how to get stuff done

The Problem with the "Right Idea"

The myth of the “right idea” is one of the biggest traps for aspiring founders. People imagine startups begin with a lightning bolt of inspiration: the one perfect idea that changes everything. But that’s not how it works.

Ideas evolve. Airbnb didn’t start as a marketplace for lodging—it was a website to rent air... See more

Why Pre-Founder?

You don’t need the right idea. Just build momentum. That’s such a channeling convention.

“You need to do to the work to trust your own judgement”

Inspired by something david senra said about nick sleep in episode 365

My body tells me the What—the right thing to do. Then, my mind figures out the How—the best way to do it. Both are critical to living in alignmen

Do a lot of work — do a huge volume of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week, or every month, you know you’re going to finish one story. Because it’s only by actually going through a volume of work that you are actually going to catch up and close that gap. And the work you’re making will be as good as your ambitions.

From Ira Glass

In short: Practice. Start projects. Finish them. Persist through the terrible work, the inadequate execution, the failures.

Being frustrated with the thing you’re making is a feature not a bug. So look for people who are highly critical of their own work

Joshua Schatner said he looks for engineers who are frustrated by their product

So much of my writing practice is simply about writing when the urge to write strikes. If I miss that window or assume it will stick around and wait for me to be ‘ready’ (always a poor assumption), I lose the potential energy of that idea forever. It’s not that I’ll never be able to write again, or perhaps even never write an idea *like that* again... See more

Don't leave anything for later.

Later you lose interest.

Later opportunities fade.

Later your regrets come.

Later you lost your chance.

Take some time this weekend – better yet, play hooky, take a snow day or a sick day – and just think about the question you’d be happy spending a decade or six trying to answer. It’ll light up your world more than any answer could.

Packy McCormick • Long Questions/Short Answers

How to focus