How To Escape Mediocrity & Get Ahead Of 99% Of People - Change Your Life In 3 Months | Cal Newport

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Cal Newport talks about how to think in Episode 278 of the Deep Questions podcast. One of the most important skills for cultivating a satisfying and high impact life is one we rarely discuss: the art of serious thinking. In this episode, Cal makes the case for serious thinking as an ability to specifically cultivate, then describes five specific practices you can put into place to launch a crash course in developing an effective life of the mind.
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0:00 How to Think
35:02 Does reading count as Deep Work?
38:12 How do I make sense of the topics I think about?
41:28 How should I manage boredom in a job without hurting my ability to focus?
47:16 How can I provide quick answers to management if I’m a slow thinker?
52:59 How should I structure my Deep Holiday
56:14 A successful Digital Detox allowing one to think in peace
1:03:52 Does collaboration make us less creative?
Connect with Cal Newport:
🔴Visit Cal's BLOG and website: calnewport.com/blog/
🔴Check out Cal's books: calnewport.com/writing/
🔴Check out The Deep Life: thedeeplife.com
About Cal Newport:
Cal Newport is a computer science professor at Georgetown University. In addition to his academic research, he writes about the intersection of digital technology and culture. Cal's particularly interested in our struggle to deploy these tools in ways that support instead of subvert the things we care about in both our personal and professional lives.
Cal is a New York Times bestselling author of seven books, including, most recently, A World Without Email, Digital Minimalism, and Deep Work. He's also the creator of The Time-Block Planner.
The videos are considered to be used under the "Fair Use Doctrine" of United States Copyright Law, Title 17 U.S. Code Sections 107-118. Videos are used for editorial and educational purposes only and I do not claim ownership of any original video content. I don't use said video clips in advertisements, marketing or for direct financial gain. All video content in each clip is considered owned by the individual broadcast companies.
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[@catherinek5102]

1. Improve quality and decrease quantity of information you consume 2. Increase your comfort with boredom 3. Cultivate your ability to pay attention 4. Increase your working memory 5. Practice being intellectual

[@lisaonthemargins]

Practice being intellectual sounds so pretentious lol

[@loveleenasalia]

Thanks

[@theelement6255]

@@lisaonthemarginsbut it makes so much sense. Funny thing: this is common in spirituality as well. It’s an odd level of energy transfer by way of modeling after your wished for outcome. Monkey see, monkey do, monkey becomes the doer

[@BayStatePrepper]

Thank you for the breakdown

[@anhhuynguyen4969]

21:57 Practice being intellectual

[@bradm8529]

This may be one of the best deep dives I’ve seen on this show in the past two years. Thank you Cal.

[@dr.amr.ophtho]

Insightful as usual ❤

[@realspacemusicvideos]

Wow, Cal is on a roll of deeply helpful episodes!

[@cloudevops]

Thanks!

[@mysticshining]

Great episode, and very validating!

[@soumen_das]

Very practical advice.

[@AlitaMee]

Hey Carl you are very very kind. You are helping people like me who come to KZbin and are addicted. Now i am seeing your videos since October and each one is one step forward. One step clearer. I and many more are vert grateful to you. Wishing you a very happy bew year. Thanks so much

[@Consumer2]

question 2 is great sir thanks

[@earendill806]

The phone foyer method is awesome! Thanks Cal

[@00_meghnath]

you are a great man for showing this

[@yasminefahmi7718]

Very practical and meaningful ! Love this podcast! Cal is great ! Thank you

[@dezinerg]

Yep, I've been pruning mind maps about whatever I'm interested in for a long while now. Highly recommended!

[@desireco]

Dang... I literally found this by accident and it is longer so I reluctantly put it in my "to view" list... this is pure gold.... I know a lot of points you mention but you put them in context and systematize, which is super helpful and gives me framework to think about thinking better. Even Idea Documents, I call this Lines of Thinking... but it is really awesome to hear from someone else how they think about this and how they use it. Thanks!

[@chintanparikh9271]

What a great episode.

[@ysy_y]

Now that I'm getting time to pay attention to this video, it's actually a great foundation for building skills commonly associated with a fulfilled life. The How to Think portion alone is something online productivity gurus would charge tons for.

[@BeckyValkyrie]

I love the concept of an idea journal. I will be implementing that immediately.

[@al3xj]

Call love to hear you articulate these concepts. Interestingly, I was thinking this subject just yesterday, as creating depth is slow going, but that perhaps this depth will impact later. I liken the building and aligning of individual thoughts and breaking them down to their smallest parts to a mechanic in a workshop, of thoughts. There is an order there, a symmetry, and a building that is satisfying in a particular way. In some spiritual frameworks they believe, and some claim to have seen, the inverse levels of energy that act like templates for the physical reality. If one can align to these templates, sense them, then the feeling of order is palpable, and has a "rightness" to it that can be experienced. Many thanks as always for the share

[@crm1327]

Brilliant post; 5 concise actionable tools - easy to digest and implement. Worth reviewing to solidify even minute tips. Btw, Productive Memory walks, as I often call'em 'Meditative Walks,' really work; sudden brilliant epiphanies and solutions materialize. I've been doing it for decades.

