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Exploring the Scientific and Psychological Aspects of Putting Things Off

This section dives into the fundamental reasons for putting things off, exploring both the cyclical patterns we follow and the innate and evolutionary roots of this long-standing tendency in people. You will gain a deeper understanding of how procrastination works, giving you a foundation for the strategies and techniques that follow.

The Procrastination Loop and Its Stages

King explains that putting things off often follows a specific cyclical pattern, trapping us in a loop of inaction. Recognizing these stages can help you escape this cycle.

Unhelpful Beliefs That Lead To Procrastination

The cycle starts with certain unhelpful assumptions we tend to tell ourselves, such as prioritizing pleasure above all else ("we have limited time on earth, so I should enjoy myself"), believing we require ideal conditions to work effectively ("A, B, and C are prerequisites for me to start"), or fearing failure and judgment ("I might get it wrong, so I won't try"). These beliefs become roadblocks to taking action.

Practical Tips

  • Set up a two-list system on your phone or a physical notepad: one for tasks and one for pleasures. Before you can add an item to the pleasure list, you must complete two items from the task list. This ensures that pleasure is earned through productivity. For instance, if you want to spend an hour gaming, you must first complete two tasks, such as paying bills and doing laundry.
  • Create a "work-anywhere" kit to adapt to various environments. Include items like noise-canceling headphones, a portable laptop stand, and a notebook. This kit enables you to work effectively in less-than-ideal conditions, reinforcing the idea that you don't need perfect settings to be productive.
Lizard Brain Competes With Rational Prefrontal Cortex

King highlights how our minds function to explain why procrastination feels so hard to conquer. He explains that procrastination stems from a battle between two parts of our brain: the limbic system (our primitive brain) and the brain's frontal region. The brain's limbic system, focused on immediate pleasure and pain avoidance, drives impulsive decisions, while the prefrontal cortex handles rational thinking, planning, and self-control. Since the brain's limbic area operates automatically and instinctively, it often overrides the slower, more deliberate frontal lobe. This leads us to choose activities that are enjoyable immediately, even at the expense of our long-term goals.

Practical Tips

  • Use a two-minute rule to jumpstart tasks by committing to work on something for just two minutes, which can help bypass the initial resistance from your limbic system. This short time commitment is often enough to get started, and once you've begun, it's easier to keep going because your prefrontal cortex gains more influence over your actions.
  • Create a "pleasure-pain balance sheet" for decisions: Before acting on a choice that promises immediate pleasure, draw up a simple two-column table. On one side, list the potential immediate pleasures and on the other, the potential long-term pains. This visual aid can help you weigh the consequences more objectively and might tip the scales in favor of more rational decision-making.
  • You can enhance your prefrontal cortex's performance by adopting a 'brain-healthy' diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins. Foods like salmon, blueberries, and leafy greens can support cognitive functions such as planning and self-control. Incorporate these into your daily meals and monitor any changes in your mental clarity and decision-making abilities over a month.
  • Use a "pause and plan" technique before reacting to stressful situations to engage your prefrontal cortex. When you feel a strong emotional response, take a deep breath and count to ten, giving your rational mind time to catch up and consider a thoughtful response rather than an instinctive one.
  • Create a visual progress tracker for your long-term goals, like a savings thermometer for financial goals or a calendar where you mark off days you've stuck to a new habit. Place it in a prominent location to serve as a constant reminder of your long-term objectives, making them feel more immediate and tangible.
How Impulsivity and Its Four Key Traits Drive Procrastination

The impulsivity driven by the brain's limbic structures further fuels procrastination. King outlines four key characteristics of impulsivity: urgency (feeling the need to act right now), insufficient forethought (acting without considering future consequences), a deficiency in perseverance (easily losing motivation and giving up), and sensation-seeking (craving the excitement of enjoyable activities). Recognize these traits in yourself to anticipate and address tendencies to procrastinate impulsively.

Practical Tips

  • Create an "if-then" plan for your most common distractions. For example, if you typically reach for your phone when working on a report, then you could set a plan: "If I feel the urge to check my phone, then I will spend two minutes reviewing my report outline instead." This premeditated response can help...

