I’ve recently launched a community called Productivity Lab aimed at helping you double your productivity. Find out more here 👉 go.aliabdaal.com/prodlabdeepdive
Cal changed my life. No social media addiction, obsessed with quality work, time management and project management skills, career development through the roof.
the other downside to “follow your passion” was that millions of young adults felt bad that they did not have a passion, or they wasted a lot of time trying to figure out what their passion is. just get out there and experience life, kids! fall down, get hurt, screw up - learning is hard, but worth it.
Long time viewer, first time commenting! I encourage any solopreneur/freelancer to grab Cal's book, Slow Productivity. True change in how we can streamline our output, avoid burnout, dismantle hustle porn, and generate high quality work. It begins with this philosophy!
@@mannya_realtor it’s the 3 principles: 1) do less work 2) work at a natural pace 3) obsess over quality. Of course it’s nuanced so don’t read the principles at face value, it gets deep!
00:01 Discussion with Cal Newport on slow productivity 01:41 Early exploration of career advice and deep work 05:33 Crafting a working life that resonates over time 07:23 Cal Newport's goal was to spread the concept of 'deep work' into the world. 10:58 The key to slow productivity is reducing the number of active projects 12:49 Controlling admin overhead is key to productivity. 16:06 Slow productivity is about tackling one chunk at a time 17:42 Slow productivity allows focus and control 20:40 Activity doesn't always lead to results. 22:12 Success requires diligence and time 25:21 Different time scales for creating RUclips videos versus writing books. 26:53 Balancing administrative and startup costs of a project 29:54 Break down writing into self-contained ideas for better productivity 31:20 Citations are not as crucial as we believe 34:34 Transition from struggling with writing to enjoying it as a craft 36:03 Emphasizing on personal passion and journey in cultivating expertise 39:15 Jane Austen struggled with fitting in writing around a busy life 40:55 Simplify by doing less to achieve more 43:52 Effective time organization and setting quotas for tasks 45:20 Make workload transparent to reduce stress 48:30 Balancing productivity with boundaries 50:10 Cal Newport's structured approach to productivity scheduling 53:23 Importance of mindset shift in embracing interruptions 54:53 Embracing flexibility in work to provide emotional support and enjoy personal life 57:56 Managing stress and distractions for better productivity 59:27 Avoiding the endless grind mindset in career planning. 1:02:21 Encourage engagement with audience feedback
I’m so glad you shared the parent/spouse perspective- the mindset shifts you described about handling “interruptions” or packed schedules with kids really spoke to me, and I think are often overused in most “productivity” conversations.
Summary 👉 Cal Newport and Ali Abdaal discuss the concept of slow productivity and how it can be applied to modern knowledge work. They explore the importance of deep work, managing workload, and finding joy in your work. Highlights 👉 🎙 Deep Dive podcast interviews inspiring individuals to learn about their journeys and strategies for success. 📚 Cal Newport discusses his book “Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout.” 🧠 Deep work and productivity principles for overwhelmed individuals are explored. 🕒 Adopting a slower approach can lead to a more fulfilling and productive life. 💡 Cal shares his views on following one’s passion and cultivating it over time. ⚖ Balancing consistent work with bursts of intensity is crucial for deep work. ⏰ Managing time for deep work includes dedicating specific days for projects and focusing on one task at a time. 💡 Insights into the evolution of creative processes and the importance of structuring ideas are discussed. Key Insights 👉 🎯 Reducing the number of projects and managing administrative overhead creates space for deep work, leading to greater productivity and fulfillment. 💡 The balance between consistent work and bursts of intensity is key. Focused, uninterrupted time is necessary for deep work. 📅 Managing time for deep work can be achieved by dedicating specific days to different projects and focusing on one task at a time. 🌟 Finding joy in your work and having a sustainable approach to productivity are crucial for long-term success. 📚 Cal emphasizes the importance of defining productivity on your own terms and being transparent about your availability with colleagues and superiors. 💡 Passion is cultivated over time, and following one’s passion may not always be the best advice. It’s important to develop a genuine interest in your work. 🖊 Structuring ideas before diving into execution is essential for a successful creative process, allowing for better organization and clarity.
Such a good conversation. Have listened to both of your respective productivity books this week and found them inspiring. I'm learning so much from you Ali and the people you're making me aware of, it's so exciting! Take care 😁
Gosh, just listened to this. Incredible helpful as I do my years annual review and planning for 2025. And Ali it's sobering to see how you've applied your learning from this conversation. Thanks as always
A lot of Cal’s advice especially towards the end of the convo are lessons straight out of The Phoenix Project. Highly recommend that book to knowledge workers, it’s a fictional portrayal of Agile methodology and lessons learned from manufacturing.
