What is the Work That Keeps Working for You?

The work that keeps working for you is the work that continues to have an impact even after it is completed. It is the type of work that has a lasting effect and generates ongoing benefits. An example of this is the difference between doing radio interviews and podcasts. Radio interviews are fleeting, once they are done, the impact vanishes as they are no longer accessible. On the other hand, podcasts are recorded and can continue to be listened to, even after they are published. This means that podcasts have the potential to reach and impact people long after they are created. By focusing on doing tasks that have a lasting effect, you can build up a collection of efforts that continue to work for you in the long run, accumulating benefits over time.

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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.

Please enjoy!

This episode is brought to you by You Need A Budget! You Need A Budget is a cult-favorite budgeting app for a reason—it works. The app and its simple 4-rule method will change the way you think about money and get you laser focused to live the life you want. With You Need A Budget, you’ll finally experience financial clarity, having all the data points you need to make informed financial decisions. With all that information at your fingertips, you can finally home in on buying that dream house, paying off that last debt, or setting yourself up to retire early. And the You Need A Budget team offers daily, free, live classes—including video courses, bootcamps, and challenges—as well as active fan groups in every corner of the internet. Try the app free for 34 days (no credit card required) at YouNeedABudget.com/Tim.

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This episode is brought to you by Peloton Row! Peloton Row delivers personalized rowing workouts to help you learn and master your stroke. Form features like Form Assist and Form Ratings & Insights indicate how to improve your stroke in class in real time and provide a post-class breakdown so you can hit the Row harder next time. And with the ability to customize your target metrics, you become an expert at the level and pace that feels good for you. You get all your cardio and strength in one shot, while protecting your joints and ligaments in a high-intensity, low-impact way. Fun fact: you work 86% of your muscles in only 15 minutes.

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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.