Take a break and listen to some music 😀
Whether it's a to-do list with the traditional tasks, quadrants, priorities, and calendar views, or goal management software that combines goals and tasks like OKR management, since I started using personal management software in 2020, I have never been able to use any software for a long time, regardless of the personal management features integrated into the software.
Why can't I use personal management software like others do? Why are those concepts, methods, and tools useless to me? I think the problem is not with my usage methods or the usefulness of the software. After much thought, I realized that the problem lies with myself, but not with the methodologies or tools. It's a problem with my execution.
About Execution#
I used to read personal growth articles that said writing down your thoughts can relieve your brain and help eliminate ambiguity in your mind because fear of the unknown is one of the major reasons that hinder action. Based on this understanding, I have always hoped that to-do list software would help me accomplish more tasks.
But in actual usage, did it really relieve my brain? Is the pressure from "unclear about what to do today" greater, or is the pressure from "unfinished items on the list" greater? Is there a way to quantitatively compare these two pressures?
Most of the time, to avoid the pressure of seeing an unfinished to-do list, I don't even want to open the to-do list software. It seems that the pressure from an unfinished to-do list is greater. Because of this pressure, I can't even find the motivation to open the software.
There are many personal growth accounts on Xiaohongshu, and most of the content is about personal management methodologies and recommended tools. Are these things really useful? I prefer to call them "mental masturbation".
This afternoon at 18:00, while I was running, I suddenly had a thought: maybe I never wanted to be "managed".
In the process of writing, I also suddenly realized a very good question: what is the purpose of personal management?
My previous answer was: because only through personal management can I work efficiently and achieve good results.
This idea may convince me to take action, but it doesn't give me the execution power. It even makes me feel like I'm being kidnapped and managed by it—I don't really want to do it, but I have to.
After today's thinking (during the writing process), I think the purpose of personal management should be to "improve execution".
Without execution, I don't even want to open the software. And because of the lack of execution, even if I am familiar with a principle (such as "handle small tasks within 2 minutes"), I won't apply it.
Therefore, I come to the conclusion that the reason I can't act efficiently and solve daily tasks is because of a lack of execution.
After all, no matter what, the world is material, and material is in motion. Action is a necessary condition for changing the world, and execution is the starting point of action. Without execution, the value brought by any methodology or tool is zero.
About Fixation#
There is no problem in the world, but people disturb themselves. "No problem" means that there was no problem in the first place, but you created trouble for yourself.
On the path of personal management, due to the following fixations, I have done a lot of useless work, and even negative work:
- Fixation on the reasons for why I take action, making me like to find reasons and justifications for my behavior.
- Fixation on methodologies, tools/software, making me try various new methodologies and tools.
Fixation on Software#
When using software, I have the idea that "using this software will definitely help me arrange everything", which shows that I have a fixation on software.
But is software really necessary?
- After all, no matter which feature-rich software you use, it requires one premise to create value—the willingness to take action. If you are not even willing to open the software, then it cannot create value.
- It seems that owning software does not solve all the problems in personal management.
Does software really help me manage myself better?
- If playing with various software or methodologies only makes me restless and creates unnecessary problems, then the existence of software only adds to the complexity of life and disrupts an already busy life.
- It seems that software can also be the source of chaos.
"Life is not simple, try to keep it simple. If it is not necessary, do not add complexity."
- Perhaps only some things need to be managed by software, such as work that requires sorting out the order of steps.
- It is also possible that software is not necessary. Most of the time, we have unknowingly been implanted with certain concepts and ideals by software companies through various media, and thus believe in the value and necessity of software.
Note: I don't mean to say that software is useless, but rather that fixation on software is harmful. Choose software reasonably and enjoy a healthy life.
Fixation on Reasons#
Sometimes I feel the need to find a reason to explain "why I must do this" or "why I must not do that," or why I must use a certain method or software.
Just like the authors of personal growth content often say, "You should invest your time in personal growth, read more books, write more, learn more, have a long-term perspective, reject ineffective social interactions, because only by doing so can you achieve success, wealth...blah blah blah." Well, in a certain context, they are right, but in other contexts, they are wrong.
For the reasons behind actions, whether it is surpassing someone, achieving a certain goal, or completing a certain task, I cannot truly and consistently recognize them as a source of continuous motivation.
I wonder if it's because I'm too rational, fixated on causality, and feel the need to find a reason for every action, while neglecting the more intuitive part of myself.
Why must there be a seemingly reasonable reason to support an action? Why can't the reason be simpler? For example, "I believe this is the right thing to do, so I did it."
I believe that the intuitive part of humans is incredibly powerful. When I was young, even though I lacked scientific understanding of the world and hadn't even studied physics, I believed that there was a god watching over me at all times. But this feeling often pulled me back when I wanted to do something bad—I would remind myself, "God is watching, don't do it," and things would turn out for the better.
By intuition, I don't mean emotions. I mean feelings, instincts.
Someone might ask, what scientific basis is there for the god you mentioned? Perhaps someone will say that this is actually a kind of personal growth methodology, a form of "psychological suggestion," "metacognition," "self-fulfilling prophecy," "subconscious," "rational brain"... But who cares?! As long as it helps me better manage myself.
If I had to choose a name, I would prefer to call it "the stamp of thought"—believing that doing this is right.
Perhaps some people will ridicule this as a superstitious behavior, or you can think of "god" as a metaphor or a carrier of belief, representing the thread of fate.
The Best Personal Management#
Perhaps this article may not resonate with you, but if it can solve my execution problem, that's enough. So I still want to share these thoughts.
Maybe rationality is not the only and best answer to the question of how to achieve sustained execution. Relying solely on growth content based on theories and assumptions to convince oneself to take action quickly, in my eyes, is more like a mental game.
Try to involve the intuitive part in this journey of personal management. Believe in intuition, but not at the expense of rationality.
- The role of rationality is to analyze whether a certain action or method is helpful and whether it should be continued.
- The role of intuition is to eliminate fixation on causality and quickly obtain execution—
Simplify the steps of action to the minimum.
For example, your rationality tells you that you should go to bed at 10:00 PM because it's good for your health to sleep early and wake up early. But if you are reluctant to take action and there are many short videos to watch, why not do it? But you really want to go to sleep, but your restless mind can't calm down. At this time, bring out your intuition, which is much stronger than rationality.
Imagine that there is a god guiding you, and the god says: "This is how you should act, without any extra reasons." This is the best choice.
Some Principles#
Here are some personal management principles that I find agreeable:
Get close to nature, exercise regularly, plan ahead, be proactive, prioritize important tasks, start with the end in mind.
Don't be fixated on them, just do them when you think of them, and don't feel pressured if you don't think of them. Doing them repeatedly will eventually become a habit. Take it slow! The purpose of personal management is to take better action, not to show off skills.
2024-06-24 19:09:49 ~ 21:03:57
2024-06-24 21:19:06 ~ 22:49:44