Hey friends!
Greetings from Lisbon. It’s been a rocky couple of weeks after being hospitalized for a blood clot (DVT) in my leg, but luckily we caught it early and I’ve been healing up.
I am so excited to launch my first self-paced online course, “Sustainable Productivity”, with my friends at 42courses later this week.
(drop your email here to get notified when it’s live)
(Updated: register for the course right here!)
It’s going out to a small group of their most passionate users, and then will roll out more broadly in the coming weeks (prob an amazing Xmas gift for your loved ones 🎅).
I wanted to share more about my personal story with you all, and how this course came to be.
Let’s get to it.
The Story Behind Sustainable Productivity
I began my career at Google in NYC, and I remember those first weeks, meeting such bright and ambitious people, honestly way smarter than I was, and I got so excited about the potential to make an impact.
Before long, I started to live and breathe Google.
I had been hired as a temporary contractor, so I had some imposter syndrome about being there.
To fight off those feelings, I turned to productivity advice and overworking.
Being in New York, it was easy to fall into a mode of grinding and pushing myself.
I’d often be working nights and weekends, trying to keep up with the pace of progress around me.
I wanted to succeed. I wanted to show others I belonged.
Maybe you can relate to this in your own career? Trying to get ahead, please others, and maybe pushing yourself a bit too hard.
I found that the harder I worked, the more recognition I got, and the more opportunities landed on my desk.
Within a year, I was promoted to a new, full-time role in SF, where my job focused on the operations of a growing, global team, meaning my obsession with productivity became part of my job.
My team was based across the globe, and as I travelled to new countries, I knew I wanted to find a way to work abroad.
Before I knew it, I was promoted to a new role in London.
But when I arrived, I found myself in a team environment that was dysfunctional and toxic.
There was constant bickering and lots of politics, so not much was getting done.
I turned to what I knew best: productivity.
I became the fixer…you know, the type.
Trying to do the job of three people. Treating every problem like a crisis. Working extra long hours to make things happen.
It was one step forward, two steps back.
And then I burnt out.
It wasn’t obvious at first, but I realized I started neglecting my friends, skipping the gym, and 99% of my conversations with my girlfriend were about problems at the office.
I became super cynical. I was tired all the time. And I stopped performing.
My tank was empty.
One day, after a long weekend at the office, launching a new project, I went for a walk.
I started to reflect on what was happening in my life.
Sure, I had gotten ahead by putting my nose to the grindstone, but at what expense?
I was always tired, I was irritable, and I was negative.
I was neglecting my friends, my family, and my personal interests.
And I knew that deep down, my work was suffering in a big way.
I had become stuck in this reactive fire-fighting every day, and I couldn’t focus on the projects I really cared about.
I knew I had to change.
I decided then and there that I would make myself a priority, start looking after my well-being and find new ways to approach work.
I started learning everything I could about human behavior, psychology, and neuroscience. I started testing and experimenting with new ways to organize my day. I went to courses, found coaches, and did everything possible to get out of a rut.
Sustainable Productivity is a result of this journey.
It is a collection of tools, practices, and mindsets I’ve picked up over the last decade.
It has helped me succeed in the corporate world at Google, eventually landing my dream job, traveling and working in dozens of countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
These same practices gave me the confidence to quit my job, start my own company, and grow it from zero to over a six-figure business in just two years.
But more importantly, I’ve been able to do this while putting my physical and mental health at the top of my priorities.
I’ve been able to avoid burnout; instead, I feel more productive, energized, and healthy than ever.
Sustainable productivity has helped me understand that our well-being and our productivity are directly linked, and I believe this is key to mastering the new world of work.
In the course, I’ll share all that I’ve learned along the way. It’s packed with tools, techniques, and mindsets that are practical and powerful.
I think you’ll like it. Hope to see you in there.
If you want to be the first to know when it launches, sign up here.
Inspiration Behind the Course
My journey to making this course has been influenced by so many teachers, writers, coaches, colleagues, and friends.
There are so many influences, it would be hard to name them all, but I wanted to share three of my favorites in case it’s helpful to any of you.
Make Time, John Zeratsky & Jake Knapp
4,000 weeks, Oliver Burkeman
Stolen Focus, Johann Hari
Internet Things
A collection of silly and interesting things I’ve enjoyed from the webs lately:
Pretending to work b/w Thanksgiving and New Year's (s/o to my brother Keegan for this one)
The Story Behind Sustainable Productivity