[@ikant9823]

Thanks for this episode Cal, much appreciated. The idea of keeping a document of ideas or topics is especially cool, been coming to it for a long time. Only I don't keep it as one document, but as separate notes in Evernote, linked by a tag.

[@tigere01]

Dante leaning into the slowness advice is absolutely brilliant and pragmatic.

[@rajmohanbabumani9169]

Thank you very much Cal for the wonderful episodes

[@applet0]

I love this episode! I hope to return to this comment someday with my results from following the two pieces of advice in the 'how to think' section

[@Maria_Plyta1311]

Hello.I just read your book "Deep Work".Ι think it's excellent and informative but in my view, you are arrogant...especially in the last chapters of the book. Intelligence and the capability of learning extremely fast is not only the result of a degree or a master...Some of us didn't have this chance...but still we could talk and learn much more than the average person.And a person with a degree or a master could be genius only in his field, and the rest of his day would be full of TV or chat. So...Every human being is unique and different, with a master or not Mr Newport. Thank you for your time

[@Solstice754]

when i first started timing how long i can go without getting distracted, it was 10 minutes lol

[@engineeringmadeasy]

Man, I need to catch up with his videos.

[@KhoaNguyen-qu3ic]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🧠 *Thinking, as defined by Cal Newport, is giving sustained attention to complicated or ambiguous information with the goal of building a new conceptual structure.* 02:43 📚 *Serious thinkers prioritize deep and evolving understanding, appreciation of beauty, and quality, leading to more impactful and respected output.* 04:01 🚫 *Improve the quality and decrease the quantity of information consumption by avoiding social media algorithms, opting for curated news sources, and adopting a multiscale approach (daily, monthly, seasonal).* 11:10 ⏱️ *Increase comfort with boredom through outings without a phone, longer phone-free weekend outings, and the "phone foyer" method to reduce distraction accessibility.* 14:10 🎯 *Cultivate your ability to pay attention by practicing interval training, gradually increasing the time of sustained focus, and establishing rituals and environments for different activities.* 18:08 🧠 *Strengthen working memory through productive meditation, where you solve problems mentally during walks, enhancing the ability to hold and manipulate multiple pieces of information.* 20:24 🤓 *Practice being intellectual by seeking nuance, subtlety, and integration of information; pair primary and secondary sources to deepen understanding of complex topics.* 23:06 📚 *Cal Newport emphasizes the importance of reading secondary sources before engaging with primary artifacts like books or art, as it provides a framework for deeper understanding.* 24:02 🎨 *Exposing children to art museums alone may not make them art lovers; Newport suggests delving into the context and history through secondary sources before appreciating the actual artifacts.* 25:13 🎥 *Cal Newport advocates for the practice of reading retrospective essays and reviews about movies before watching them to enhance the viewing experience.* 26:09 📚 *Academics engage with secondary and primary sources during their training, enabling them to see multiple layers below the surface; Newport encourages this practice for intellectual growth.* 27:48 💻 *Newport recommends creating and maintaining "idea documents" to structure and summarize information on various topics, aiding in consolidating thoughts and enhancing intellectual capabilities.* 30:06 🧠 *Training your brain to be a serious thinker involves improving the quality and decreasing the quantity of information consumed, cultivating comfort with boredom, and practicing intellectual engagement.* 44:31 🤖 *Cal Newport discusses lifestyle-centered career planning, emphasizing the importance of connecting daily activities to long-term goals for motivation.* 47:19 🧠 *Slow thinkers facing pressure for quick answers should lean into their slowness, using it as a quirky trait and setting specific response times to provide thoughtful and deliberate answers.* 53:57 🏖️ *To make holidays deep, bring meaningful things to think about that are disconnected from communication and obligations, allowing for a slower, more thoughtful experience.* 56:16 📚 *A case study illustrates the positive impact of a digital declutter, emphasizing the benefits of consuming higher-quality information and enjoying a more intentional, thoughtful life.* 01:04:02 📖 *A lighthearted reaction to a listener's fake book cover of "The Name of the Wind" by Brandon Sanderson, poking fun at the ongoing joke about the authorship of the book.* 01:05:53 🌐 *Remote collaboration may lead to fewer breakthrough ideas, according to a study in Nature. The research suggests a strong link between working in person and generating original, innovative ideas.* 01:07:32 🧠 *Abstract models of networking often overlook the messy and concrete nature of human brain cognition. Real breakthroughs involve the hard alchemical process of concentrated thinking, not just the recombination of abstract information.* 01:08:16 🤝 *The "Whiteboard Effect" during in-person collaboration can unlock higher levels of cognition. Social pressure and on-demand additions of new information enhance focus and expand the pool of conceptual tools, fostering creativity.* 01:10:34 🖥️ *Remote collaboration, common during COVID, lacks the Whiteboard Effect. Virtual interactions, often scheduled and time-limited, don't provide the same cognitive boost and on-the-fly problem-solving as in-person collaboration.* 01:11:57 🏰 *Physical presence matters. The example of a computer science paper highlights the struggle and limited progress during virtual collaboration, contrasted with a significant breakthrough achieved during an in-person whiteboard session.* 01:13:33 🧠 *In-person collaboration at dedicated workshops led to the rapid generation of six peer-reviewed papers in a week, showcasing the cognitive enhancement of being in the same room with others. The combined conceptual brainpower results in more and better solutions.* Made with HARPA AI

