[extropy-chat] Personal effectiveness

[Giu1i0 Pri5c0]

Hi David,
I agree with Hal that you may want to try splitting a large project into
many smaller sequential ones, each with a well defined output to the next
stage, so you can start and finish one before you move to something entirely
different, and when you restart you find all previous work nicely packaged
and usable.
Another trick is to advertise your project to the world: converting an
internal objective into an external one. At work it is easier to focus
because you have a boss who asks how the project is going and yells if it is
not advancing. Similarly if you tell many people that for example you are
writing a book, they will come back with questions on the book and ask when
you plan to finish it, so that you will feel the pressure and force yourself
to finish it even if you are already thinking of something else.
But there is a better strategy imo: evidently you are one of those who start
things, and not one of those who complete things. These are two very
different personality types, and the world needs both. Why not just accept
this and rely on others to complete the work that you start? In the example
of the book, you write a short novel that someone else can expand into a
book, then move to something else. If it is software, as Hal advices do a
module, then put everything on Sourceforge so that others can work at it.

-----Original Message-----
From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org
[mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org]On Behalf Of David Lubkin
Sent: domingo, 23 de noviembre de 2003 20:47
To: extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org
Subject: [extropy-chat] Personal effectiveness


When I look at my life-efforts thus far, I see a recurring pattern that's
very frustrating, that I'm eager to change.  I welcome helpful suggestions.

I put substantial effort into a project but move on to something else
before there's a payoff for the effort.  Sometimes I can eventually get
back to it and pick up where I left off.  Sometimes everything I did was
ultimately pointless.

When there's external pressure, I force myself to concentrate and
finish.  When the task is one I've just set for myself, I don't.

I know some people's answer is to monomaniacally focus on one task, finish,
and move on.

That's not me.  I have myriad interests and I delight in this.

I look at certain other people who are involved in many things yet are able
to produce tangible results in several arenas on a regular basis.

What are they doing that I'm not?

I'm aware of simple-minded time management answers; I'm looking for
personal insight from other smart people with diverse interests.


-- David Lubkin.


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