creativity > productivity
this collection culminated with this essay, published in Every
creativity > productivity
from the Sana 2025 AI Summit
OH:
a lot of ambitious people focus 100% on being more productive doing something and 0% on what the something is
“The things that are going to be valuable are the things you can’t teach or copy.”
This sounds almost obvious, and echoes Mr. Beast’s point, but it stands in direct opposition to the way the system is currently set up. Humans spend the first twenty-two years of our lives, and sometimes more, being taught and learning how to copy.
Packy McCormick • Differentiation
It’s a little depressing that these days we mainly use computers to consume fast and react fast. Task management turns us into more productive human machines. Rather conveniently for managers, human machines have higher predictability and lower inherent value – they’re easy to automate, replace, and erase.
Productivity is important, but it’s just on... See more
Productivity is important, but it’s just on... See more
pketh • Productivity vs Insight, Tools for Reflection, and Other Questions Answered
going quite a bit faster when you’re going slowly is a really big gain. Going very fast when you’re already going fast is the action of a dickhead.
I define “creative risk” as the wild ideas in our mind’s eye that we would love to pursue, but don’t because the cost (time, money, reputation...) is too much to bear. As a result, we play it safe in the form of making sequels in Hollywood, emulating successful campaigns in advertising, and “staying in our lane” or what we’re comfortable with in ou... See more
Scott Belsky • Talent Density, Feeling Special as a Service, Moving Past Prompts, and Product Leadership.
From Lily Chambers:
I genuinely do not care if AI tools make me more productive.
I am tired of seeing, "increased productivity" as a selling point. I do not want to be valued for my productivity. I do not want "more" of anything related to work.
I like doing things meticulously. I like using my hands. I like manipulating data that an LLM could inter
... See moreSo much productivity is fueled by negative emotions. You're afraid of getting a bad grade as a teen, so you study for tomorrow's big test late into the night, mostly out of fear and with the knowledge that you'll be exhausted tomorrow. There's no joy in it, just a fear of not being good enough, of disappointing someone, of ruining your future.
As an... See more
As an... See more
River Kenna • Soul-Making Productivity: A Process Manifesto
The process looks meandering a lot of the time. Do I also strive for productivity? Yes, but it is a delicate balance, and I think the pitfall is to force something to happen that must happ en on its own . Observing the professional investment world writ large, its preoccupation with efficiency, predictability, and standardization is striking: indus... See more
Direct_and_indirect
on investing, but applies to all creative efforts