpadam, @mindpumpjustin & @mindpumpdoug and on Facebook at mindpump. Get expertly programmed Mind Pump training protocols at www.mindpumpmedia.com

Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth

1653: The Muscle Building Secrets of Jacked Prison Inmates, How to Adjust Your Workout to Accelerate Butt Growth, the Dangers of Bench Pressing With Your Feet on the Bench & More

The Muscle Building Secrets of Jacked Prison Inmates

<ul><li>If you’re not seeing progress, the best program is the one you’re not doing! Example: if you usually train low weights and high reps, start training with heavy weights and fewer reps</li><li>A guaranteed way to break through the training plateau: Don’t change your routine – just manipulate reps and rest period</li><li>For any program, stay consistent for 3-6 weeks then manipulate sets, reps, tempo, rest to trigger new adaptation</li><li>Train each body part 9-18 sets per week and keep sets between 1-30 reps depending on the goal</li><li>Don’t shortchange rest periods! Rest is as important as reps and sets</li></ul>

Podcast: Key Takeaways

<ul><li>Programming is what will make or break your progress</li><li>A lot of programs are just a bunch of exercises and aren’t designed for a specific outcome like training</li><li>Training programs are designed to build strength, make you faster, lose body fat, etc.</li><li>Exercise programs designed for the general population are just exercises to get you moving and people will see results short term because some movement is always better than no movement at all</li></ul>

Exercise Versus Training

A set is a specified period of time you’re doing an exercise<ul><li>Defining sets helps you define reps, rounds, volume</li><li>Multiple sets will lead to greater improvement compared to a single set</li></ul>Sweet spot: 9-18 sets per body part, per week<ul><li>There’s an upper limit of what you can tolerate – and a sweet spot of what will give you the best results – maybe you can do 18 sets but 14 will give you great results</li><li>The goal is the do as few sets as you can get away with to elicit results</li></ul>

Defining A Set

The fitness level and genetic potential of an individual plays a role in the number of sets neededTwo approaches to try:<ol><li>Fewer sets with more exercises </li><li>More sets with fewer exercises</li></ol>It’s important to practice lifts and improve movements  Stay consistent with the set range for 3-4 weeks, assess progress, then try another route

Two Approaches To Try

Superset: two exercises together with no rest<ul><li>Supersets can be the same body part or opposing body part</li><li>Supersets work particularly well when cutting calories and will use lighter weights</li></ul>Drop set: finish a set at a particular weight then drop weight and hit the next set with no rest

A Superset And A Drop Set

Rep: one full completion of an exercise<ul><li>Reps get the muscle to move with resistance and send muscle-building stimulus</li><li>For strength building, stay between 1-30 reps – anything higher becomes more cardio like</li><li>Working with higher reps elicits a different response from the body than lower reps</li></ul>Higher reps: weight is lighter, controlling breathing, squeezing at the top,Lower reps: weight is much heavier, bracing, holding breath, driving with CNS<ul><li>All rep ranges build muscle and burn calories</li><li>Vary rep ranges every 3-4 weeks to keep body adapting and changing  </li></ul>

The Rep

<ul><li>Your body gets used to working at a certain tempo but it’s important to manipulate</li><li>Tempo plays a huge factor with reps: when lifting heavy it’s faster, move explosive tempo; when going for a pump it’s slower, more controlled</li><li>Each variable of tempo can be manipulated depending on your goal</li><li>Get the mechanics of the movement then alter the tempo and have fun with it</li><li>Adjust the weights according to the tempo you are working with</li></ul>

The Tempo

Without rest, the body uses energy that encourages endurance and stamina instead of muscle and you’re basically doing cardio with weights<ul><li>Resting allows the body to replenish energy – the body needs to go through a specific energy change</li><li>Rest should be 30 seconds – 3 minutes depending on the goal</li><li>Same rules apply: change up lengths of rest periods</li><li>Active rest: stretch between sets if you absolutely can’t sit still</li><li>A guaranteed way to break through training plateau – Don’t change your routine – just manipulate reps and rest period</li></ul>

