Ep. 269: Don’t Get Started

Deep Questions with Cal Newport

After an episode in which Cal reviewed ancient wisdom on cultivating a deeper life, he turns his attention back to more recent advice. Focusing on three of the more unconventional but unambiguously effective ideas that he has proposed in his twenty years of professional writing on these topics.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Getting started is overrated [6:29]

- How can I become more confident in social settings? [36:15]

- Is it ok to be an ordinary person? [40:52]

- Is it important to have friends? [46:41]

- I took a pay cut to become a teacher again. How can I better organize my life to prioritize craft? [49:36]

- Is it ok to use YouTube to discover new ideas? [57:28]

Reader’s React: Is Productivity Natural? [1:05:04]

Links:

calnewport.com/dangerous-ideas-getting-started-is-overrated/

calnewport.com/treat-your-mind-as-you-would-a-private-garden/

calnewport.com/should-you-work-like-maya-angelou-or-eric-schmidt/

calnewport.com/on-tire-pressure-and-productivity/

Thanks to our Sponsors:

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Capitole

1. Ep. 269: Don’t Get Started (00:00:00)

2. Deep Dive: Getting started is overrated (00:06:29)

3. How can I become more confident in social settings? (00:36:15)

4. Is it ok to be an ordinary person? (00:40:52)

5. Is it important to have friends? (00:46:41)

6. I took a pay cut to become a teacher again. How can I better organize my life to prioritize craft? (00:49:36)

7. Is it ok to use YouTube to discover new ideas? (00:57:28)

8. Reader’s React: Is Productivity Natural? (01:05:04)