Getting things done

Getting things done, getting things done, I sit here thinking about getting things done whilst thinking of ways that will get in the way of getting things done. Looking up witty quotes and anecdotes instead of simple getting the very simple task done.

In his lecture on Team and Execution Sam Altman said about founders:

The best founders work on things that seem small but they move really quickly. But they get things done really quickly. Every time you talk to the best founders they've gotten new things done. In fact, this is the one thing that we learned best predicts a success of founders in YC. If every time we talk to a team they've gotten new things done, that's the best predictor we have that a company will be successful.

In order to achieve something truly great you have to build towards it. No one can can eat the cake in one bite, sure some people can handle bigger slices but you have to divide it up in order to finish it. Goals and aspirations are the same you aim for the top one step at a time.

A lot of us get stuck on the complicated tasks or are daunted by the Mountain when we look at it from the bottom. The ability to start small and tackle one thing at a time in manageable bites is key to conquering ambitious goals. Don't give up before you start, there are plenty of things you can do get yourself moving.

Motivation is a huge thing when we are trying to get things done, whether it be a small project or a big one. Finding the right team and keeping them motivated to stay on the course is a challenge for all companies. Dan Pink talks about the benefit of intrinsic motivation, where the answer to getting things done are not monetary rewards but to give people tasks they feel that matter. Giving people meaning in their work matters more than straight up monetary rewards when working in a  complicated environment where we need to rely on our cognitive abilities.

In short find something worth while and keep at it!