The Importance Of Rest

In this episode Sal, Adam & Justin lay out everything you need to know about sets, reps, tempo, and rest period.  Sets, reps and rest periods: The nuts and bolts of exercise programming. (2:51) Understanding the difference between exercising and training. (5:51)  Sets.    Defining what it is and the proper dose per week. (8:10) Mind Pump’s thoughts on German Volume Training. (13:27) The value of supersets. (18:02) The dos and don’ts. (19:18)    Reps.    Defining what a rep is and what is the best range? (21:10) The various tempo schemes and how to manipulate them in your exercise programming. (29:13) Is there value in loose, forced, and partial reps? (35:19)   Rest Periods.   Why the rest is as important as the active part of the workout. (37:42) What is the ideal rest period? (40:02)   A guaranteed way to break through your training plateau. (43:30)  Related Links/Products Mentioned  August Promotion: MAPS Strong and MAPS Powerlift 50% off!  **Promo code “AUGUSTSPECIAL” at checkout** Visit Drink LMNT for an exclusive offer for Mind Pump listeners!  German Volume Training: Benefits, Exercise Plan, and More  Why You Need to Mix Rep Ranges After Periods of Training – Mind Pump Blog  How To Use Supersets For Maximum Muscle Gain – Mind Pump Blog  Which Is Better: Low Reps Or High Reps? - Mind Pump Blog MAPS Fitness Anabolic | Muscle Adaptation Programming System Why Your Tempo Matters When You Workout! - Mind Pump TV  How Phasing Your Workouts Leads to Consistent Plateau Free Workouts  Mind Pump #945: The Best Rest Periods For Muscle Gain & Fat Loss  Mind Pump Podcast – YouTube Mind Pump Free Resources  People Mentioned  Stan “Rhino” Efferding – CSCS (@stanefferding)  Instagram 

In this episode Sal, Adam & Justin lay out everything you need to know about sets, reps, tempo, and rest period.  Sets, reps and rest periods: The nuts and bolts of exercise programming. (2:51) Understanding the difference between exercising and training. (5:51)  Sets.    Defining what it is and the proper dose per week. (8:10) Mind Pump’s thoughts on German Volume Training. (13:27) The value of supersets. (18:02) The dos and don’ts. (19:18)    Reps.    Defining what a rep is and what is the best range? (21:10) The various tempo schemes and how to manipulate them in your exercise programming. (29:13) Is there value in loose, forced, and partial reps? (35:19)   Rest Periods.   Why the rest is as important as the active part of the workout. (37:42) What is the ideal rest period? (40:02)   A guaranteed way to break through your training plateau. (43:30)  Related Links/Products Mentioned  August Promotion: MAPS Strong and MAPS Powerlift 50% off!  **Promo code “AUGUSTSPECIAL” at checkout** Visit Drink LMNT for an exclusive offer for Mind Pump listeners!  German Volume Training: Benefits, Exercise Plan, and More  Why You Need to Mix Rep Ranges After Periods of Training – Mind Pump Blog  

1612: Everything You Need to Know About Sets, Reps & Rest Periods

Everything You Need to Know About Sets, Reps & Rest Periods

<ul><li>Remind yourself that you are not alone. When we feel down, we isolate. That’s when we need others most to speak truth into our lives.</li><li>Talk to people you respect and trust. In our society today we don’t have community like we used to. We fabricate or numb the pain. We work harder.</li><li>Find another interpretation. When we look at our lives and assess what’s going on around us, we can interpret stories that aren’t always true.</li><li>Invest in relationships but learn when to prune them. </li></ul>

4 ways to work through life’s tough seasons

The general manager of a major sports racetrack in the United States and most of his staff spend the calendar year preparing for a handful of giant races. Hundreds of thousands of people fill the…

How to get through a tough personal slump

Always keeping emails short is a simple rule, but the effects can be profound. Once you no longer think of email as a general-purpose tool for talking about anything at any time, its stranglehold on your attention will diminish.

