deepstash

Beta

deepstash

Beta

Don't Forget Step Zero

Before Step One there is Step Zero

Someone once said that a thousand-mile journey begins with a single step. But in reality, a thousand-mile journey begins when you decide on where you’re going.

101 SAVES

EXPLORE MORE AROUND THESE TOPICS:

Do Things that Don't Scale

.no-js-favicons?domain=paulgraham { display: none !important; }

paulgraham.com

July 2013[[[[[[[[[[[[ One of the most common types of advice we give at Y Combinator is to do things that don't scale. A lot of would-be founders believe that startups either take off or don't. You build something, make it available, and if you've made a better mousetrap, people beat a path to your door as promised.

Key Ideas

Taking off

Startups take off because the founders make them take off.

Generally, startups take a push to get them going. Once they are on the track, they will usually keep going, but there is a s...

Recruiting users

Nearly all startups have to recruit their users manually. You can't wait for users to come to you. You have to go out and get them.

At least one founder will have to spend a lot of time on sales and marketing. Don't succumb to shyness and laziness.
Even if numbers may seem small at first, don't underestimate the power of compound growth.
At some point, growth has to slow down. If the market exists, you can gradually switch to less manual methods.

Initial vulnerability

Almost all startups are vulnerable initially, like a newborn baby. It's harmless if know-it-alls dismiss your startup. Thinking "there's no way this tiny creature could even accomplish anything" is faulty thinking.

The danger is when you dismiss your startup yourself and fail to see the full potential of what you're building.

9 more ideas

.no-js-aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4taW1hZ2VzLTEubWVkaXVtLmNvbS9tYXgvMTIwMC8xKklWYUdMWU5FcTdETGNZc3NhNEw1a2cuanBlZw { display: none !important; }

Overcoming Procrastination: Why Mindfulness is The Key

.no-js-favicons?domain=fityourself { display: none !important; }

fityourself.club

For as long as I can remember, I've been a procrastinator. It's a dreadful habit that prevents me from reaching my full potential. Which is why I've been actively working on reducing my procrastination for years. I'm not lying when I tell you that I've tried every trick in the book.

Key Ideas

The #1 skill to overcome procrastination

Facing a task, experiencing the uncomfortable emotions associated with it and doing the task despite those emotions.

Procrastination is an emotion management problem

Happens when we feel uncomfortable (anxiety, overwhelm ) toward a task. We want to do it, but end up doing something else that feels better. We run away from our negative thoughts and emotions.

Our mind is a reason-giving machine

It rationalizes the shit out of anything that’s just a little bit uncomfortable and create excuses as to why we shouldn’t do something now. Those excuses are irrational, but sound superficially reasonable.

2 more ideas

.no-js-aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4taW1hZ2VzLTEubWVkaXVtLmNvbS9tYXgvMjAwMC8wKnZQdUNBMmJQQXN2OU5OdWE { display: none !important; }

Procrastination Sucks - So Here's The "Eat That Frog" Way to Powerful Productivity

.no-js-favicons?domain=medium { display: none !important; }

medium.freecodecamp.org

Spend Your Most Valuable Time on Your Most Valuable Activities and You'll Change the Trajectory of your Life. "Throughout my career, I have discovered and rediscovered a simple truth. The ability to concentrate single-mindedly on your most important task, to do it well, and to finish it completely, is the key to great success, achievement, respect, status, and happiness in life."

Key Ideas

The "frog"

It is your biggest, most important task, the one you are most likely to procrastinate on if you don't do something about it.

It is also the one task that can have the greatest positiv...

.no-js-4646 { display: none !important; }

Brian Tracy

"One of the very worst uses of time is to do something very well that need not be done at all".

The ABCDE prioritization approach

A items : Things you must do, which will have a serious positive or negative consequence.
B items : Things you should do, that have minor consequences.
C items : Things that are nice to do but don’t have any real consequences when they’re done.
D items : Things to delegate so you can free up more time to do A tasks.
E items : Things to eliminate. Generally stuff you do out of habit.