Take a break and listen to some music 😀
Whether it's a to-do list with the old-fashioned to-do, quadrant, priority, and calendar views, or goal management software that combines goals and tasks like OKR management, since I started using personal management software in 2020, no matter what personal management features are integrated into the software, I have never been able to use any software for a long time.
Why can't I use personal management software like others do? Why are those concepts, methods, and tools useless to me? I believe the problem lies not in the right or wrong of my usage methods, nor in the practicality of the features in the software. After much thought, I realized that the problem lies with myself, but not with the methodology or tools, but with my lack of execution.
About Execution#
I used to read personal growth articles that said writing down your thoughts can reduce the burden on your brain and help eliminate ambiguity in your mind, because fear of the unknown is one of the important reasons that hinder a person from taking action. Based on this understanding, I have always hoped that to-do list software can help me accomplish more tasks.
But in actual use, did my brain really reduce its burden? Is the pressure from "uncertainty about what to do today" greater, or is the pressure from "unfinished items on the list" greater? Is there a way to quantitatively compare these two pressures?
Most of the time, in order to avoid the pressure of seeing an unfinished to-do list, I am even unwilling to open the to-do list software. In this case, the pressure from an unfinished to-do list is greater. Because of this pressure, I can't even muster the execution to open the software.
There are many growth accounts on Xiaohongshu, and most of the content is template essays on personal management methodologies and tool recommendations. Are these things really useful? I prefer to describe them as "mental masturbation".
This afternoon at 18:00, while I was running, I suddenly had a thought: maybe I never wanted to be "managed".
In the process of writing, I also suddenly realized a very good question: what is the purpose of personal management?
My previous answer was: because only through personal management can I work efficiently and achieve good results.
This idea convinces myself to take action through rational persuasion, but it does not give me execution. It even makes me feel more like a hostage and being managed - something doesn't seem right, I don't really want to do this, but I have to.
After today's thinking (during the writing process), I think the purpose of personal management should be to "improve execution".
Without execution, I am not even willing to open the software. And because of the lack of execution, even if I am familiar with a principle (such as "deal with small tasks within 2 minutes"), I won't apply it.
Therefore, I come to the conclusion that the reason I cannot act efficiently and solve the tasks of the day is due to a lack of execution.
After all, no matter what, the world is material, and material is in motion. Action is a necessary condition for changing the world, and execution is the starting point of action. Without execution, the value brought by any methodology or tool is zero.
About Obsessions#
There was nothing wrong in the world, but the mediocre people disturbed themselves. "There was nothing wrong" means that there was originally no problem, but one creates trouble for oneself.
On the path of personal management, due to the following obsessions, I have done a lot of useless work, and even negative work:
- The obsession with the reasons for why I take action, making me like to find reasons and justifications for my behavior.
- The obsession with methodologies, tools/software, making me try various new methodologies and tools.
Obsession with Software#
When using software, I have the idea that "using this software, I can definitely arrange everything well", which shows that I am obsessed with software.
But is software really necessary?
- After all, no matter which feature-rich software you use, it requires a prerequisite to create value with the software - you must be willing to take action. If you are not even willing to open the software, then it cannot create value.
- It seems that having software does not necessarily solve all the problems in personal management.
Does software really help me manage myself better?
- If playing with various software or methodologies only makes me restless and creates unnecessary problems, then the existence of software only adds to the complexity of life and disrupts an already busy life.
- It seems that software can also become a source of chaos.
"Life is not simple, try to keep it simple. If it is not necessary, do not add entities unnecessarily."
- Perhaps only some things need to be managed by software, such as work that requires sorting out the order of steps.
- It is also possible that software is not necessary. Most of the time, we are unconsciously implanted with certain concepts and ideals by software companies through various media, and thus believe in the value and necessity of software.
Note: I don't mean to say that software is useless, but that being obsessed with software is harmful. Choose software reasonably and enjoy a healthy life.
Obsession with Reasons#
Sometimes I feel the need to find a reason to explain "why I must do this" or "why I must not do that," or why I must use a certain method or software.
Just like the authors of personal growth content often say, "You should invest your time in personal growth, read more books, write more, learn more, have a long-term perspective, reject ineffective socializing, because only by doing this, can you achieve success, wealth...blah blah blah." Well, in certain contexts, they are right, but in other contexts, they are not.
For the reasons behind actions, whether it is surpassing someone, achieving a certain accomplishment, or completing a certain task, I cannot truly and consistently recognize them and gain a continuous source of motivation.
I wonder if it's because I am too rational, obsessed with causality, and must find a reason for every action, while neglecting the more intuitive part of myself?
Why must there be a seemingly reasonable reason to support it? Why can't the reason be simpler? For example, "I believe this is the right thing to do, so I did it."
I believe that the intuitive part of a person is incredibly powerful. When I was young, even though I lacked scientific understanding of the world and hadn't even studied physics, I believed that there was a god in the sky watching over me at all times. But this feeling often pulled me back when I wanted to do something bad - I would remind myself, "God is watching, don't do that," and things would turn out for the better.
When I talk about intuition, I don't mean emotions. I mean feelings, instincts.
Someone might ask, what scientific basis is there for the god you mentioned? Perhaps someone will say that this is actually a kind of growth methodology, a form of "psychological suggestion," "metacognition," "self-fulfilling prophecy," "subconsciousness," "rational brain"... But what do I care?! As long as it helps me better manage myself.
If I had to choose a name, I would prefer to call it "the stamp of thought" - believing that doing this is right.
Perhaps some people will ridicule this as a superstitious behavior, or you can think of "god" as a metaphor or a carrier of belief, representing the thread of fate.
The Best Personal Management#
Perhaps this article may not gain your approval, but if it can solve my problem of execution, that is enough. So I still want to share these thoughts.
Maybe rationality is not the only and best answer to the question of how to achieve sustained execution. Relying solely on growth content based on theories and assumptions to convince oneself to take action as soon as possible, in my eyes, is more like a mental game.
Try to involve intuition in this journey of personal management. Believe in intuition, but not at the expense of rationality.
- The role of rationality is to analyze whether doing something and using something is helpful when choosing what to do and what to use, and whether to continue doing it.
- The role of intuition is to eliminate the obsession with causality during action and obtain execution as quickly as possible -
Simplify the steps of action to the minimum.
For example, your rationality tells you that you should go to bed at 10:00 p.m. and that getting enough sleep is good for your body. If you are reluctant to take action and there are many short videos to watch, why not do it? But you really want to go to sleep, but your restless heart cannot calm down. At this time, bring out your intuition, which is much stronger than rationality.
Imagine that there is a god guiding you, and the god says: "This is how you should act, without any unnecessary reasons. This is the best choice."
Some Principles#
Here are some personal management principles that I agree with:
Get close to nature, exercise regularly, plan ahead, be proactive, prioritize important tasks, start with the end in mind.
Don't be obsessed with them, just do it when you think of it, don't feel pressured if you don't think of it. Doing it a few more times will eventually become a habit, take it slow! The purpose is to start with the end in mind (the purpose of personal management is to act better, not to show off skills).
2024-06-24 19:09:49 ~ 21:03:57
2024-06-24 21:19:06 ~ 22:49:44