I have the impression that productivity experts and personal development gurus have a new approach for every weakness: feel-good productivity, slow productivity, 4-hour workweek productivity, one-thing productivity, 5S productivity, now-is-the-time productivity, eat-the-frog-first productivity, getting-things-done productivity, and so on. I have been a corporate worker for 30+ years who studied electronics engineeering and political science. I have ADHD and a big responsibility to my parents, my five kids (two of my own and three foster children), and a German Shepherd. I need to be productive. I need to work. Do I feel good about it? No way. Can I take it slow? Absolutely not. I have a corporate job and a side hustle. My ideal version of productivity would be spending 3-5 hours learning new things, sleeping, walking with our dog, traveling to new places, and helping people in need. But none of these activities bring in any money.
Learning new things can bring you money, IF you implement them. Brian P. Morgan said in his book “The 12 Week Year”, knowledge isn’t power, implementation is.
I think you can use the slow productivity to build a sustainable structure amidst your tight schedule to distill some of your knowledge and experience in electronics and political science into a product people can pay you for. You can even use some principles Ali teaches on his main channel to see what is worth teaching and grow all the same in the process. Just keep evolving.
I think you could reframe the way you are thinking about your life. It is like you rejected the idea of slow productivity/feel good productivity without really trying it. I use to think I had very little control over my life, but it is was false.
You got a lot of likes, I think ppl may want to hear more of your thoughts! 😄 I resonated with a lot of what you said. Productivity leaders are essentially learning, AND they spit it back out with their take on it. Maybe you learn AND get paid for talking about what you learned. Isn't the "hyperactive" aspect of ADHD partially talking?!
Joseph Campbell introduced the phrase “follow your bliss” to the public in 1988. He meant follow your passion - he explains this in numerous interviews.
Literally trying to see both angles from their books! stoked for this podcast. Trying to start a productivity channel based on the principles.. Still debating the dumb phone as alternatives. either way got one in the drawer.
Regarding the concept of pairing down to focus, I want to ask the following. How do you know when to pair down without losing things that you love? For instance I am a student who also enjoys playing music and is new to starting RUclips. What would you recommend doing when it comes to organizing this in a way that is slowly productive? Thank you
No you can't. You might already understand the topic from your past experiences so it might seem like that to you , but that isn't the case for everyone
HELP! HELP! How can I get help to recieve my Productiviity book i bought back in January..like I have emailed so many times. How come no one gets back to me? HELPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was kind of sad to hear Cal say that he doesn't advise people to follow their passion because Plato and the ancients didn't advise that. Following your passion is a relatively new concept. So? Back then, people were more in survival mode. I definitely followed my passion, and I love my work (cell biology/medical research).
Fantastic video. Cal Newport has incredible insights and I loved listening to you talk to each other @Ali... I'm a huge fan. I have an opinion to share with you. I don't think you should use curse words. I watched you on Mark Mansons podcast and listening to this one... It just doesn't seem authentic for you to swear and my advice would be to lean into not swearing It's almost like you're too nice or something Lol... Not sure. Use it don't use it! :) Just a thought. Hope it helps
Hi Ali Can you collaborate on a podcast with Rian Doris (the flow master... or whatever you call him as...). He is a great university professor, just like Cal in this video. I've seen his videos for a short time now and he gives good advice, take a look at his channel on RUclips, and post a podcast if possible. Thanks
Autonomy & Mastery... Passion is a fad! If Steve Jobs was born during the days of Plato, he would not have been passionate about building a tech company. He probably would have ended up as a philosopher. Aim to master something and get autonomy by doing it.
Most bosses won’t care if you made sense for why you don’t have time. And when they complain it’s usually in your performance review. Bosses are not evil, they are just human and they also have a boss. This might work for some companies, but it’s probably 20%. Sorry, this is a bit fairy tale for most.
I disagree with the 'don't follow your passion' thing'. There are LOADS of actors, filmmakers, writers, poets, dancers etc etc who had the dream from a very young age. It was ALL they wanted to do and they stayed on that path and have been very happy in their careers...
I completely disagreed with him there too! He said that the ancients didn't advise following your passion. But people were more in survival mode back then. Nowadays there is more freedom for many people to follow their passion.
@@officiallydreama4412 What does 'make it' mean exactly? Maybe they didn't become famous but maybe they still pursue their art and are happy regardless...either doing it as a hobby, teaching it, doing it on the side, whatever..
