Self-Discipline for Tedious, Boring, and Difficult Things

“Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.” —Carl Sandburg

the more immersed you are and the fewer distractions you indulge in, the quicker the work goes and the less tired you feel.

None of us can control the fact that there are some annoying tasks and obligations we’re required to do in life, but we can control how we do those things and the way we think about them.

Being engaged in deep work can feel great—and procrastinators are sometimes surprised by just how much they can do once they’ve gotten started. But resist the temptation to do just five more minutes, even if you’re feeling really engaged.

he entire system falls apart if you’re muddling through your work with half a brain or thinking about all the things you’re going to do while you’re supposed to be relaxing.

“Time is the coin of your life.

Being disciplined is not about having an easy life or finding some kind of lifestyle cheat code that gets you all the reward with none of the effort

None of us can control the fact that the world is distracting, chaotic, and demanding, but we can control what we pay attention to

This isn’t cheating or magic, but efficiency—when you acknowledge that the human body is naturally inclined to function in sprints rather than prolonged slog sessions, you boost not only your output, but your health and well-being.

None of us can control the fact that the world is distracting, chaotic, and demanding, but we can control what we pay attention to, what we say no to, and how we manage our path through those distractions.