Discover the ancient wisdom of 'Festina Lente,' or 'make haste slowly,' and its relevance to modern productivity. Unearth insights from Octavian Caesar Augustus that promote cautious decision-making in our fast-paced world. Explore strategies to combat team burnout and embrace slow productivity. Dive into a reading list featuring books that tackle challenging themes, and learn about the evolution of cinema from action stars to stunning CGI. Join a thrilling journey through literature with high-stakes narratives that keep you on the edge of your seat.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Slowing Down Team Pace
Slow down your team's pace by reducing the number of simultaneous tasks.
Increase transparency with clients to build trust and reduce pressure for faster delivery.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Time Blocking for Open-Ended Tasks
Allocate a reasonable timeframe for open-ended tasks, focusing intensely within that time.
Use negative feedback to adjust your process and time allocation, not just increase time.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Podcast Art Anomaly
Cal Newport's podcast cover art has an anomaly: his right headphone band is longer.
This happened because the image editor copied the left side to remove a microphone from the original.
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The Triumphs, Flops, and Feuds of Hollywood's Kings of Carnage
Nick de Semlyen
The Last Action Heroes explores the era of action movies in the 1980s and '90s, focusing on stars like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. It delves into their careers, feuds, and the eventual decline of the genre as CGI and new stars emerged. The book offers a nostalgic and entertaining account of Hollywood's action heroes.
River of the Gods
Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile
Candice Millard
River of the Gods by Candice Millard tells the story of the perilous expeditions led by Richard Burton and John Speke to discover the source of the Nile. The book highlights the complex personalities of these explorers and the crucial role of their African guide, Sidi Mubarak Bombay, in their journey. It explores themes of colonialism, adventure, and the often-overlooked contributions of local guides in historical explorations.
Power and progress
G. C. Thornley
The Island
Mark O'Neill
Shadow Divers
Robert Kurson
Shadow Divers tells the story of John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, two weekend scuba divers who discover a World War II German U-boat off the coast of New Jersey. Over six years, they lead an elite team of divers in a quest to identify the U-boat, facing treacherous conditions and personal sacrifices. The book is a thrilling and emotionally complex account of their journey.
One of the most popular (and widely forgotten) slogans of the ancient world was Festina Lente, or, “Make Haste Slowly.” In this episode, Cal looks deeper at what this phrase meant, and in doing so uncovers an ancient version of slow productivity.
Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo
Deep Questions with Cal Newport 
