

188: Feel Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal
Explore the art of productivity while prioritizing joy and well-being. Discover how personal experiences can shape productivity techniques and learn about the relationship between positive emotions and motivation. Dive into practical strategies for knowledge retention and personal knowledge management, alongside insights into balancing productivity with self-care. The transformative power of clothing on mindset and the impact of overcoming fears are also highlighted. Finally, unpack misconceptions in productivity and gain valuable reflections to enhance your journey.
01:40:48
Doctor to YouTuber
- Ali Abdaal transitioned from doctor to YouTuber after building a following.
- This experience informs his productivity approach, shifting from brute force to feeling good.
Feel-Good Success
- Feeling good fuels success, not the other way around.
- Prioritizing well-being boosts energy, reduces stress, and enriches life, ultimately driving achievement.
Embrace Play
- Identify your "play personality" to make work more engaging.
- Embrace side quests alongside main tasks to maintain curiosity and joy.
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Intro
00:00 • 2min
Mastering Knowledge Retention
02:25 • 5min
Navigating Personal Knowledge Management and Productivity Insights
07:05 • 5min
From Consumption to Creation: A Productivity Journey
12:29 • 18min
Mastering Productivity Through Mindset and Techniques
30:10 • 19min
Balancing Productivity with Joy and Overcoming Fear
49:24 • 5min
The Influence of Clothing on Identity and Productivity
54:27 • 2min
Navigating Productivity and Burnout
56:35 • 20min
Unpacking Productivity Misconceptions
01:16:46 • 24min

Designing your life
How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life
Dave Evans
Bill Burnett
Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
In this book, Bill Burnett and Dave Evans apply the principles of design thinking to help readers design and build a life that is both meaningful and fulfilling.
The authors, who are also educators at Stanford University, emphasize the importance of prototyping, experimentation, and iteration in life design.
They provide practical exercises and tools to help readers navigate life's challenges and create a future that aligns with their values and aspirations.
The book is based on their highly successful course at Stanford and has been widely praised for its empowering and practical approach to life design.

Deep Work
Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
Cal Newport
In 'Deep Work', Cal Newport argues that the ability to perform deep work—professional activities in a state of distraction-free concentration—is becoming increasingly valuable in our economy.
The book is divided into two parts: the first part explains why deep work is valuable, rare, and meaningful, while the second part presents four rules to transform your mind and habits to support this skill.
These rules include 'Work Deeply', 'Embrace Boredom', 'Quit Social Media', and 'Drain the Shallows'.
Newport provides actionable advice and examples from various successful individuals to help readers master the skill of deep work and achieve groundbreaking results.

How to Read a Book
The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading
Edward Holland
Mortimer J. Adler
Charles Lincoln Van Doren
Originally published in 1940 and revised in 1972, this book is a classic guide to intelligent reading.
It describes the art of reading as the process by which a mind elevates itself through its own operations on the symbols of readable matter.
The authors emphasize active reading, highlighting the importance of keen observation, available memory, range of imagination, and an intellect trained in analysis and reflection.
The book provides practical lessons on how to read books effectively, including inspectional reading, analytical reading, and syntopical reading, to achieve a deeper understanding of the material.

The 48 laws of power
Robert Greene
In 'The 48 Laws of Power', Robert Greene and Joost Elffers synthesize three thousand years of the history of power into 48 laws.
These laws are derived from the philosophies of Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, and Carl Von Clausewitz, as well as the lives of influential figures such as Henry Kissinger and P.T.
Barnum.
The book provides tactics, concepts, and lessons on how to achieve and maintain power, emphasizing prudence, confidence, and self-preservation.
Each law is illustrated with historical examples and is designed to help readers understand and navigate the dynamics of power in various aspects of life, including work, social hierarchies, and politics.

The 12-week year
Tom Pile
Brian Moran
Michael Lennington
The 12 Week Year challenges the traditional annual goal-setting approach, which is often ineffective for many individuals and organizations.
The book introduces a 12-week execution cycle that captures the energy and urgency of year-end goals, avoiding the pitfalls of low productivity associated with annualized thinking.
It provides a step-by-step system to improve execution effectiveness, creating focus, clarity, and a sense of urgency to achieve more in a shorter period.