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The Science of Getting Started Summary Recognizing and Overcoming Different Procrastination Profiles and Tendencies

This section explores the different ways people delay, recognizing typical procrastination profiles and what prompts each type into inaction. By understanding your individual procrastination tendencies, you can use targeted strategies for success.

Five Types of Procrastinators: The Thrill-Seeker, the Procrastinator, the Indecisive, the Perfectionist, and the Busy Individual

King, citing the work of Dr. Joseph Ferrari, outlines five distinct categories of procrastination styles:

  • Thrill-seeker: Loves the excitement of leaving tasks until just before deadlines, intentionally delaying to experience this thrill.

  • Avoider: Fears outcomes, postponing assignments to evade judgment and the potential consequences of revealing their capabilities.

  • Indecisive: Delays decisions to avoid responsibility for negative outcomes, hoping someone else will take charge or the work will disappear.

  • Perfectionist: Fears imperfection, procrastinating to maintain the false impression of potential perfection and avoid the risk of making mistakes.

  • Busy: Starts numerous tasks but completes few, overwhelmed by a constant sense of urgency without effective prioritization.

Identifying...

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The Science of Getting Started Summary Developing Productive Mindsets and Thought Patterns

This section focuses on cultivating mental frameworks and thought patterns that prime you for productivity and equip you to overcome procrastination. By adopting these empowering mindsets, you can take charge of your actions and make progress towards your goals.

Using Newton's Laws to Overcome Procrastination

King, drawing inspiration from Stephen Guise, employs Newton's three motion laws as a metaphor to explain how principles of physics relate to productivity and procrastination.

Object at Rest Stays at Rest: Importance of the First Step

Just as an unmoving object generally stays still, someone who's inactive will often stay that way. King emphasizes the importance of initiating action to break this inertia. Even a small action can generate momentum and facilitate continued forward motion.

Context

  • Starting with small actions can help in forming new habits. Once a behavior is repeated consistently, it becomes easier to maintain, reducing the effort needed to continue.
  • In psychology, inertia refers to the resistance to change or the tendency to do nothing or remain unchanged. Overcoming this inertia is crucial for personal growth and productivity. -...

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The Science of Getting Started Summary Using Planned and Scheduled Strategies

This section provides practical planning and scheduling methods designed to prevent procrastination and create a structure that supports productivity. By implementing these strategic approaches, you can outsmart your inclination to procrastinate.

Using Sting to Structure Focused Work Sessions

King introduces the STING approach, a five-step framework for structuring focused work sessions, designed to minimize distractions and maximize productivity. This stands for:

  • Specify Your Task (S): Choose one specific task to concentrate on at once.

  • Time Your Work Session (T): Decide in advance how long you'll work on the task.

  • Ignore Distractions (I): Eliminate all interruptions during the designated work period.

  • No Breaks (N): Avoid taking any pauses during the designated time period.

  • Grant Yourself a Treat (G): Enjoy a prize when you finish the task.

Task Selection, Time Management, Focus, No Breaks, Self-Rewards

This structured approach helps you break down large tasks into manageable chunks, establish a feeling of time sensitivity, and eliminate distractions. The reward system provides positive reinforcement, encouraging you to remain focused and complete...

The Science of Getting Started Summary Building Momentum for Immediate Action

This final section offers actionable strategies for mobilizing energy and taking immediate action, breaking through procrastination's grip and preparing you for achievement.

Adopt Powell's 40–70% Principle to Prevent Overthinking

King introduces Colin Powell's principle, known as the "40-70 Rule," which states that you only need 40-70% of the information to make an informed decision. This rule combats excessive thinking and delays, encouraging action before reaching a state of analysis paralysis.

Reaching Flawlessness Is Impossible, So Act Instead of Hesitate

Striving for 100% readiness or perfection may result in endless delays and lost chances. King highlights that taking initiative frequently leads to clarity and provides information that passive research or planning wouldn't offer you. Embrace the inherent uncertainty of new endeavors and trust in your ability to adapt and learn as you go.

Context

  • Focusing on perfection can lead to inefficient use of time, as excessive planning and revision consume resources that could be better spent on execution and refinement.
  • Direct involvement can spark innovation and creative problem-solving, as encountering...

The Science of Getting Started

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