019 | Different schools of thought.
Hey friends!
You’re right and I’m wrong. Or maybe, I’m right and you’re wrong.
Recently, I came across several harsh exchanges (mainly on twitter) about which is the right way to do a particular thing. Common debates included:
- What is a relaxing activity vs. what isn’t
- Consuming at 2x vs. 1x speed (here’s me being a comedian)
- Hustling until retirement vs. living in the moment
Here’s what I think about different schools of thought and why I think that there are often no ‘right’ answers to what can seem like life’s biggest debates. If doing something a particular way works for you and gets the job done, you shouldn’t change what you do just because someone is telling you so.
We are not all the same
What works for me probably won’t work for you. I can sit here and tell you that Notion is my favourite productivity tool and I use it as my all-in-one tool for any type of project management. But you may prefer a completely different tool or even a cocktail of tools to achieve the same result.
Notion + me = ❤️ Notion + you = 😢
Whilst it’s true we as humans share the same 99.9% of DNA, the way we conduct ourselves and our personalities hugely vary. Some people enjoy a busy and chaotic weekly schedule whilst others prefer to do just one thing a day. Some people take pride in being involved in a million different projects whilst others prefer to get their heart and soul stuck into a single project. You do you, my friend.
If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it
Like I mentioned in last week’s newsletter, humans are difficult to satiate. We always look for the next best thing and I think this is particularly true for self-improvement and productivity junkies like myself.
Let’s consider the note-taking kafuffle for example. First came Notion, then came Roam Research, and now we are at Obsidian. Luckily, I’ve stuck with Notion and not given into the hype. For many, however, the added benefit of transferring entire workflows from one platform to another every other month is probably negligible compared to the time wasted. Yet they do it because they follow the crowd.
Don’t follow the crowd, don’t be a sheep.
There will always be someone to tell you that you should try a specific new tool or a specific set of productivity hacks. Whilst they may be fantastic suggestions, the added benefit to what you’re already doing may not be significant if your current systems are already optimised for how you function best.
Summary
Different schools of thought are healthy and allow you to find something that is best suited to your needs. Think what works for you, not what works for the masses.
Personally to the three popular debates I mentioned at the beginning, I believe 2x content consumption is beneficial in most places, I relax by doing whatever I find relaxing (e.g. designing which others may find boring), and finally I’m all for grinding away for a better future but cherishing the present moment is important to me. So, I strive for anything that provides a balance between the two.
What do you think? Let me know, hit me up on socials. 👋🏾
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This Week’s Quote 🎯
“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain — and most fools do. But it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving.” — How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
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This Week’s Recommendation 🚀
Book 📚 - The Richest Man in Babylon
I first read this in December 2019 and whilst I’m no personal finance expert, this book is a timeless classic that establishes some super-core principles to leading a financially stable and debt-free life. My main take-home lessons were: save at least 10% of everything you earn and do not confuse your necessary expenses with your desires.
This Week’s Content 💥
That’s all for this week - be safe, be happy!
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