David Epstein

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The most common productivity trap is the belief that more time leads to better results.

A study of professional violinists found that the best performers didn't practice more hours than their peers. They practiced more intentionally. They broke their sessions into 90-minute blocks and took actual naps in the afternoon.

There is a name for this: the "deliberate practice" effect.

I saw this play out during a recent project with a design team. They were stuck on a branding concept for three weeks, spinning their wheels in open-ended brainstorming sessions. They had too much freedom and not enough focus.

I told them they had to finish the entire concept in four hours using only three colors. At first, they were frustrated. They complained that creativity can't be rushed. But then something happened. Because they couldn't explore every possible direction, they had to commit to the best one immediately. The constraint forced the decision. They produced their best work of the quarter in a single afternoon.

The right limits don't stifle potential—they channel it.

What is a "rule" you could give yourself today to stop overthinking and start finishing?

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