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Listened again this week to one of my favourite podcast interviews.
Jim Collins on the @tferriss show in 2019.
His work practices show how for so many people the conventional Monday-Friday 9-to-6 rhythm is BATSHIT CRAZY.
Quick notes thread
Jim Collins on the @tferriss show in 2019.
His work practices show how for so many people the conventional Monday-Friday 9-to-6 rhythm is BATSHIT CRAZY.
Quick notes thread
First, who's Jim Collins?
He's a researcher and the author of books including Built to Last and Good to Great.
The heading on the Ferriss pod page describes him as a "reclusive polymath". He doesn't do many interviews. I got a lot out of this one.
Some of his work practices:
He's a researcher and the author of books including Built to Last and Good to Great.
The heading on the Ferriss pod page describes him as a "reclusive polymath". He doesn't do many interviews. I got a lot out of this one.
Some of his work practices:
1. The bug book.
When he was figuring himself out, he kept a series of "bug book".
He studied himself as a natural scientist might study a bug.
Self-awareness / self-analysis journalling, noting states, emotions, experiences, realisations and breakthroughs.
When he was figuring himself out, he kept a series of "bug book".
He studied himself as a natural scientist might study a bug.
Self-awareness / self-analysis journalling, noting states, emotions, experiences, realisations and breakthroughs.
2. The personal "hedgehog" principle.
Where the answers to three questions overlap.
(a) What am I passionate about?
(b) What am I uniquely encoded for? (gift, instinct, genetics)
(c) What is my economic engine?
Where the answers to three questions overlap.
(a) What am I passionate about?
(b) What am I uniquely encoded for? (gift, instinct, genetics)
(c) What is my economic engine?
3. The 1000-hour year.
Key part of his hedgehog: creative work made everything tick.
So he keeps a daily spreadsheet with a few short fields, including "number of creative hours today".
He wants every 365-day cycle to include at least 1000 creative hours. [avg ~20 hrs p/wk]
Key part of his hedgehog: creative work made everything tick.
So he keeps a daily spreadsheet with a few short fields, including "number of creative hours today".
He wants every 365-day cycle to include at least 1000 creative hours. [avg ~20 hrs p/wk]
3b. [His definition of creative work:
"Any activity that has a reasonably direct link to the creation of something that is new and potentially replicable or durable."
So creative work includes:
Research. Organising things for creative work. Business models or systems. Etc.]
"Any activity that has a reasonably direct link to the creation of something that is new and potentially replicable or durable."
So creative work includes:
Research. Organising things for creative work. Business models or systems. Etc.]
4. Sleep interruptions.
If he wakes and can't get back to sleep in 20 minutes, he gets up and goes straight into some creative project.
No breakfast, no coffee. "Just go roll right in."
[Tip: on waking, it's fun to try to guess the time from your state of rest/awakeness]
If he wakes and can't get back to sleep in 20 minutes, he gets up and goes straight into some creative project.
No breakfast, no coffee. "Just go roll right in."
[Tip: on waking, it's fun to try to guess the time from your state of rest/awakeness]
5. The second morning.
On days when that happens, he might go back to bed at 6/7am and sleep until ~11am.
That second sleep is "like general anesthetic". Afterwards, he often has a wonderful "second morning".
[He calls days like this "the perfect sleep day".]
On days when that happens, he might go back to bed at 6/7am and sleep until ~11am.
That second sleep is "like general anesthetic". Afterwards, he often has a wonderful "second morning".
[He calls days like this "the perfect sleep day".]
6. Napping.
Collins says he's lucky to have "the genetic ability to nap in any situation".
Napping gives him the freshness of mind for a second batch of creative work between 4-7pm, "like a second morning".
Collins says he's lucky to have "the genetic ability to nap in any situation".
Napping gives him the freshness of mind for a second batch of creative work between 4-7pm, "like a second morning".
7. His three measures of time.
(a) Time in simplicity ("days of high simplicity, where not much happened, there were very few moving parts").
(b) Time in flow (whether it's work or leisure: "it might be arduous, but you’re lost in it")
(c) Time with people he loves.
(a) Time in simplicity ("days of high simplicity, where not much happened, there were very few moving parts").
(b) Time in flow (whether it's work or leisure: "it might be arduous, but you’re lost in it")
(c) Time with people he loves.
8. Honouring mentors.
(1) Be serious about advance prep. (He prepared for 2 weeks before meeting Jack Bogle not logn before he died.)
(2) Take notes asap afterwards. (With Bogle, he took notes for 3 days.)
(3) Make good on it. ("That's how you honour their time and yours.")
(1) Be serious about advance prep. (He prepared for 2 weeks before meeting Jack Bogle not logn before he died.)
(2) Take notes asap afterwards. (With Bogle, he took notes for 3 days.)
(3) Make good on it. ("That's how you honour their time and yours.")
9. The flywheel concept.
A circular series of practices for perpetual momentum.
It's not just "a series of steps".
It has an underlying, compelling logic of momentum.
"If I do (a), then I almost cannot help but do (b)..."
If one part breaks, the whole thing breaks.
A circular series of practices for perpetual momentum.
It's not just "a series of steps".
It has an underlying, compelling logic of momentum.
"If I do (a), then I almost cannot help but do (b)..."
If one part breaks, the whole thing breaks.
10. His personal flywheel.
(1) Curiosity-fed big question
(2) Learn and research
(3) Ideas and insights
(4) Teach, share, learn
(5) Done well, it must have impact on the world
(6) Some impact generates some funding
Funding allows (1) The next curiosity-fed big question
(1) Curiosity-fed big question
(2) Learn and research
(3) Ideas and insights
(4) Teach, share, learn
(5) Done well, it must have impact on the world
(6) Some impact generates some funding
Funding allows (1) The next curiosity-fed big question
The full interview is well worth checking out.
2+ hours, but worth it. https://tim.blog/2019/02/18/jim-collins/
2+ hours, but worth it. https://tim.blog/2019/02/18/jim-collins/
