Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

by Cal Newport

“Hearing a succession of mediocre singers does not add up to a single outstanding performance

Rosen's quote

In this new economy, three groups will have a particular advantage: those who can work well and creatively with intelligent machines, those who are the best at what they do, and those with access to capital.

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The ability to quickly master hard things. The ability to produce at an elite level, in terms of both quality and speed.

Core abilities to thrive in the new economy

In the absence of clear indicators of what it means to be productive and valuable in their jobs, many knowledge workers turn back toward an industrial indicator of productivity:

Proxy for productivity

The key to developing a deep work habit is to move beyond good intentions and add routines and rituals to your working life designed to minimize the amount of your limited willpower necessary to transition into and maintain a state of unbroken concentration.

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This philosophy asks that you divide your time, dedicating some clearly defined stretches to deep pursuits and leaving the rest open to everything else. During

Bimodal philosophy

Great creative minds] think like artists but work like accountants.”

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Professorial E-mail Sorting: Do not reply to an e-mail message if any of the following applies: It’s ambiguous or otherwise makes it hard for you to generate a reasonable response. It’s not a question or proposal that interests you. Nothing really good would happen if you did respond and nothing really bad would happen if you didn’t.

Professorial email sorting

people are quick to adjust their expectations to the specifics of your communication habits.

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