You Can’t Create A New World Until You Handle This One

Rupert is out to create a new world.
On Monday we discussed the importance of establishing a productivity system that will turn our many inputs into valuable outputs. David Allen, the author of Getting Things Done, recently offered this reminder about just how important these systems are:

Our systems must be durable, adaptable and robust. They’re built not only to help us organize the chaos of the present, but also to serve as a foundation for a future that we haven’t even imagined yet. There will simply be no time to make those dreams a reality if we’re in a constant struggle with the demands of the moment, so get your system right! When it’s humming along nicely in the background and your mind is finally free to imagine a new world, turn your system into overdrive and deliver.

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2 responses to “You Can’t Create A New World Until You Handle This One”

  1. Sam Spurlin (@samspurlin) Avatar
    Sam Spurlin (@samspurlin)

    I’ve always said that the most valuable thing I got from adopting GTD has to do with how I perceive new opportunities. Prior to using GTD I was barely scraping by with just the current responsibilities and commitments on my plate. I wasn’t in a mental space where I was looking for cool opportunities because there was no way I could’ve taken on anything else. Now that I have a pretty stable GTD system I know exactly how much slack I have in my available time/energy which means I find myself scanning the horizon for cool new opportunities much more than I ever did before. It’s not that I’m necessarily getting more opportunities — I’m just more ready for them so I recognize them for what they are.

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    1. J. Greg Joachim Avatar
      J. Greg Joachim

      It’s also my favorite part of my whole system. Like you said, I now know what opportunities I can take on and which I have to take a miss on for now (or just file away under someday/maybe). This is why I preach having a system over just being more productive in general. Thanks for reading, Sam – I enjoy your work!

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