@@Caffeinated_Acrobat It still doesn't really apply...if you have a passion for something, pursue it I say! It doesn't have to be your main career necessarily. AND we don't need to follow the BS American ideal that unless you're famous and at the top of the pyramid, you're not successful. BS!
This video should be renamed: "A private conversation between two authors on how to write a book". Not much useful information here for people that are not authors.
As someone who has owned a business, I can vouch for the fact that if you are a good employee, we do stay up at night wondering what will happen if we lose you and how we can keep you. We love it when you take our stress away! And we genuinely enjoy our employees company 🩷
I’ve recently launched a community called Productivity Lab aimed at helping you double your productivity. Find out more here 👉 go.aliabdaal.com/prodlabdeepdive
Cal changed my life. No social media addiction, obsessed with quality work, time management and project management skills, career development through the roof.
He really is the best.
Well done!! I'm taking inspiration from Cal, Ali, and others, too. Excited for the positive changes.
the other downside to “follow your passion” was that millions of young adults felt bad that they did not have a passion, or they wasted a lot of time trying to figure out what their passion is. just get out there and experience life, kids! fall down, get hurt, screw up - learning is hard, but worth it.
Yes! This was a big issue.
Marry, have kids. Thats the one everyone has.
Long time viewer, first time commenting! I encourage any solopreneur/freelancer to grab Cal's book, Slow Productivity. True change in how we can streamline our output, avoid burnout, dismantle hustle porn, and generate high quality work. It begins with this philosophy!
Thank you for the recommendation! I’m going to add it to my list. What’s 1 key takeaway?
@@mannya_realtor it’s the 3 principles: 1) do less work 2) work at a natural pace 3) obsess over quality. Of course it’s nuanced so don’t read the principles at face value, it gets deep!
@@Jamil_sunnycideI appreciate it!
"hustle porn''..phrrwwt! Puhlease!
00:01 Discussion with Cal Newport on slow productivity
01:41 Early exploration of career advice and deep work
05:33 Crafting a working life that resonates over time
07:23 Cal Newport's goal was to spread the concept of 'deep work' into the world.
10:58 The key to slow productivity is reducing the number of active projects
12:49 Controlling admin overhead is key to productivity.
16:06 Slow productivity is about tackling one chunk at a time
17:42 Slow productivity allows focus and control
20:40 Activity doesn't always lead to results.
22:12 Success requires diligence and time
25:21 Different time scales for creating RUclips videos versus writing books.
26:53 Balancing administrative and startup costs of a project
29:54 Break down writing into self-contained ideas for better productivity
31:20 Citations are not as crucial as we believe
34:34 Transition from struggling with writing to enjoying it as a craft
36:03 Emphasizing on personal passion and journey in cultivating expertise
39:15 Jane Austen struggled with fitting in writing around a busy life
40:55 Simplify by doing less to achieve more
43:52 Effective time organization and setting quotas for tasks
45:20 Make workload transparent to reduce stress
48:30 Balancing productivity with boundaries
50:10 Cal Newport's structured approach to productivity scheduling
53:23 Importance of mindset shift in embracing interruptions
54:53 Embracing flexibility in work to provide emotional support and enjoy personal life
57:56 Managing stress and distractions for better productivity
59:27 Avoiding the endless grind mindset in career planning.
1:02:21 Encourage engagement with audience feedback
Getting good at “Deep Work” makes you feel unstoppable
The ending was spot on for me. The grind never stops. You do something, and then there's always something more.
I’m so glad you shared the parent/spouse perspective- the mindset shifts you described about handling “interruptions” or packed schedules with kids really spoke to me, and I think are often overused in most “productivity” conversations.
Cal Newport The Legend.
He's good!
Woah finally two legends in single frame.Shall get the copy of Cal's new book soon.
Summary 👉
Cal Newport and Ali Abdaal discuss the concept of slow productivity and how it can be applied to modern knowledge work. They explore the importance of deep work, managing workload, and finding joy in your work.
Highlights 👉
🎙 Deep Dive podcast interviews inspiring individuals to learn about their journeys and strategies for success.
📚 Cal Newport discusses his book “Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout.”
🧠 Deep work and productivity principles for overwhelmed individuals are explored.
🕒 Adopting a slower approach can lead to a more fulfilling and productive life.
💡 Cal shares his views on following one’s passion and cultivating it over time.
⚖ Balancing consistent work with bursts of intensity is crucial for deep work.
⏰ Managing time for deep work includes dedicating specific days for projects and focusing on one task at a time.
