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Author: [[Mike Michalowicz]] Full Title: Clockwork Category: #books Most entrepreneurs I know do everything. Even when we bring on help, we spend just as much time, if not more, telling the staff how to do all the things that we are supposed to no longer worry about. We put out fires. We stay up late. We put out more fires. We work weekends and holidays, flake on commitments to family, and bail on nights out with friends. We put out even more fires. We push on, we push harder, we don’t get enough sleep. Our perverted pride about working longer, faster, and harder than everyone else in our industry has taken over. Instead of running one marathon, we are trying to sprint ten. Unless something changes, those of us who buy into this way of life are headed for a breakdown. In my book Profit First, I sought to defeat one of the monsters that drives most entrepreneurs to despair: the lack of money. In this book, I’m going to help you slay an even bigger monster: the lack of time. We are also going to free you from the grind. We are going to relieve you from the constant pull on your time, your body, your mind … and your bank account. Yes, it is possible to feel at ease about your business. Yes, it is possible to regain the optimism you felt when you first started your company. Yes, it is possible to scale your business without killing yourself or sacrificing your own happiness. Life is about impact, not hours. On my deathbed, I will be asking myself if I fulfilled my life’s purpose, if I grew as an individual, if I truly served you and others, and if I deeply and actively loved my family and friends. If I may be so bold, I think you will be asking the same. In an effort to be more productive, I tried it all: Focus apps, the Pomodoro method, working in blocks. Starting my day at four a.m. Ending my day at four a.m. Lists on yellow notepads. Lists on my phone. Lists of just five things. Lists of everything. Back to lists on yellow notepads. The “Don’t Break the Chain” method, which quickly led me to the “Chain Myself to My Desk” method. No matter what hack or technique I tried, no matter how productive I became, I still slipped into bed at night long after I should have, and woke up the next morning way earlier than I should have, with a to-do list that seemed to have magically grown overnight. An entire industry is built around the desire to do more, faster. Podcasts, articles, and books; mastermind groups and coaches; productivity challenges, calendars, journals, and software. We buy into the next productivity solution someone recommends because we’re desperate. Desperate to grow our companies by getting more done faster, and managing all our work without losing our minds.

AI Summary

Clockwork by Mike Michalowicz presents wisdom from the contemplative traditions.

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