Brian Johnson breaks down astonishing productivity as time spent times energy quality times focus intensity times what's important now. A 10×10×10 multiplies to 1000 output, while 1×1×1 gives you 1. Pick the right thing and bring full energy to it.
Questions this episode answers
Astonishing productivity = time spent × quality of energy × intensity of focus × "what's important now" (WIN).
If energy=10, focus=10, importance=10 then 10×10×10 = 1000; if each =1 then 1×1×1 = 1.
You're listening to Optimize with Bryan Johnson. More wisdom in less time.
Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another optimize +1. In our last +1, we had some fun playing with Cal Newport's deep work equation. We modified it from high quality work produced equals time spent times intensity of focus to high quality work produced equals time spent times quality of energy times intensity of focus. The basic idea, you can get a ton of high quality work produced when you focus your best energy. Today I want to add one more variable to our equation and then do some quick math to bring the point home. Let's go back to that last sentence and drop in another variable. The basic idea. You can get a ton of high quality work produced when you focus your best energy on what's most important. Now think about it. If we have great energy and we focus that like a laser beam on what's truly most important right now, and then we write some algorithms to make that all our default so we're accreting more and more value day in and day out, we can create at an astonishing level. Enter the latest edition of our equation. Astonishing productivity equals time spent times quality of energy times intensity of focus times what's important now or W I n. Now let's do some math to bring the point home. First, for the sake of very round numbers, while recognizing it's much more nuanced than this, let's say your energy is at a 10, your focus is at a 10, and you're working on a 10 level. Most important thing, that part of the equation would be 10 times 10 times 10, which equals 1000. Note. You could spend one hour working like that and achieve a 1000 score on the astonishing productivity scale go you. Which reminds me of our plus one on the one hour workday, by the way. Check that out. Now, to play with the other side of the spectrum, let's say your energy is at A1, your focus is at A1, and you're working on A1 level of importance. That part of the equation would be 1 times 1 times 1 equals 1. Note. You'd have to work 1000 hours that day to achieve the same level of astonishing productivity. Actually, you wouldn't even be able to do that because you wouldn't be able to produce at a high level when you don't meet those variables. Again, it's a bit more nuanced than that and we can tweak the equation to weigh different variables differently, etc. But the point remains. Get your energy to as high a number as you can focus that sun like energy like a laser beam through a magnifying glass on the most important thing and voila. Astonishing productivity. Do that again and again and again and well, you'll not just produce at an astonishing level, you'll enjoy the eudaimonic flow that comes when you consistently high five your daimon. Let's do that today.
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Optimize with Brian Johnson. To find out more, go to Optimize Me.
Hey guys, this is Brian with a quick little P.S. i'm really excited to let you know about an event we're working on. Plan is to make it the premier self optimizing event of 2020. We're calling it Optimize 2020. You the modern hero. Basic idea. Five days, 101 world class luminaries. 1-1 million people. You can learn more and get your tickets to the online and offline event at Optimize Me 2020. Again, that's Optimize Me 2020. Hope to see you there.
