acting NOW
Claim: Suppose you actually want something to happen. Then you should either do that thing right now, or put it on your calendar.
Proof: Otherwise it's just very unlikely to happen.
Some corollaries of this:
- Don't over-think cheap things (e.g., taking social initiative).
- For instance, it'd be really silly to spend more time deliberating over a decision than it would take to perform the decision.
- Train yourself to not procrastinate doing important things.
- For instance, social interactions.
- Don't wait to start doing research!
- Never wait for something "perfect" before starting.
However, I'd like to temper this advice a bit. I think sometimes it is pretty okay to not act now.
- For instance, suppose that there is some very onerous task that I've been putting off for a while. Then, maybe I just don't need to do this task!
- A trivial example of a time when acting now is not required is "checking your email" -- this is just probably not super important and is fake progress.
- If you're feeling high energy, and you have a gross low priority task that you've been putting off but really need to do, then it might make sense to postpone the gross task and do something more fit for your high energy level.