What am I optimizing for?

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People optimize for various things like money, free time, creative output, or project selection. The answer to what one is optimizing for can change over time. It's important to keep revisiting this question and determine what it is for oneself rather than being influenced by society or others. Another way to phrase this question is 'what's the real objective here?'. It's also important to consider whether an activity fills one with energy or drains them of energy, and ideally, one should spend more time on things that fill them with energy. Additionally, it's important to evaluate if the amount of attention given to something matches its true importance. Often, people find themselves giving attention to things that are not that important and it's helpful to course correct. These questions should be asked regularly for a better understanding of what one is optimizing for.

Brought to you by Athletic Greens all-in-one supplement, Peloton Row premium rower for an efficient workout, and You Need A Budget cult-favorite money management app.

James Clear (@JamesClear) is a writer and speaker focused on habits and continuous improvement. He is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Atomic Habits, which covers easy and proven ways to build good habits and break bad ones. The book has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than 50 languages. On average, Atomic Habits has sold one copy every 15 seconds since it was published.

James is also the creator of the 3-2-1 Newsletter, which is one of the most popular email newsletters in the world and has more than 2 million subscribers. Each issue contains 3 short ideas from James, 2 quotes from other people, and 1 question to consider that week. You can sign up for free at JamesClear.com.

He is a regular speaker at Fortune 500 companies, and his work is used by players and coaches in the NFL, NBA, and MLB. In college, he was an Academic All-American baseball player, and he is an avid weightlifter.

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[06:52] Annual reviews.

[13:06] Habitual accountability.

[17:24] Systemic scaffolding.

[22:03] Capturing good ideas.

[29:15] Asana.

[32:02] Leveraging maximal results from minimal scale.

[41:50] Rolling with social platform inconsistencies.

[46:45] Don’t let the algorithm dictate your identity.

[50:55] The key to building lasting habits.

[55:07] How James would promote 5-Bullet Friday.

[1:00:59] What might an outside observer believe are your priorities?

[1:02:00] Success generates opportunities — and distractions.