There is an underlying belief, in the knowledge sector, that hyper-communication equals work. We are part of a workflow centered around ongoing conversations fueled by unstructured and unscheduled messages delivered through digital communication tools like email and instant messenger services. Constantly switching tasks and responding to email fuels our human need to rationalize what is happening around us, often helping us flee from the more nuanced and complex reality.

The Hyperactive Hive Mind

According to data gathered by the time-tracking software <a class="idea-content-link" href="https://www.rescuetime.com/">RescueTime</a><ul><li>Half of the users check communication applications like email or Slack every six minutes or less.</li><li>The most common average checking time was once every minute.</li><li>For half the users studied, the longest unbroken period of work was no more than forty minutes, with the most typical longest time being only twenty minutes.</li><li>More than two-thirds of users never experienced an hour without an interruption.</li><li>For business users, the average email volume was 126 messages per day.</li></ul>

A terrible way to extract value from human neurons

Attention switching costs are huge on our brains and workflows. This means that constantly jumping from one task to another brings with it a significant cognitive load that slows down our ability to focus and get the most out of our work. Yet, reactively replying to emails appears to be a “productive” use of our time on most occasions, due to the perceived convenience of this workflow in the short run.

Email reduces productivity

For those individuals who score high in neuroticism (a <a href="https://simonesmerilli.com/life/personality-big-five">personality trait</a> that is correlated with high levels of anxiety and negative emotions), the mere thought of batching email replies or using a more mindful approach to this tool can be stress-inducing. This is because of the paleolithic nature of our social-animal brains, who feel FOMO (fear of missing out) and uneasiness at the mere thought of not replying instantly to interactions with other human beings who are part of our same tribe.

Email makes us miserable

There's nothing fundamental about these newly increased workloads; they're instead an unintended side effect—a source of stress and anxiety that we can diminish if we're willing to step away from the frenetic back-and-forth that defines the hyperactive hive mind workflow.

The rate of spread of email since the 90s has been outstanding, almost to such a point that the hyperactive hive mind workflow has chosen us. 3 main drivers for this<ul><li>“The hidden costs of asynchrony”: synchrony might be “expensive” to set up, but constant asynchrony is much more expensive in the long term, as issues that may be solved in a couple of minutes tend to stretch in long threads of mindless back and forth.</li><li>“The cycle of responsiveness”: Email fuels an endless feedback loop, that no one actually actively decided to implement rationally.</li><li>"The caveman at the computer screen"</li></ul>

Email has a mind of its own

Once we understand the contours of our frustrations with knowledge work, we recognize that we have the potential to make these efforts not only massively more productive but also massively more fulfilling and sustainable.

Attention capital is creating workflows that optimize the human brain's ability to add value to information. Not just to chase our own tails and send and receive more emails. The optimal way to deploy our human brains is sequentially. There are 2 main components to knowledge work: <ul><li>work execution, which requires more autonomy and is where knowledge workers use their brains and skills</li><li> workflow, which is where you need less autonomy because it is the structure and coordination of the work</li></ul>

The attention capital principle

Incorporating efficient production processes into knowledge work can make an incredible difference in increasing performance and minimizes ambiguity as to what to work on at any given time. Task boards like Asana and Trello are some of the key tools when it comes to setting up processes. For a production process to be effective, it should be:<ul><li>Easy to review who's working on what and how that work is going</li><li>Possible to make progress without lots of unscheduled communication</li><li>Known procedures for updating assignments to minimize both unscheduled communication and ambiguity</li></ul>

The process principle

By spending more time setting up rules or protocols for work in advance, we can spend less effort coordinating the work at the moment. An eg: The standard protocol meeting scheduling is "energy-minimizing email ping pong," which has a low energy cost at the moment but large cognitive costs long-term. Something like a scheduling link or open office hours can change that dramatically. Consider, customer support protocols like using team emails instead of personal ones Also, consider email protocols like not promising to reply to every email and keeping emails short.

