Three Times as Much as Average . . . Or More?

I must admit this one is a odd thought, but why not share? . . .

I have in my mind the notion that I am trying to get 3 times as much done as the average person.  Why 3 times? I really can't say.  Perhaps twice as much seemed too easy.

Anyway, I think it is accurate enough, though I think a case can be made for getting 4 times as much done, or maybe 12 times, or maybe 15, 30, 60 . . . some multiple of 3. Here is the strategy:

First,  learn the productivity tricks, especially defeating procrastination, at least *bad* procrastination.  (See Paul Graham on the possibility of good procrastination).  For the tricks of the trade, I especially recommend the Getting Things Done framework to increase efficiency.  Also really good is a lecture by the late Randy Pausch. Productivity tricks can get you to doing 3 times as much.

Second,  win the money game.  I argued that winning the money game allows you to pursue goals 4 times harder.  but it takes time to win the money game, so you have to make an investment away from other areas of productivity, thus maybe we shouldn't multiply by four.  Still, though, I think you can multiple the 3 times as much from the first step and get up to 9 times as much done, or more over the course of a lifetime.

Third, work on good projects.  This idea is well-illustrated in an article by Aaron Swartz. This is the difference between efficiency and effectiveness.  You can be efficient at doing something not worthwhile, or -- much, much worse -- efficient at doing something wrong or downright evil.  I also think that good projects, at least in terms of building a lifetime list of accomplishments -- like my bucket list -- should have a certain "wow" (or, "man, that's badass") factor.  Work on cool things.

Fourth, (the step I need to focus on more in the upcoming years) work in good groups.  I'll define a "good" group: one that has lots of cooperate and gifts.  Also, at least for me, one that minimizes wasted time.  If you have to, create this good group.  Train people to be part of it. . . And don't forget to recruit to make this group.

And bonus.  Not quite making this list, but potentially very powerful, is computer programming.  I like programming, at least conceptually, because it is like a super-power.  But it can certainly fall into the trap of efficiently working on the wrong thing.  Still the Getting Things Done framework works because it allows us to externalize the thoughts we need systematized.  A computer program can be an extreme version of this.  You can be creative, because that is what you are good at, and then outsource the computation.