The only way to get stuff done is to do the work.
For a large percentage of my life, my default mode for dealing with struggle, procrastination and overwhelm has been to look for a quick fix or shortcut to deal with my problem.
Whether it was cramming the night before an exam, using some gimmicky software to streamline my tasks, or seeking a way to make my fitness routine more enjoyable, the allure of the ‘easy way out’ was irresistible.
But, each quick fix would unravel soon enough, leaving me back at square one and, very often, in a worse position than before.
The Inescapable Truth
Gradually, it dawned on me that there was no circumventing the basic, inescapable truth: the only way to get stuff done is to do the work.
No amount of life hacks, productivity tools, or expert advice can replace the nuts and bolts of sitting down and committing to the task at hand.
It’s not as glamorous or exciting as finding a shortcut, but it’s infinitely more effective.
All we need to do is to do the thing.
Do the Thing
“Preparing to do the thing isn’t doing the thing.
Scheduling time to do the thing isn’t doing the thing.
Making a to-do list for the thing isn’t doing the thing.
Telling people you’re going to do the thing isn’t doing the thing.
Messaging friends who may or may not be doing the thing isn’t doing the thing.
Writing a banger tweet about how you’re going to do the thing isn’t doing the thing.
Hating on yourself for not doing the thing isn’t doing the thing. Hating on other people who have done the thing isn’t doing the thing. Hating on the obstacles in the way of doing the thing isn’t doing the thing.
Fantasising about all of the adoration you’ll receive once you do the thing isn’t doing the thing.
Reading about how to do the thing isn’t doing the thing. Reading about how other people did the thing isn’t doing the thing. Reading this essay isn’t doing the thing.
The only thing that is doing the thing is doing the thing.” – Strangest Loop
Go and do the thing.
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To do something well you have to like it. That idea is not exactly novel. We’ve got it down to four words: “Do what you love.” But it’s not enough just to tell people that. Doing what you love is complicated.
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