The protocol principle

The specialization principle says that doing fewer things with higher quality and more accountability can significantly improve productivity. Basically, applying essentialism to knowledge work. Less intense ways to further specialize are:<ul><li>Outsourcing what you don't do well</li><li>Giving your <a href="https://workbrighter.co/remote-management/">team</a> more autonomy</li><li>Sprinting on specific projects</li><li>Considering budgeting attention, workloads, or meeting time</li></ul>Companies should also consider supercharging support staff and making those roles more efficient, building smart interfaces between specialists and support or different departments.

THE SPECIALIZATION PRINCIPLE

Easy to implement strategies to better manage your email and keep messages in your inbox to a minimum.

books

Books

productivity

Productivity

communication

Communication

timemanagement

Time Management

Managing Email Effectively

Outlines recommendations for business leaders on how to maximize a working team's professional productivity by improving administrative support and streamlining digital traffic.

Discover the world of business and economics.

economics

Economics

business

Business

A New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller From New York Times bestselling author Cal Newport comes a bold vision for liberating workers from the tyranny of the inbox--and unleashing a new era of productivity. Modern knowledge workers communicate constantly. Their days are defined by a relentless barrage of incoming messages and back-and-forth digital conversations--a state of constant, anxious chatter in which nobody can disconnect, and so nobody has the cognitive bandwidth to perform substantive work. There was a time when tools like email felt cutting edge, but a thorough review of current evidence reveals that the "hyperactive hive mind" workflow they helped create has become a productivity disaster, reducing profitability and perhaps even slowing overall economic growth. Equally worrisome, it makes us miserable. Humans are simply not wired for constant digital communication. We have become so used to an inbox-driven workday that it's hard to imagine alternatives. But they do exist. Drawing on years of investigative reporting, author and computer science professor Cal Newport makes the case that our current approach to work is broken, then lays out a series of principles and concrete instructions for fixing it. In A World without Email, he argues for a workplace in which clear processes--not haphazard messaging--define how tasks are identified, assigned and reviewed. Each person works on fewer things (but does them better), and aggressive investment in support reduces the ever-increasing burden of administrative tasks. Above all else, important communication is streamlined, and inboxes and chat channels are no longer central to how work unfolds. The knowledge sector's evolution beyond the hyperactive hive mind is inevitable. The question is not whether a world without email is coming (it is), but whether you'll be ahead of this trend. If you're a CEO seeking a competitive edge, an entrepreneur convinced your productivity could be higher, or an employee exhausted by your inbox, A World Without Email will convince you that the time has come for bold changes, and will walk you through exactly how to make them happen.

Cal Newport is Provost’s Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at Georgetown University, and the author of seven books. His ideas and writing are frequently featured in major publications and on TV and radio.From his website: "I write about the intersection of digital technology and culture. I’m particularly interested in our struggle to deploy these tools in ways that support instead of subvert the things we care about in both our personal and professional lives."

Cal Newport

A World Without Email

A World Without Email - Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload

Learning new skills increases your motivation, makes you more adaptable, relatable, interesting and helps you get better jobs and earn more money.

Learning to Learn

Writing helps you define your voice. It helps you get clarity on who you are and who you want to become.Your story is your story alone. It has the power to change both your life and that of others.

Writing

Nothing builds confidence more than doing a successful public speech, and the more you seek public speaking opportunities out, the more you can build your confidence.On top of those benefits, you also improve your vocabulary and speak with greater clarity. People will understand you more when you speak.

Public Speaking

You learn to be aware of how your body and mind feel. You learn to relax, even when you feel like you’re too nervous to relax.The important thing to realize is that it takes time to learn it. Don’t try once and leave. Meditate at least once a day for at least 10 minutes.