💡 Insights into the evolution of creative processes and the importance of structuring ideas are discussed.
Key Insights 👉
🎯 Reducing the number of projects and managing administrative overhead creates space for deep work, leading to greater productivity and fulfillment.
💡 The balance between consistent work and bursts of intensity is key. Focused, uninterrupted time is necessary for deep work.
📅 Managing time for deep work can be achieved by dedicating specific days to different projects and focusing on one task at a time.
🌟 Finding joy in your work and having a sustainable approach to productivity are crucial for long-term success.
📚 Cal emphasizes the importance of defining productivity on your own terms and being transparent about your availability with colleagues and superiors.
💡 Passion is cultivated over time, and following one’s passion may not always be the best advice. It’s important to develop a genuine interest in your work.
🖊 Structuring ideas before diving into execution is essential for a successful creative process, allowing for better organization and clarity.
Such a good conversation. Have listened to both of your respective productivity books this week and found them inspiring. I'm learning so much from you Ali and the people you're making me aware of, it's so exciting! Take care 😁
The last min is the highlight. Have a definition of your version of productivity. Define your terms. What does hard work mean to you.
Gosh, just listened to this. Incredible helpful as I do my years annual review and planning for 2025. And Ali it's sobering to see how you've applied your learning from this conversation. Thanks as always
A lot of Cal’s advice especially towards the end of the convo are lessons straight out of The Phoenix Project.
Highly recommend that book to knowledge workers, it’s a fictional portrayal of Agile methodology and lessons learned from manufacturing.
Can you give me a few examples? I have the book but would be nice to feel more compelled to read it next!
Thanks for your time & effort!
Much needed❤ and cheers to all those hustling 🎉
"Do something you hate now and save your passion to when you're 50" is a good piece of advice.
Why wait though?
This is the collab collision we need!
I have the impression that productivity experts and personal development gurus have a new approach for every weakness: feel-good productivity, slow productivity, 4-hour workweek productivity, one-thing productivity, 5S productivity, now-is-the-time productivity, eat-the-frog-first productivity, getting-things-done productivity, and so on. I have been a corporate worker for 30+ years who studied electronics engineeering and political science. I have ADHD and a big responsibility to my parents, my five kids (two of my own and three foster children), and a German Shepherd. I need to be productive. I need to work. Do I feel good about it? No way. Can I take it slow? Absolutely not. I have a corporate job and a side hustle. My ideal version of productivity would be spending 3-5 hours learning new things, sleeping, walking with our dog, traveling to new places, and helping people in need. But none of these activities bring in any money.
Learning new things can bring you money, IF you implement them. Brian P. Morgan said in his book “The 12 Week Year”, knowledge isn’t power, implementation is.
I think you can use the slow productivity to build a sustainable structure amidst your tight schedule to distill some of your knowledge and experience in electronics and political science into a product people can pay you for.
You can even use some principles Ali teaches on his main channel to see what is worth teaching and grow all the same in the process.
Just keep evolving.
I think you could reframe the way you are thinking about your life. It is like you rejected the idea of slow productivity/feel good productivity without really trying it. I use to think I had very little control over my life, but it is was false.
You got a lot of likes, I think ppl may want to hear more of your thoughts! 😄 I resonated with a lot of what you said. Productivity leaders are essentially learning, AND they spit it back out with their take on it. Maybe you learn AND get paid for talking about what you learned. Isn't the "hyperactive" aspect of ADHD partially talking?!
“For every weakness” - There’s a lot to unpack in that pov you have of yourself/others/& what productivity and happiness means.
Great interview. Thank you, Ali. Obviously Cal in style is a global learner/thinker/writer.
Thank you for all the amazing content you keep giving us.🙏❤
I absolutely love this and I'm not even half way through. ❤🎉
Thank you so much for sharing this content!
Cal Newport and his books changed my life!!
36:27 - Ali nearly had a Kevin Hart DAMN moment there 😂
4:30. 4:42 6:35 6:49 7:11 11:41 11:49 14:04 14:17 15:01 15:23 16:18
The ONE Thing by Gary Keller is a perfect example of a lot of these sentiments
Joseph Campbell introduced the phrase “follow your bliss” to the public in 1988. He meant follow your passion - he explains this in numerous interviews.
Literally trying to see both angles from their books! stoked for this podcast. Trying to start a productivity channel based on the principles.. Still debating the dumb phone as alternatives. either way got one in the drawer.
Really enjoyed this, Thanks Ali!
