For many people this is the session they came to see. After years of reading, re-reading, listening to, watching and discussing “Getting Things Done: the art of stress-free productivity” people, especially the majority of the people at the Summit who are serious about practicing GTD – are ready for something new from David.
“Making it All Work: Winning at the Game of Work and the Business of Life” is that something. And I’m not just talking about the book, either. David has worked for years to clarify, refine, broaden, deepen and in some ways complete the work he began with his original program of GTD.
For most people I suspect that the abbreviated Making it All Work presentation that David delivered today felt both familiar yet new at the same time. That’s because it was.
I think that David retained much of the best of his original program but has fleshed out and added more material to those areas that people have occasionally said were not clear enough in the original.
Here are some basic outline notes from David’s slides for the presentation. They are pretty much self explanatory. The goal is to help you see more clearly what David means by each of the subcategories that he uses to define the various aspects of GTD.
They are as follows:
“If my brain had a brain I wouldn’t need a system.” – David Allen
Capture, Clarify, Organize, Reflect
This leads to having control and perspective
Control is simply cooperating with reality with conscious intent
Capturing
Clarifying
Organizing
Reflecting
Engaging
Perspective
Capture: write it down
Clarifying: what does this mean to me?
Organizing: put it where it goes
Reflecting: look through the whole
Engage: Do
Purpose/ Principles – 50,000 How: how do I want to operate as a human being?
Vision – 40,000 Feet How do I see my self and my life
Goals – 30,000 Feet What do I want to accomplish both long term and in the next two years?
Responsibilities – 20,000 Feet What do I have to do
Projects – 10,000 Feet
Actions – Runway
System: build, fill, use
“You are here for a purpose. You are either on purpose or you’re not.” David Allen
“Focus on what has your attention and you’ll find out what really has your attention.” – David Allen
What a quote:
“Control is simply cooperating with reality with conscious intent”
It is especially relevant in today’s difficult times. It is a good way to reflect making the most of a difficult situation. Sounds like a great summit!
Wow I wish I attended! I will certainly buy my copy of “Making it All Work: Winning at the Game of Work and the Business of Life”.