Meditating

<ul><li>Forming good habits is a powerful tool to increase your motivation for doing anything.</li><li>Forming bad habits, on the flip-side, can be extremely dangerous for your life.</li><li>By knowing how habits take form and how they work, you can better control what habits you form and get rid of habits that are detrimental to you.</li></ul>

Forming Good Habits

The next time you think about a negotiation situation, think win-win. What most don’t realize is that we negotiate almost daily. A lot of our interactions with other people are about negotiating.Where to go for dinner? What to watch tonight? What mode of transportation to use? etc.Once you realize that negotiation is a skill and it needs practice, you’ll start to find many scenarios around you that are good practice.

Negotiating

<ul><li>Learning mathematical thinking is the same as what you do in school, you practice sample problems. The difference now is The main benefit is to increase your analytical and reasoning skills. This will help you make better-informed decisions, including during negotiation scenarios.</li><li>You’ll run businesses more efficiently. You’ll be a better manager. You’ll make more money because you’ll know how to manage it better.</li><li>You’ll be more productive simply by knowing how to better analyze your time. no one is forcing you to do it, plus you are aware of the real-world benefits of doing it.</li></ul>

Mathematical Thinking

This skill will open the doors to more physical activities. The more coordination and flexibility you have, the easier it will be to perform at any sport or physical activity.

Coordination and Flexibility

10,000 hours of deliberate practice is the amount of time it takes to be a top performer in a highly competitive field, according to Malcolm Gladwell in his book, Outliers. In the past 2 years, I’ve…

education

Learning & Education

8 Timeless Skills to Learn Now in Under 8 Hours to Change your Life Forever

"Lose an hour in the morning, and you will spend all day looking for it." — Richard Whately If you don't prioritise your morning hours, you'll never know what you could have been. You'll settle for less in your choices, relationships, eating, environment, income, and life. As many people operate on a 9-5ish schedule, the hours before 9 AM are significant. If you start your day at 7 AM, you've lost the most important hours of your day. If you dislike evening and morning routines, you are missing the greatest growth of your life.

You Make Or Break Your Life Before 7 AM

If most people could dedicate two hours in the morning to learning, thinking, planning, praying, and writing, their life would change. How you start your day is important. Starting right is much easier than correcting course. There are many good activities, but those activities should not come first. Instead, start with activities that are great.

What To Do Between 5 and 7 AM

"If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads." — Ralph Waldo EmersonIf you spend 1–2 hours per morning reading, you will read 50–100 books per year. If you spend 5–10 years reading quality books, you'll become an "overnight success".  But only reading is not enough. You also need to spend time thinking, meditating, praying, and writing.

So What Should You Do First Thing In The Morning?

While you're learning, it's also important to think about your goals. Write your goals down and emotionally visualise their completion. It's inspiring to read old journal entries and realise that many of your former goals have since been attained and accomplished. It is often through this form of reflection that you realise how much your path has been guided and how good God has been to you.

Emotional Transformation Through Reflection

While reading or listening to powerful information, your mind will be ready to get lots of good ideas. <ul><li>You'll get great ideas about how you can better reach your goals and how you can better help people in your network accomplish their goals. </li><li>Act on these ideas. The longer you hesitate, the more likely you'll forget your key insight.</li><li>When a brilliant idea sparks, start writing. Follow the idea and see where it takes you. </li></ul>

Intellectual Transformation Through Learning And Journaling

How you spend your morning,<ul><li>determines your success</li><li>determines who you will become</li><li>determines whether you become world-class or remain average</li><li>determines how many dollars you will make</li><li>determines how well you think, strategise, prioritise, spend your time, choose your friends, lover, career, how you perform in your work, how you influence the world.</li></ul>

Important life lessons

While serving a humanitarian and ecclesiastical mission at the age of 20, I learned potentially the most important lesson of my life. How you spend your morning determines whether you become…

Think and Grow Rich

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Crystal Beasley