A Truly Productive Life Shouldn’t Feel Like Work

A productive life shouldn’t feel like work. It should feel like a performance.

You know the feeling you get when you do something in tune with your talents, passions, and values? The type of thing that is not “easy” per se, but you enjoy in the present, look back upon proudly, and look forward to more of?

Maybe it’s solving a complex problem, or creating something that turns your imagination into reality, or conversing deeply with people you care about. 

Such activities tap into our core nature and release a flow of energy. 

We should be doing more of those things. 

But external pressures and short-lived prizes lead us astray. They distract us from what truly matters in the long run. And they numb our ability to feel the call of our inner talents, passions, and values. 

So we convince ourselves we should be something we’re not. We push to be productive at stuff we aren’t suited for. And we resort to cheap and dirty energy sources to power through.

The good news is it’s never too late to turn things around. 

It starts by stopping to ask ourselves, What?

What you do matters so much more than How. If you get the wrong What, you will never stop struggling with the How. But when you find the right What, the How flows naturally. 

Finding the right What takes time and tinkering. It’s rarely exciting or externally rewarding, either: Record what you do. Review and listen for feedback. Identify what feels harmonious and what feels forced. Try to do more of the former and less of the latter. Repeat. 

Do so, and you steadily regain sensitivity to what matters. You hone in on harmony with your talents, passions, and values. And your performance begins to resonate.

Others will take notice. Some will be inspired, too. And that’s what we need—more people playing around and tuning in to embody the answer to Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy’s famous question, 

“How do I become a more perfect instrument?”

What about you?

Pursue Pure Productivity

If you feel like you’re grinding and not performing, consider jumping on the priority waitlist to join me for a future cohort of Pure Productivity. You’ll get support and structure for systematically tuning into a lifestyle you enjoy in the present, look forward to more of, and will look back on proudly.