Thank you so much
20:00 This is the opposite of Mr. Beast Approach ... (nice comment by Carl)
21:00 helpful real exerience on RUclips content making
Steve Martin was quoting a line from the book- 'Ender's Game.'
Regarding the concept of pairing down to focus, I want to ask the following. How do you know when to pair down without losing things that you love? For instance I am a student who also enjoys playing music and is new to starting RUclips. What would you recommend doing when it comes to organizing this in a way that is slowly productive? Thank you
I don't think follow your passion is bad advice is just what passion means to most people now and then differs.
You can condense 'the book ''deep work'' in one page! However it goes on and on and on!
He's just selling his branding at this point. The book could be a free article.
No you can't. You might already understand the topic from your past experiences so it might seem like that to you , but that isn't the case for everyone
Oooh, that was a good one. Thanks.
Thank you Ali.
HELP! HELP! How can I get help to recieve my Productiviity book i bought back in January..like I have emailed so many times. How come no one gets back to me? HELPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He is the best!
Very interesting video👍🏻
Thanks. Enjoyed that.
If you get good at something you have control 6:10
Thank you
Damnit this was so good.
I want to buy the new book Slow Productivity, but I just have to read A World Without Email first
I was kind of sad to hear Cal say that he doesn't advise people to follow their passion because Plato and the ancients didn't advise that. Following your passion is a relatively new concept. So? Back then, people were more in survival mode. I definitely followed my passion, and I love my work (cell biology/medical research).
He also then proceeded to say that there is also no scientific evidence for it.
I’m loving this so much, thanks so much for this episode guys 🫡🙌
Fantastic video. Cal Newport has incredible insights and I loved listening to you talk to each other
@Ali... I'm a huge fan. I have an opinion to share with you. I don't think you should use curse words. I watched you on Mark Mansons podcast and listening to this one... It just doesn't seem authentic for you to swear and my advice would be to lean into not swearing
It's almost like you're too nice or something Lol... Not sure.
Use it don't use it! :)
Just a thought. Hope it helps
Hi Ali
Can you collaborate on a podcast with Rian Doris (the flow master... or whatever you call him as...). He is a great university professor, just like Cal in this video. I've seen his videos for a short time now and he gives good advice, take a look at his channel on RUclips, and post a podcast if possible.
Thanks
Ali referring to 'deep work' as a word was confusing. Cal too polite to correct him that it's a phrase.
First comment 👍💪🥳
2 Mentor
32:14
Yes, on point. I hope more people pick up on this!
❤❤❤
Autonomy & Mastery... Passion is a fad! If Steve Jobs was born during the days of Plato, he would not have been passionate about building a tech company. He probably would have ended up as a philosopher.
Aim to master something and get autonomy by doing it.
Ali comparing his pop book to Cals one is the ultimate egomaniac move
7.5×
Most bosses won’t care if you made sense for why you don’t have time. And when they complain it’s usually in your performance review. Bosses are not evil, they are just human and they also have a boss. This might work for some companies, but it’s probably 20%. Sorry, this is a bit fairy tale for most.
Cal kinda looks like Minecraft villager
Walker Deborah Lewis Sandra Jackson Daniel
I disagree with the 'don't follow your passion' thing'. There are LOADS of actors, filmmakers, writers, poets, dancers etc etc who had the dream from a very young age. It was ALL they wanted to do and they stayed on that path and have been very happy in their careers...
I completely disagreed with him there too! He said that the ancients didn't advise following your passion. But people were more in survival mode back then. Nowadays there is more freedom for many people to follow their passion.
Yes but those results are not typical. I think he's trying to give the most practical advice for success that applies to the average person.
To your example, it’s many more writers, poets, dancers, etc that didn't make it. I can understand your POV but I also understand Cal’s point as well
@@officiallydreama4412 What does 'make it' mean exactly? Maybe they didn't become famous but maybe they still pursue their art and are happy regardless...either doing it as a hobby, teaching it, doing it on the side, whatever..
@@Caffeinated_Acrobat It still doesn't really apply...if you have a passion for something, pursue it I say! It doesn't have to be your main career necessarily. AND we don't need to follow the BS American ideal that unless you're famous and at the top of the pyramid, you're not successful. BS!
Ads every 8 minutes? A bit annoying
This video should be renamed: "A private conversation between two authors on how to write a book". Not much useful information here for people that are not authors.
As someone who has owned a business, I can vouch for the fact that if you are a good employee, we do stay up at night wondering what will happen if we lose you and how we can keep you. We love it when you take our stress away! And we genuinely enjoy our employees company 🩷