Merlin’s weekly podcast with Dan Benjamin. We talk about creativity, independence, and making things you love.
Merlin’s weekly podcast with Dan Benjamin. We talk about creativity, independence, and making things you love.
”What’s 43 Folders?”
43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.
Fresh Starts & Modest ChangesJason DeFillippo's 90-day program: "Just Start"Merlin Mann | Jun 18 2007My pal, Jason DeFillippo, has recently begun a project to clean up his act over the next ninety days. In preparation for hitting the big three-six, he's planning to tidy up, lose some weight, and start shedding the nonsense, clutter, and distractions in his life. Go, man, go. Personally, I've had mixed to terrible results with things where I tried to invert too many habits at one time, but Jason is nothing if not a hardass and a man of firm resolve. I'm looking forward to watching his progress over the summer and learning what I can from him. I'll tell you one thing we agree on; it's all about getting started:
Good on 'ya, Jason. Rock it. Here are Jason's "90 Days" posts so far: read more »POSTED IN:
Looking back at our fresh starts & modest changesMerlin Mann | Jan 30 2006Earlier this month I began a short series of posts and podcasts called "Fresh Starts & Modest Changes." It was meant as an antidote to the pressure that many of us feel to upend our lives with poorly thought-out new year's resolutions. The idea was to get you thinking less about the unlikelihood of success in mounting sudden, ginormous change, and more to suggest some subtle adjustments for making life just a bit more pleasant, productive, and your own. Tweaking as you go, instead of trying to treat your mind like some kind of a microwavable corn dog. We're getting to the end of the month now, so I wanted to wrap up with a few thoughts on the value of small changes, but I'd also love to hear about any of your own fresh starts and modest changes -- particularly hoping you'll share the ways you've had the best success keeping on track with the adjustments you've chosen to make. read more »21 Comments
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43F Podcast: Modest Change: Honor Thy EnergyMerlin Mann | Jan 23 2006Modest Change: Honor Thy Energy
More at Odeo.com... read more »POSTED IN:
Fresh Start: Replace one projectMerlin Mann | Jan 9 2006If you don't have one already, draw up a list of all the projects that are on your radar screen right now -- all the active or dormant projects that will require some kind of task work (or even just mental bandwidth) by the end of this month. If you're doing Getting Things Done, you probably already have a list like this, but it might not hurt to just grab a piece of paper and do a fresh "mini-dump" of all the obligations and outcomes that are squatting on the edges of your brainpan. Study your list, and think about the real value of everything you've theoretically undertaken. Any of these apply...?
Got it? Good. Surprised at how much you actually have on your mind? You ain't alone, sister. Okay, so now set that list down, and grab a fresh sheet of paper. Without thinking too deeply about it, start jotting down all the things you'd love to be starting right now. Be reasonable; this isn't about fantasies of unassisted flight or basement alchemy so much as garden-variety growth, development, and fun. What are the things that, given the proper focus and time, would bring you the most satisfaction for the time you spend on it -- or could serve as a bridge to achieving higher aspirations you've been smacking down because you're "too busy" with other stuff? Good candidates: read more »POSTED IN:
Modest Change: Learn the qualified "yes"Merlin Mann | Jan 6 2006This is something I've mentioned before, but since it's worked so well for me I think it deserves a place in our Modest Changes series. I've had a habit over the years of allowing myself to get so busy that "no" becomes my default answer to practically every question -- this has been especially true when it came to helping with friends' projects or doing non-paying work for worthy causes. Obviously, in many ways it's healthy to learn how to say no; you avoid over-committing by ensuring that you've thought through all the work on your plate and then never take on new commitments without knowing there's room to spare. The good news is that there's actually an even healthier middle path between "Sure. Anything you say" and "No way. Never." I call it "the qualified 'yes.'" read more »POSTED IN:
Modest Change: Cancel somethingMerlin Mann | Jan 5 2006Our first modest change is to cancel something. Think about all the things you've invited or allowed into your life in the past couple years (check all that apply): read more »POSTED IN:
Fresh Start: The Email DMZMerlin Mann | Jan 4 2006Like a lot of the best fresh starts, this one's a total psych-out; also, like most of the best ones, you won't believe how well it works until you actually try it for yourself.
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43F Podcast: Fresh Starts & Modest ChangesMerlin Mann | Jan 4 2006
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