Without great solitude no serious work is possible.
~ Pablo Picasso
In the last post, we discussed Essentialism: distinguishing the vital few (essentials) from the trivial many and then acting on them. In this post, we will discuss how to find the essentials.
Finding the Vital Few
Thinking is the only way to distinguish the vital few from the trivial many. We need to think about our intentions and goals. What do we want to achieve? What are the criteria and trade-offs for success?
These questions are hard and your mind may say: “Why bother thinking so much? You are being lazy. Let’s just do them all!”.
Don’t. Every time you catch yourself thinking “I can do them both”, stop yourself. Doing them both is often inefficient. Save yourself the hassle and focus on the less-but-better items instead.
Instead of making a millimeter of progress in a million directions, generate tremendous momentum towards accomplishing truly vital things.
The Power of Thinking
I think, therefore I am.
– René Descartes
When Newton was asked how he discovered the law of universal gravitation, he replied: “By thinking on it continually”. He worked in almost solitary confinement for two years to write “Principia Mathematica” which changed the world.
Bill Gates has a “Think Week” every 6 months. He spends the week reading and focusing on the big picture. He has been practicing this since 1980, even during the peak season of Microsoft’s expansion.
If you “think” about it, you will realize:
- Thinking is the only way to integrate information with knowledge (things that you understand).
- Thinking is the only way to generate new ideas from knowledge.
What comes to you externally has already been told. That which is vital, which is unique, is already within you.
– Silence by Erling Kagge
We have most of the solutions to our problems within us. We just need to listen to ourselves.
Deliberately Creating Space for Thinking
We need to create space for thinking, similar to Bill Gates and Newton. But I am not talking about thinking opportunities that you get by chance. I am talking about dedicated time slots that you allocate intentionally.
Creating Space for Thinking – Deliberately setting aside distraction-free time in a distraction-free space to do absolutely nothing other than think.
Ask yourself, when was the last time you allocated time to think? Are you deliberate about it or just relying on luck? Are you perhaps too busy to think? 🤔
If you are “too busy” to think, then you must pause and think whether you are busy with the essentials or just the trivial. Eliminate the non-essentials. That will free up your time.
I have so much to accomplish today that I must meditate for two hours instead of one.
– Mahatma Gandhi
Don’t be busy. Prioritize, and never be too busy to think.
Implementation Idea
Each person will have their own strategy for thinking. Here is how I do it.
First, I defined what counts as “thinking”. Being lost in your thoughts is one way. There is more:
- Writing (not editing) for my blog.
- Journaling
- A short reading cycle where I quickly finish reading an article and spend more time contemplating what I just read. A long reading session doesn’t count.
- Digital Gardening. I take notes of things I learn. When I integrate information with my knowledge, I count that as thinking.
Next, I needed a particular time slot. To maximize my chances, and keep things flexible, I created 3 slot candidates:
- In the morning after waking up.
- In the evening right after work.
- In the night before sleeping.
I try to think in at least one of the slots. With multiple thinking activities and time slots, I think for at least an hour on most days. If I miss a planned slot, no worries, I can push the event to the next available slot.
I mark these slots on my calendar. See my post on: Calendar Should Reflect Your Values. I usually color code thinking time with Yellow color.
I monitor how much I am “thinking” on my calendar and try to maximize it. If I don’t have enough yellow colors on my calendar, I review what’s wrong and adjust.
What’s next?
Creating the thinking space is the first step toward finding the essentials. The book has provided some ideas about what to think in that space. I will write a follow-up post to discuss that.
For now, just focus on thinking deliberately.