Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World

by Anne-Laure Le Cunff

Clarify your thinking. Instead of just plowing through work, you will be nudged to think about your strategy and execution in a deeper way—anothe...

Build your network. Learning in public is a great way to connect with people who are interested in a similar space. It may result in fin...

Learn faster. By documenting your progress openly, including your challenges and questions, you can connect with others who have expertise and can suggest reso...

You may have concerns that stop you from experimenting with a more public approach to your work—a voice that tells you that you don’t know enough, that people might judge you, or that learning in public could be a distraction,

“It might be a distraction.” Will the time and effort required to document and share your work detract from your actual productivity? Will learning in public hinder your creative process? On first consideration, sharing your work in progress could become a distraction.

As Anaïs Nin said, there will be a day when the risk to remain tight in a bud will feel more painful than the risk it takes to blossom.

To be successful at any age, on any path, and on your own terms, focus not on legacy but on generativity. Generativity is a psychological principle that emphasizes using your personal growth to positively impact the world around you. The term was coined by psychoanalyst Erik Erikson in the

“The best long-term fuel source is some repeated act that energizes you in a way that then lets you become a generative person, who uses the energy to make things for others,”

Like Jurglič, use online learning to pick up any necessary new skills outside your current field of expertise. Look for conferences on topics you know little about as an opportunity to gain exposure to new ideas while meeting new people. Seek

springboards. Closing the loop can be as simple as hosting a debrief meeting or writing an internal memo at work—where you can again use the Plus Minus Next template, explain what went well, what could have been handled better, and what you will focus on next.

fun. “If you don’t enjoy it and are just trying to make money, I think you’re not going to be successful,” she said. Framing experiments as “just for fun” alleviates the pressure of meeting certain expectations, both self-imposed and from others, which can lead to creating value in unexpected ways. Take the case of entrepreneur Josh Pigford, who has launched dozens

Turn doubts into experiments. Confidence is built through action. When in doubt, run a personal experiment using a pact—a time-bound commitment to a repeatable action that follows this format: I will [action] for [duration].

Manage your energy, executive function, and emotions rather than your minutes. Optimize for the depth of experience rather than the speed of achievement.

Learn in public. Resist the urge to work behind closed doors. Instead, learn in public—sharing not just your achievements, but also your false starts and mistakes.