REVIEW: “18 minutes. How to improve concentration, stop distractions and do the really important things”, Peter Bregman

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

18 Minutes is a book about how small lifestyle changes can change everything, and how to be productive, focused and find your life's work.

How long can it take you each day to change your life? After reading this book, you will be surprised. "18 Minutes" by Peter Bregman is replete with various techniques that will help you to improve your life, achieve your goals and learn to do only what you really enjoy.

Have you ever had situations in your life when you were told that it was impossible to do something? Of course there were. What should you do in such a situation? Accept and take the side of the losers, or take the risk and try to do it no matter what? Peter Bregman, the author of this book, advises choosing only the second option. He gives an example: “I have always dreamed of learning to stand on my hands, but many said that it was pointless to learn this as an adult. But I decided to give it a try. It took six months. Now I'm pretty confident doing handstand. This led me to believe that anyone can do anything as long as several conditions are met."

The conditions that Bregman gives in his book are not difficult and you can absolutely fulfill them, especially if you want to achieve your goal. This is how they sound:

1. Do you want something
2. Do you believe you can make it happen
3. Do you like trying to do it

The main condition that must be met is the third. Attempts are a necessity, without which the result is impossible. Do you want to be a good athlete? Expect to be an outsider for a while. An excellent leader? You will have to be a bad specialist for a long time, or maybe even obey. The only path that will lead you to success is through practice and the experience gained through it.

How to find your life's work?

Do you think it takes years of experience, reasoning and comparison of results? There is a much easier way to find out where your life's work is hidden and where you will be successful. It is enough to answer one question: "How do you spend your free time?"

We're not talking about partying with friends, going to the movies and other fun activities. We are talking about your hobby, a business in which you do not notice how time flies. Once you find your passion, you will be motivated to do it. The kind of business for which you can give up everything else.

Here is what Bregman says about this: “Your addictions. Sometimes they are difficult to define. One way is to do what you really want to do. When choosing the main thing this year, pay less attention to "must" and more - to "want". To determine what you love to do, think about what you are ready to devote time to and not quit, even if it seems that you are failing."

Experiments

Based on the previous words, you have already understood that your favorite work is the basis of your favorite and successful work. However, this is only part of the success. Bregman identifies 4 elements that will help you focus on the right thing:

1. Make the most of your strengths
2. Accept your weaknesses
3. Declare your features
4. Do what you love

Want some examples of people who follow these tips without even realizing it? Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs - they are all excellent specialists in their field. But there are many such specialists. Their peculiarity is that they entered into an alliance with other people who compensated for their weaknesses. And we developed our own unique approach, which favorably distinguished them from the background of all the others. Focus on your strengths, but don't forget about your weaknesses.

10,000 hours

Do you know about? The essence of the rule is that if you practice in any business for 10,000 hours, you will certainly become a professional. Don't believe me? Don't even think about protesting until you try:)

In his book Geniuses and Outsiders, Malcolm Gladwell conducted an experiment with violinists. And this is the rule that was observed invariably: there was not a single violinist who trained for 10,000 hours and did not become a star. In other words, ten thousand hours of practice in any business will guarantee you unequivocal success.

18 minutes

The key to being productive and focused is organizing your day right. It should become a kind of ritual that you will observe every day. And the most important thing is that it can take no more than 18 minutes! Here's what they include:

• Step 1 (5 minutes in the morning) - plan your day. Make a list of tasks for the day, prioritize them. Review past tasks. Is it possible to delete some of them?
• Step 2 (1 minute per hour) - focus. Wind up your watch, smartphone or computer so that it beeps at the end of every hour. When you hear the signal, take a deep breath and ask yourself how productive you have been for the last hour. So, hour after hour, take control of your day. Such small sections will help you better assess your productivity.
• Step 3 (5 minutes before bed) - Assess your day. Before going to bed, ask yourself, “How was your day? What new have I learned? Have I forgotten anything? " Such an assessment is very important, because it is she who shows whether you have achieved your goals.

This ritual should become your daily routine. 18 minutes every day will help you avoid wasting hours of your time. By taking a little time during the day to get on the right track, you guarantee yourself that you will only do the most important and necessary for you.

Why should you read this book?

To be honest, many of the books I've read about productivity and business before have not impressed me. Perhaps it's me, because all these books are bestsellers and absolutely definitely found their audience. But I learned little from them. "18 Minutes" contains an incredible amount of useful information that you can put into practice right away.

Peter Bregman covers all the specifics of business: how to start your own business, what to look for, and what to avoid. Perhaps it is these books that bring the greatest benefit, but the choice is still yours - to trust the book and change your life or continue to go with the flow.