Ep. 256: Start With Discipline

Cal Newport talks about starting with discipline in Episode 256 of the Deep Questions podcast.

In Cal’s new “deep life stack” the first layer toward finding more meaning is to develop discipline. Why does this come first? In this episode, Cal dives deeper into the importance of starting with discipline.

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0:00 Cal's intro
4:35 Today's Deep Question
22:40 Cal talks about Henson Shaving and ZocDoc
26:32 How do I stop falling off the productivity wagon?
32:23 How do I cultivate more consistent discipline?
41:20 How do I convince myself to follow through on demanding projects?
54:30 What’s the problem with studying for 10 hours a day?
1:04:22 Cal talks about LMNT and My Body Tutor
1:07:37 Something Interesting, Harrison Ford's Slow Productivity

Connect with Cal Newport:

About Cal Newport:
Cal Newport is a computer science professor at Georgetown University. In addition to his academic research, he writes about the intersection of digital technology and culture. Cal's particularly interested in our struggle to deploy these tools in ways that support instead of subvert the things we care about in both our personal and professional lives.

Cal is a New York Times bestselling author of seven books, including, most recently, A World Without Email, Digital Minimalism, and Deep Work. He's also the creator of The Time-Block Planner.

The videos are considered to be used under the "Fair Use Doctrine" of United States Copyright Law, Title 17 U.S. Code Sections 107-118. Videos are used for editorial and educational purposes only and I do not claim ownership of any original video content. I don't use said video clips in advertisements, marketing or for direct financial gain. All video content in each clip is considered owned by the individual broadcast companies.

#CalNewport #DeepWork #DeepLife #DeepQuestions #TimeblockPlanner
#WorldWithoutEmail #DeepQuestionsPodcast

[lindseythompson]

Why have I only just realised that Cal wears the same shirt in every single video? Automation to the max 😂 top notch content Cal. One of the best channels on YouTube

[SamanehGhaedi-pk]

As a graduate student, I had writing block for the longest time, but now the following schedule really helps me in the mornings:
- Weight lifting for one hour, followed by 10-15 mins steady state cardio/sprinting
- Cold shower, smoothie (veggies, and supplements)
- Writing meditation (Putting down my concerns, thoughts, goals, etc.)
- Breathing meditation
- Scheduling the tasks for the day ( I have 2 columns, one for micro steps of the work related tasks and one column for life admin tasks)
- I go through tasks while removing all distractions (closing the door, not answering any emails or calls)

Note: reminding myself that writing science takes time and deep thinking. I don’t get bothered to sit down and think for two hours and still only come up with one sentence. 😂

[fbu_channel]

'(Project) ideas are cheap - acting on them is expensive" should become your mantra when choosing your projects.

[dcmsuccess]

I love the title of this episode. I like to speak in the affirmative. ALWAYS BE DISCIPLINED!! 💪🏾

[atharvabhosale]

Currently reading your book Deep Work and I seriously wanted a good video on how to stay deciplined and consistent because I work really hard but I struggle with decipline and consistency.

[martinnyahasha]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:

00:00 🤔 The Deep Life Stack focuses on transforming a shallow and reactive life into a more intentional and deep one.
04:17 🎯 To cultivate a deep life, it starts with discipline rather than values because discipline helps shift your mindset to internally powered goals.
08:53 💪 Internally powered goals involve trusting yourself to make progress on important objectives even when motivation fades.
11:14 📅 Discipline involves selecting daily disciplines that are challenging but tractable, marking your progress consistently, and building trust in yourself.
14:40 📝 Creating an essential repository to track your systems and disciplines is part of discipline.
21:21 🔄 Shifting your mindset to embrace internally powered goals through discipline is essential before addressing other layers of the Deep Life Stack.
22:05 🚀 Maintain a disciplined mindset to handle internally powered goals even when motivation fades.
Prioritize choosing a reasonable workload and creating streamlined, sustainable systems for your projects to avoid burnout.
Consider making your workload seasonal to allow for periods of relaxation and recharge while maintaining consistent systems and mindset.
42:55 📚 Consistently working on one project over time can lead to more opportunities and impact than working on multiple projects in a frenzied burst.
43:10 🎯 Focus on fewer things and patiently build your skills in one area rather than spreading yourself thin with various interests and projects.
45:02 📖 Specializing in a single area and consistently improving in it can lead to significant long-term success and open up interesting opportunities.
46:12 🏆 It's often better to do fewer things exceptionally well rather than juggling many activities with a heavy workload.
52:34 🎓 Recognize and accept your ambitions but seek sustainable strategies to achieve them, focusing on quality rather than excessive quantity.
57:12 🕰️ Working excessively long hours without a clear endpoint can lead to a one-dimensional life and diminish overall quality of life.
01:00:54 💡 Slow and intentional development of skills and talent often yields better results than simply working longer hours.
01:01:23 🌟 Success is not solely determined by the number of hours worked but by the quality, innovation, and impact of one's work.
01:02:21 🏢 Pursuing success without a clear endpoint can lead to a never-ending cycle of overwork and a lack of fulfillment in life.
01:02:35 🚀 Fast-paced, overworking strategies like working 10 hours a day may seem appealing, but they go against the idea of a deep and intentional life.
01:03:03 🎯 Young people are often attracted to extreme productivity methods they see on platforms like YouTube, but these are often more about generating views than actual productivity.
01:03:30 📺 Creating content for YouTube, such as counting to a high number or unusual feats, is designed to capture attention and generate views, not to be a genuine productivity strategy.
01:04:11 💧 Element is a good option for replenishing electrolytes after physical activity, especially in hot and humid conditions. It provides essential electrolytes without added sugars.
01:05:20 💪 Element is recommended as a post-workout drink with options for full or half packets depending on your level of activity.
01:06:00 💡 My Body Tutor is an online coaching program that helps maintain consistency in health and fitness goals, providing personalized plans and daily check-ins with a coach.
01:07:27 💰 Deep Questions listeners can get $50 off their first month with My Body Tutor by mentioning the podcast during sign-up.
01:09:27 🐢 The story of Harrison Ford's journey to success as an actor highlights the effectiveness of slow and sustainable productivity. Sticking with a small number of goals over time, making adjustments, and maintaining forward momentum can lead to deep accomplishments.

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[shotsontaylor]

Always good to remind ourselves to stay focused and patient. Play the long game

[ab]

Sir, The clarity of your mind is amazing!

[sancap]

This might be my favorite video of Cal’s

[johnb]

This is amazing. There's a lot of motivational videos and books out there that talk about the importance of discipline, but not many are really laying out *how* to do it, or perhaps more importantly, the mechanism by which discipline develops in your life. 

A lot of the advice boils down to, you just do it. You just find the motivation, and you do it, or else you'll stay a lazy failure forever. This channel and perhaps just a few others (HealthyGamer and Huberman Lab come to mind) are the only ones to really explain discipline as a process, as well as explain and understand why we become undisciplined and reactive in the first place.

[dominikklein]

Cal, you nailed with Extreme Studying. It's totally unsustainable, that "productivity" over the long period of time could harm young/adult people and bring them to unhealthy obsessive discipline (10 hours of studying/working). Critical question: "What's next?"

[ChrisPatrick]

I love the Harrison Ford story at the end.

[EXPLAINSIMPLE]

I am restarting my life, I think it is a perfect video to begin with ❤

[daviemar]

Having read a couple of your books, I found this video insightful and highly practical. Hopped over from another video you did on How to Reinvent yourself. Timely no matter one's age. Discipline is a core life skill, and we can all get better at it.

[asies]

Thank you Cal! I'm 100% with you about starting with discipline. Great help

[Fahodinho]

ayy my question got answered 26:32, thanks Cal :)

[anjanitripathi]

Thank you Cal for your amazing Videos and books. Love you so much 💖❤😊

[KhoaNguyen-quic]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:

