My philosophy for achieving this goal can be reduced to three simple rules:
Do fewer things.Do them better.Know why you’re doing them.**
All of the important advice on this site circles back to these same three themes.-From Cal Newport’s blog
The goal should not be money or fame because once you have both, you still have to spend your time in a way that fulfills you, and money and fame is not a way to spend your time; they are tools for helping you figure out how to spend your time.
This is why the most successful people on the planet will work until the day they die; because they love what they do.
If you read FLOW you will see why.
We all want to do work that matters, that matters, and that we enjoy. A book like flow will show you how that work is integral to long-term fulfillment, and in most cases, happiness.
I've been thinking about this idea a lot lately as I always fight to prune out only the most essential work and projects necessary. I still have too many ideas, too many things to do, and they often bring me OUT of a flow state. That's the problem with having too much—it is the antithesis to flow and to a calm and clear frame of mind needed to get into flow and do your best work.
I consider what I would do if I had a billion dollars. I try to visualize how I would wake up and spend my days.
Then I list out the things I would still do:
- Spend time with family
- Read
- Create YouTube Videos and PodcastsWrite
- Build things
- Travel while doing it all
Something not on that list is 'build things.' I might do a startup focused on solving a big problem, Elon Musk style. And I would for sure, build schools and wells and invest in sustainable agriculture projects.
And no matter how much money I made or lost during this process, this is what I would do with my life.
Instead, most people have this idea that if they get fame and money, they will buy fancy things and go on yacht and whatnot. I'm sure that would be fun for a while, but then it wouldn't be. So that should not be the goal. And the fact that it is for so many that end up achieving it, it's no surprise there are a lot of depressed and unfulfilled rich and famous people.
No matter what you are doing in your life and trying to achieve, you should constantly think about moving towards doing things and work that you would do if you had unlimited money. Then start building those routines into your life.
You'll be surprised by how little money—or none at all—you need to do just that.
If everyone pursued flow and meaning in their work and lives, we'd solve many of the problems we face today as a society in 2020.