Atomic Habits
James Clear
Atomic Habits by James Clear provides a practical and scientifically-backed guide to forming good habits and breaking bad ones.
The book introduces the Four Laws of Behavior Change: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, and make it satisfying.
It also emphasizes the importance of small, incremental changes (atomic habits) that compound over time to produce significant results.
Clear discusses techniques such as habit stacking, optimizing the environment to support desired habits, and focusing on continuous improvement rather than goal fixation.
The book is filled with actionable strategies, real-life examples, and stories from various fields, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve their habits and achieve personal growth.

Platform
Get Noticed in a Noisy World
Michael Hyatt
Steve Gottry
In this book, Michael Hyatt and Steve Gottry offer practical advice on creating and expanding a platform to get noticed in a noisy world.
The authors discuss the use of social media technologies and other strategies to build an audience and establish a strong presence.
Drawing from Hyatt's experience as a former CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers and his success as a business blogger, the book provides down-to-earth guidance for entrepreneurs and individuals looking to enhance their visibility.

Feel-Good Productivity
How to Do More of What Matters to You
Ali Abdal
In 'Feel-Good Productivity,' Dr. Ali Abdaal challenges the conventional notion that productivity is about hard work and discipline.
Instead, he argues that the secret to productivity is feeling good.
Drawing on decades of psychological research, Abdaal introduces the three hidden 'energisers' that underpin enjoyable productivity, the three 'blockers' to overcome procrastination, and the three 'sustainers' to prevent burnout.
The book includes inspiring stories from founders, Olympians, and Nobel-winning scientists and provides simple, actionable changes to make work more enjoyable and sustainable.
Abdaal's approach focuses on cultivating a deeper energy for work, balancing well-being with productivity, and enjoying the journey.

Difficult Conversations
How to Discuss What Matters Most
Roger Drummer Fisher
Douglas Stone
Bruce Patton
Sheila Heen
This book provides a step-by-step approach to having tough conversations with less stress and more success.
It covers how to decipher the underlying structure of difficult conversations, raise tough issues without triggering defensiveness, manage strong emotions, and keep balance regardless of the other person's response.
The book is filled with examples from everyday life and addresses issues such as race, culture, gender, power, and communication via technology.
It is designed to help readers improve oral communication in personal, professional, and public life.

1984
None
George Orwell
Published in 1949, '1984' is a cautionary tale by George Orwell that explores the dangers of totalitarianism.
The novel is set in a dystopian future where the world is divided into three super-states, with the protagonist Winston Smith living in Oceania, ruled by the mysterious and omnipotent leader Big Brother.
Winston works at the Ministry of Truth, where he rewrites historical records to conform to the Party's ever-changing narrative.
He begins an illicit love affair with Julia and starts to rebel against the Party, but they are eventually caught and subjected to brutal torture and indoctrination.
The novel highlights themes of government surveillance, manipulation of language and history, and the suppression of individual freedom and independent thought.

Getting Things Done
David Allen
Getting Things Done (GTD) is a personal productivity system developed by David Allen.
The book provides a detailed methodology for managing tasks, projects, and information, emphasizing the importance of capturing all tasks and ideas, clarifying their meaning, organizing them into actionable lists, reviewing the system regularly, and engaging in the tasks.
The GTD method is designed to reduce stress and increase productivity by externalizing tasks and using a trusted system to manage them.
The book is divided into three parts, covering the overview of the system, its implementation, and the deeper benefits of integrating GTD into one's work and life.
This episode of Bookworm is sponsored by:
- HelloFresh: America’s #1 Meal Kit. Get one free breakfast item per box for the length of your subscription with the code bookwormfree.
Productivity isn’t just hard work and efficiency. Today’s author promises to teach us an easier and happier path to success.
Cory’s Talking to the Internet podcast
Mike’s Obsidian University Cohort
Bookworm #187: Difficult Conversations
Bookworm #42: How to Read a Book
Feel-Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal
Part-Time YouTuber Academy
Ali Abdaal’s YouTube channel
Bookworm #14: The 12 Week year
Bookworm #63: Atomic Habits
Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans
Bookworm Shirts
Mike's Rating: 5.0
Cory's Rating: 5.0