00:00 🧠 *Discipline is the starting point for cultivating a deep life, according to Cal Newport. This approach involves shifting from externally powered goals, driven by momentary excitement, to internally powered goals, rooted in a sense of efficacy and long-term fulfillment.*
04:31 🤔 *Newport addresses the question of why discipline is at the bottom of the Deep Life Stack instead of values. He emphasizes the importance of developing a mindset comfortable with internally powered goals before diving into values or other layers.*
08:53 🔄 *Success in the Deep Life Stack depends on being comfortable with internally powered goals. Without this mindset, values, finding calm through control, and planning for the remarkable will likely falter as they require consistent, disciplined actions.*
11:27 🏋️ *The first layer of the Deep Life Stack, discipline, involves starting with small, daily, and tractable disciplines in key areas of life. These disciplines serve as a bridge to shift one's mindset towards internally powered goals, enabling success in subsequent layers.*
14:40 📚 *Creating an essential repository for systems and disciplines is a crucial part of the discipline layer. This repository becomes a central place to track daily disciplines and other systems developed as one progresses through the Deep Life Stack.*
20:55 🔄 *Discipline, often manifested through seemingly arbitrary actions, can lead to a mindset shift and identity change. Examples from figures like Rich Roll, Jocko Willink, and Cheryl Strayed highlight how starting with discipline lays the foundation for intentional life transformations.*
22:05 🪒 *Henson Razor for Smooth Shaving: The Henson razor, designed with precision for the aerospace industry, offers a smooth shave with a 10-cent safety razor blade, minimizing burns and nicks. It's a durable and cost-effective alternative to subscription services.*
26:39 🧠 *Overcoming Dual Personalities: If you struggle with alternating between productive and unproductive phases, consider focusing on the choice of projects. Be mindful not to overload yourself and ensure your plans are evidence-based and logical for sustained motivation.*
32:38 🤔 *Maintaining Discipline for Students: For students like Fahad (21 years old), choosing projects carefully and developing a disciplined mindset can mitigate the struggle between productivity and unproductivity. Setting proximate goals and building a discipline layer can lead to better sustainability.*
39:11 🔄 *Addressing Seasonal Discipline: Jacob (20 years old) faces seasonal discipline challenges. Cal Newport suggests a mindset tune-up with daily disciplines and a thorough examination of systems to minimize friction. Seasonal workloads can be fine, but systems should remain consistent.*
41:47 🛑 *Avoiding Project Abandonment: Loyad from India struggles with abandoning projects halfway when they get hard. Newport recommends a mindset shift towards internal motivation, coupled with the careful selection of projects. Simplifying and focusing on one project at a time can enhance long-term impact.*
43:10 📚 *Focus on fewer projects and build skills patiently; choosing one thing can lead to more significant long-term success.*
45:44 🔄 *Slowing down, doing fewer things, and sticking to a sustainable pace over time is a key approach for impactful and fulfilling productivity.*
46:38 🎓 *In student advice, prioritize doing fewer things exceptionally well over a high quantity of activities; quality often beats a crowded schedule.*
48:29 🔄 *Emphasizes the importance of students doing much less, focusing on manageable loads, and seeking sustainable strategies for pursuing their ambitions.*
54:39 💼 *Working 10 hours a day is not sustainable and lacks a clear endpoint, questioning the purpose of such extreme productivity and emphasizing the importance of balance.*
56:03 🎥 *Critiques the trend of productivity YouTubers showcasing extreme 10-hour study sessions, stating that it's a stunt for engagement rather than a sustainable lifestyle.*
59:47 🔄 *Advocates for slow productivity, emphasizing the value of consistent, intentional, and sustainable work over time for meaningful and impactful results.*
01:02:47 🚀 *The trend of showcasing extreme productivity on platforms like YouTube may not be the most effective or sustainable strategy for building a life of intentionality and depth.*
01:03:30 📈 *Creating content for views on platforms like YouTube doesn't necessarily translate to a productive life strategy; it's more about capturing attention than fostering real productivity.*
01:04:11 🥤 *Element is highlighted as a sponsor, offering a science-backed electrolyte drink mix with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or fillers, suitable for hydration after activities.*
01:06:31 💪 *My Body Tutor, an online coaching program, is introduced as a solution to the consistency problem in health and fitness, offering personalized plans and daily check-ins with coaches.*
01:08:21 🛠️ *Harrison Ford's story of starting as a carpenter before becoming an actor emphasizes the value of a slow and sustainable approach to achieving goals, prevailing over competition with patience.*

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[dcmsuccess]

It’s like working towards something. That’s what I thought about when you talked about Rich Roll

[itsjohnmavrick]

The first two answers targetted to younger people was very relatable and informational, seeing as I'm turning 20 this year and am trying to balance my different responsibilities and re-establish my previous discipline. Thank you so much Cal and team for including the questions part of the podcast :)