Do you dream of achieving extraordinary things? Would you describe your life now as extraordinary\u2014or just mediocre?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Someday Is Today: 22 Simple Actionable Ways to Propel Your Creative Life<\/em>, Matthew Dicks argues that achieving your dreams<\/a> and overcoming mediocrity<\/a> is possible. But, you’ll get there only if you learn to maximize your time, efficiency, productivity, and creativity\u2014and start acting now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read on for an overview of this book that’s sure to spark you into action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n In Someday Is Today: 22 Simple Actionable Ways to Propel Your Creative Life<\/em>, Matthew Dicks argues that most of us end up being mediocre because we see our goals as abstract<\/em> and distant<\/em>\u2014things we might<\/em> be able to achieve at some point<\/em>, but not right now. This mindset makes us delay taking action toward our goals, and, consequently, we never reach them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dicks works in many fields, but first and foremost, he\u2019s a productivity expert. He had a challenging childhood and learned how to be highly productive while working two full-time jobs and simultaneously completing two full-time university programs. Currently, he works full-time as an elementary school teacher while also pursuing numerous creative outlets. He\u2019s a best-selling author of non-fiction books like Storyworthy<\/em><\/a> <\/em>(about the art of storytelling) <\/em>and novels like Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Something Missing<\/em><\/a>, and <\/em>Unexpectedly Milo<\/em><\/a>. He\u2019s also an accomplished teller of Moth<\/a> stories (true stories from your life recited from memory within five minutes), having won 48 StorySLAMS and six GrandSLAMS storytelling championships. Further, he\u2019s a playwright, blogger, columnist, and DJ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ll explore Dicks\u2019s tips for accomplishing extraordinary things. In Part 1, we\u2019ll explore his recommendations for maximizing<\/a> your time and efficiency so you can spend less time on mundane tasks and more time on things that really matter to you. In Part 2, we\u2019ll discuss his tips for maximizing your productivity and creative potential so you can become as successful as possible, as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ll explore Dicks\u2019s five main principles for making the most of your time<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, Dicks recommends disregarding irrelevant tasks and focusing on things that are truly important to you<\/em><\/strong>\u2014not to your boss, your friends, or any other outside entity. He explains that we waste time on irrelevant tasks because we make decisions based on our current thoughts and feelings, which are largely influenced by our environments (like the people around us), not what we truly want or what\u2019s best for us long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To avoid wasting time on tasks that feel<\/em> important but are actually irrelevant, Dicks recommends only performing tasks that would matter to your future self<\/a>.<\/strong> This will ensure you\u2019re spending time on things that truly matter to you<\/em> (not someone else) and benefit you in the long term<\/em>. To enlarge your perspective ask yourself: Would the task at hand be important to your 100-year-old self? Would they want<\/em> you to do it? Or, would they recommend that you spend that time doing something else?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dicks recognizes that certain tasks must get done even if they\u2019re not <\/em>important to you. To manage necessary but unimportant tasks, recruit others to help you<\/strong>. You can do this in one of three ways: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Second, Dicks recommends minimizing<\/em> the amount of time you spend on recurring, routine tasks<\/a><\/strong>\u2014such as doing laundry or cleaning the dishes\u2014regardless of whether they\u2019re subjectively important or not. Dicks explains that, since you perform these tasks repeatedly, they could take up large portions of your life. Getting them done faster will create more free time that you can devote to pursuing your goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dicks presents three main tips to minimize the time you spend on routine tasks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Third, Dicks suggests focusing on the big picture rather than a task\u2019s details. <\/strong>He explains that people waste time by focusing on small details that they think<\/em> are important but that don\u2019t really matter. They do so because they desire perfection\u2014they think every small detail needs to be immaculate.<\/em> However, this wastes time because most tasks and projects don’t<\/em> need to be perfect\u2014they just need to get done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To avoid the trap of perfectionism and micro-analyzing, Dicks offers two tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, Dicks advises minimizing the time you spend sleeping while maximizing the amount of rest you get<\/strong>. Sleeping takes up more time than any other routine task\u2014therefore, optimizing your sleep<\/a> will save you the most time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Unoptimized sleep wastes time in two ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dicks recommends two tips to ensure you get the most rest in the least amount of time:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, minimize the time you spend engaging with and thinking about negative people, <\/strong>Dicks recommends. <\/strong>When you do<\/em> spend time with them, you waste time thinking about things that don\u2019t matter, like what caused their harmful behavior or whether you deserved it. Further, their negative behavior can rub off on you and cause you<\/em> to be more negative\u2014more self-doubting, more unmotivated, and so on\u2014which sabotages your productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dicks presents three main tips for managing negative people so you don’t waste time thinking about them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you\u2019ve eliminated time-wasters<\/a> and increased your efficiency on necessary tasks, Dicks argues you must learn how to maximize your productivity and reach your full potential<\/a><\/strong> so you can become as successful as possible, as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, Dicks suggests using every spare moment<\/em> to make progress toward your goals. <\/strong>He explains that most people struggle to make progress because they feel like they don\u2019t have time to be productive, or they\u2019re waiting for the right conditions. You don\u2019t need perfect conditions to get started: All you need is a few minutes of free time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Second, avoid<\/strong> putting all your eggs in one basket, <\/strong>Dicks suggests. <\/strong>He explains that people who dedicate themselves solely to one<\/em> goal, discipline, or area of interest won\u2019t reach their full potential and achieve extraordinary things. They\u2019re blind to additional areas in which they might thrive because they\u2019ve never considered pursuing them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To overcome this self-limiting behavior, Dicks offers two tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, Dicks recommends pushing yourself<\/a> and failing often. <\/strong>He argues that, to progress, you must fail first\u2014the more you fail, the closer you\u2019ll get to success. Failing makes you realize what you\u2019re doing wrong, and every attempt from that point on will be better as you correct your mistakes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dicks also advocates learning how to motivate and inspire yourself<\/a>. <\/strong>He believes this is crucial to implementing his previous recommendation to fail often\u2014you\u2019ll only be resilient and persistent enough to learn from your disappointing failures and keep pursuing success if you can motivate yourself. Further, aside from failure, you\u2019ll encounter many obstacles on the path to success<\/a> that require motivation to overcome\u2014disrupted plans, rejections, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dicks offers three tips for building internal motivation<\/a> and inspiration:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dicks also recommends boosting your creativity<\/a> by implementing the following tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, Dicks recommends finding a group of people to support you.<\/strong> They\u2019ll help you progress toward your goals by holding you accountable and providing encouragement and feedback. <\/p>\n\n\n\nOverview of Someday Is Today<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Part 1: Maximize Your Time and Efficiency<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Principle #1: Differentiate Between Important and Irrelevant Tasks<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Tip: Recruit Others to Handle Necessary But Unimportant Tasks<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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Principle #2: Minimize the Duration of Routine Tasks<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Principle #3: Focus on the Macro Rather Than the Micro<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Principle #4: Optimize Sleep<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Principle #5: Stop Spending Time on Negative People<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Part 2: Maximize Your Productivity and Reach Your Full Potential<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Principle #1: Use Every Spare Moment to Do Something Productive<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Principle #2: Don\u2019t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Principle #3: Fail Often<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Principle #4: Motivate and Inspire Yourself<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Principle #5: Maximize Your Creative Potential<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Principle #6: Create a Support Group<\/h4>\n\n\n\n