This is the story of how I changed my life from a Starbucks:
POV:
It's 2017 and:
- I'm 5 years into "working for the man" - I'm $50,000 in debt - I feel like there's no way out
Me: "I'm going to start a side project to get myself out of this."
--
Months go by.
No progress.
Same old story...
Full of ideas and dreams with no plan on how to execute them.
Until...
--
I'm gifted the book "Deep Work."
Deep work is the state of focused, undistracted, and highly productive work where one can reach a state of flow and accomplish meaningful tasks.
Why do I struggle so much with actually getting sh*t done?
Maybe deep work is the answer?
My plan:
1. After I get off work, go straight to Starbucks 2. Order a large drip coffee 3. Turn off phone, turn on site blocker 4. Work on my side project for 2 hrs
--
October 18, 2017:
I get off work. I order my coffee. I sit down, turn off my phone and start working.
"Wow, this is so f*ing hard."
2 hours of pain and suffering later...
"This is the most progress I've made in years."
--
I go back the next day, and the next day.
Suddenly, I'm addicted to that feeling of progress.
What originally felt like a struggle now feels fun.
Deep work is thrilling, and the 2 hours fly by.
Flow state.
I start to look forward to these sessions.
I'm building a habit.
--
There's just one issue: I'm wiped out after work...
I switch to the morning, and my progress accelerates even more!
New routine:
1. Wake up 6AM, go straight to Starbucks 2. Order lg drip coffee 3. Turn off phone 4. Work on side project for 2 hrs 5. Go to my day job
--
I did this routine for 365 days.
October 18, 2018 (1yr later):
- I've built a side project (starterstory.com) making $3,000/mo - I've paid off ~$30K in debt - I've made plans to quit my FT job to go all in on Starter Story - I've learned how to actually execute on sh*t
--
Now starterstory.com is making $1M/year.
But... I certainly wasn't perfect. Of course I missed days!
However, I got addicted to the process, and the PROGRESS.
& I found myself doing 3,4, even 5 hours of deep work on days when I had the energy.
--
Tl;dr:
1. do deep work 2. consistently 3. over a long period of time
And you'll make a sh*t ton of progress.
I recommend this routine to anyone building anything.
