[Buttons840]

I read this article years ago and have logged about 1,800 hours using this system.

Like many, when it comes to personal projects, I want to accomplish something and enjoy myself. The problem is that those are often at odds with each other: accomplishing something worthwhile requires hard work that isn't always enjoyable.

I've modified the system slightly to a "20-Hour Method" but the idea is the same.

I decide on something I would like to learn or work on and focus on it for 20 hours. Remarkably, I felt the weight of this decision for the first time, I knew my decision would direct a significant amount of time and effort. I never felt this before, because I knew my decisions would only last until the first small obstacle.

This system is how I balance the trade-off between doing what I enjoy and pushing through the hard times. It's not a motivational trick to me. It is the objective way I have decided to balance the trade-off between hard work and constant enjoyment. With few exceptions, I know that the only way out is through, so I do the hard work, and when 20-Hours rolls around, I often find I do want to continue, even though I hated some parts along the way.

[bigwavedave]

There was a really good Ted Talk to this effect called "The First Twenty Hours"!

link: https://youtu.be/5MgBikgcWnY

[throw1234651234]

I find this to be true. It's not that I can't enjoy extremely productive work, but that's only possible when my interest directly line up with the skillset I need, which is very, very rare.

Otherwise it's a difficult, tedious grind.

[baxtr]

I’d love to read that blog post

[trenchgun]

Thank you!

After readin this I am going to try it out.