[@piccolaradge8333]

Thank you!

[@ShraddhaRao11235813]

Thank you so much for this well-worded overview!

[@MSA-uj7cp]

I was able to focus on this episode for about 10 mins at a time.

[@coomassieblue5035]

I have withdrawal symptoms just listening to this!!! 😬😨😰😱

[@Rymie876]

Great episode, however you used the same case study in ep 270

[@aldenho2561]

Cal I love your guy's theme song for the show! I feel like I'm about to watch an alien conspiracy theory show but I'm getting productivity tips instead!

[@SpaceExplorer]

hi cal

[@user-hz2eh5qw3j]

What nootropics do you take to enhance mental power?

[@nareshdewasi4098]

# How To Think - improve quality and reduce the quantity of compose. Daily - Daily news summary monthly - Some long form Article seasonally - book on the thing you want to know in depth - increase comfort with Boredom. phone in one place - Cultivate the ability to pay attention. interval time with any work, start small intervals of time increase slowly setup envirenment ritual - strength Memory. Working Meditation - - Practice being Intellectual. Idea 1 - pair primary and secondary resource Idea 2 - keep idea notes

[@tecmissle9256]

Here we goo againn .... just pieced together the multi scale planning system .... Cannot wait to plug this in :DDDDDDDdd

[@DavidSmith-wq3wu]

What high end graphics package did Cal use to create the visuals?

[@Zach-lg5ql]

When can we expect the Deep Dating app?

[@MOOREENGAGING]

Hi Cal. I have read a few of your books and am a fairly regular listener to this channel. I have benefitted from both. Have you addressed how one should address productivity when one struggles with chronic pain or has a debilitating illness? I have spent some time thinking about this myself due to my own chronic arthritis and migraines. Thanks!

[@dbo514]

I think it obviously starts with trying to get healthier

[@dbo514]

@@hs20231 there are a lot of useful things to do for migraines, even autoimmune diseases. It's not about perfection, but instead not having a defeatist attitude

[@julesxish]

Check out Jon Kabat Zinn, the creator of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at Umass. He developed it specifically to help people with chronic pain and disability. It is very helpful.

[@VagabondAnne]

Lordy! Amazing that so many people need to be told how to put the phone down in order to hear themselves think!

[@sanaladam5540]

You wrote all clickbait phrases to the title 😅

[@Franfiocchi]

😂

[@royrockerfeller]

The man's got to make money off ad revenue. lol

[@abhishekonine]

Cal doesn’t need this revenue, he’s a very accomplished author and a professor. His books have been best sellers. I guess he’s mocking the click bait world with the title or maybe some other reason

[@syed.muhammadali]

I'm ashamed to admit it but I fell for it 😂

[@einekleineente1]

...Change your life in 3 months and enlarge important body parts total naturally

[@einekleineente1]

We learnt that Cal boycots X/twitter.

[@sevcanozturk]

Does anyone know whether this is Cal's own definition of thinking or it is based on a book or something else? "giving sustained attention to potentially complicated or ambiguous information with the ultimate goal of building a new conceptual structure that has value to yourself or to the world."

[@user-vf3bm3wi9g]

can i listen to this through a podcast?

[@miajiang5492]

His podcast: Deep Questions with Cal Newport

[@usert-71]

What place does deserve people that love sleep and work at minor speed??, is there place in planet earth for the less productive??. or we have to go to the he ll?

[@kindedge]

Electronic detox = e-tox

[@amysantamaria9952]

2:00 in - Cal MUST be an INTJ (takes one to spot one); 4:00 in: Do the sulci in the expertly drawn brain spell sulci?!!!

[@julesxish]

I definitely get the NT vibe, it’s that engineer/computer science rationality.

[@julesxish]

And, I saw the sulci spelled out too!

[@amysantamaria9952]

@@julesxish a neuroscience themed dad prank in lieu of a dad joke this episode

[@LuigiTrapanese]

Lol i cannot separate the place where I work and where I sleep and he wants me to create a separate space for reading

[@bluepavilion82]

Cal i love your podcast but they are too damn long!! can you make them shorter

[@rosecampion4337]

Jackson Pollack was a philandering drunk who killed himself in a drunk driving episode.

[@Heyu7her3]

I wanna be mediocre for once tho 😭

[@theencryptedpartition4633]

Not until you realize how much potential you have whilst others are complaining about not having what you have...

[@Heyu7her3]

​@@theencryptedpartition4633 Nope, that used to work but doesn't faze me anymore. It's a stressful & expensive life to live 😮‍💨

[@ysy_y]

@@theencryptedpartition4633 At the same time, I wouldn't want to turn potential into a chain & ball. Rest (including indulging in mediocrity) is something that can be part of optimizing potential and productivity. The "others would kill for what I have" mindset is good here and there, but can easily turn into a guilt trip that is the opposite of productive.

[@musashi542]

using that emoji shows

[@midooley543]

This view that life is a race and its not ok to be simple is a huge driver of suffering.

[@dbo514]

I love these videos but I feel like they should be shorter. Way too much content to keep up with. Maybe it's just me

[@julesxish]

I wish they were twice as long, or twice a week!

[@silverado9104]

Excellent advice here as usual for intellectual productivity, but not so much for being an intellectual. Methinks Cal would have recommended hemlock for that not-so-professional intellectual, Socrates. Of course, secondary sources are more important than primary sources, -- you have to be an academic to believe that. Is Cal not familiar with Substack and other locations that are neither legacy ossification nor Twitter freneticism ? Strongly suggest Cal read Ted Gioia's recent essay at Substack, "In 2024, the Tension Between Macroculture and Microculture Will Turn into War." The money quote there: "This hostility and ignorance of entrenched institutions is the single biggest difference between the new alt culture and the old counterculture." btw, Gioia is a highly regarded BOOK--PUBLISHED author, so he's "safe" to read.

[@theencryptedpartition4633]

I'm an Oppenheimer of CS applying to US colleges, wish me luck. How's your Mathematics: not good enough but I hear the music. Wait Cal, is it possible for college admissions chances to get increased if you say reach out to a CS Prof at that uni about collaboration with potential algorithmic optimization of its complexity? Like am I more likely to get admitted? Or....

[@pastelteaaniiii]

Bro did not take his meds💀

[@incertosage]

@@pastelteaaniiii😂😂

[@annaczgli2983]

I used to enjoy these videos once, but not anymore. Maybe it's cuz I've grown older, & the subject matter doesn't interest me anymore. There's more to life than only being productive. Sure, it's necessary for survival & keeping your job. But, if you're embracing a productivity mindset into all aspects of your life, then you're looking at burnout. Maybe the above shift only comes with age, or whatever. Anyway, peace out. ✌️

[@katielowen]

I always dislike/thumbs down Cal’s videos when the sponsorships come up 🥰

[@BrokenForge]

You lost me at NYT and professional journalist.

[@Mskedu47]

Traditional print media is dead

[@amylee9]

Too many ads! I pay premium to avoid annoying ads and you force them on us 👎🏻

[@spacewad8745]

he's optimizing titles for clickbait now 😂

[@raginald7mars408]

.. as a German Bio Chemist Ph D - This is genetic No way to ever “learn “ this Those who have it Develop it further by themselves The others Are Therapy Resistant

[@sCiphre]

Do you have a source for that, or was the "German" part mentioned just for the eugenics context?

[@raginald7mars408]

@@sCiphre to Filter out YOU Super Sourcer Smart

[@jowarrior]

If this guy is so productive why is he still on KZbin selling ads?

[@user-eg2ox1yd1z]

cuz he is anti social-media on a social media lol

[@ysy_y]

@@user-eg2ox1yd1z Anti-social media while using social media isn't the same type of contradiction as other types. Cal undeniably gets far, far more reach than he would if he marketed himself as a luddite and only sold his books/had an email newsletter. If you see it as a contradiction, then maybe you could turn your attention to Jaron Lanier.

[@banned_from_eating_cookies]

Cal uploads his videos to KZbin, he doesn’t stay to watch the content.

[@sapphirewoolf14]

looks like a potato

[@user-eg2ox1yd1z]

why would you want to get ahead of other people lol you are only competing with yourself

[@luckwhisker]

If you want to escape mediocrity, the last person you should listen to is somebody who has nothing better to do than post videos about how to escape mediocrity. If this guy had anything useful to tell the world, he would be in a different line of work.

[@tsmith6985]

😂😂😂😂, google his name, brother.

[@xueya2188]

All your news sources be garbage.