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Playbooks
  • ๐Ÿ‘‹Welcome
  • Smarty Course Catalog
    • Maximizing Your Free Trial
      • ๐Ÿš€Welcome to Smarty
      • ๐Ÿง Day 1: Plan your best day, every day
      • ๐Ÿ”„Day 2: No task left behind
      • ๐Ÿ—ƒ๏ธDay 3: Organize with projects
      • ๐Ÿ’ฌDay 4: Natural Language meets Scheduling!
      • ๐ŸŒDay 5: All your worlds, in one place
      • ๐Ÿ”—Day 6: Share slots that work for you
      • ๐ŸคDay 7: Simplify mutual meeting times
      • ๐ŸŒŽDay 8: Master global timezones
      • โŒจ๏ธDay 9: Speed up with shortcuts
      • โšกDay 10: Unified views + what's next?
  • The Productivity Pulse
    • Thought Pieces
      • How to Protect Your Time with Time Blocking
      • Minimize Context-Switching and Do More Deep Work
      • Be More Productive with Micro-Tasking
      • How to Stick to Routines When Life Breaks Them
      • 3 Cognitive Biases That Sabotage Our Productivity
    • Which Mental Model When?
      • About to drop the ball? Try the Pareto Principle
      • Stuck and trying to innovate? First Principles + 5 Whys
      • Overwhelmed building something new? Gall's Law
      • Micromanaging? Let go of the Illusion of Control
      • Need to adapt fast? Ditch the map
      • Anxious about a big project? Try a pre-mortem
      • Need a fresh problem solving angle? Think in reverse
      • Feeling stuck? Try re-framing
      • Trying to work smarter? Find your leverage
      • Not thinking clearly? Check your contrast bias
      • Want a successful outcome? Build margins of safety.
      • Stuck decision making? Use Occam's Razor
      • Seeking clarity in complexity? Try Bayesian Reasoning.
      • Want more freedom? Master discipline.
      • Missing the big picture? Avoid the Narrative Fallacy.
      • Want more control? Reduce daily life entropy
      • Too many options? Master the Paradox of Choice
      • Stuck? Red Queen Effect: Directional Iteration matters
      • Tracking Fake Progress? Galilean Relativity
      • Feedback Loops
      • Too many options? Try the 37% Rule + Satisficing
    • How I Work Series
      • How I Work: Haily Marzullo, Founder of Humankind
      • How I Work: Andrew Case, Founder at NoonBrew
      • How I Work: Jenna Movsowitz, Managing Editor - Startup CPG
  • โฌ‡๏ธThe Founder's Perspective
  • My Productivity Playbook
    • โœ…Getting Things Done
      • Time is a fixed commodity *
      • Maximize Your 24 Hours: 5 Strategies to Optimize the Day *
      • 3 tips for mastering focus, instead of chasing more time *
      • Eisenhower Matrix = Plan Your Days! *
      • There is a right way to prioritize *
      • Timeblock Everything *
      • To think clearly, subtract the unnecessary
      • How to manufacture flow *
      • Stress is your greatest performance enhancer *
      • Character Invention Theory
      • 3 reasons youโ€™re making excuses and how to get back on track *
      • Build in Public
      • Luck = Doing x Telling *
      • Your network is your net worth
      • Luck = Sum of Daily Micro-Actions
    • ๐Ÿ—บ๏ธGoals
      • Your vision your GPS *
      • Make a plan *
      • Prioritize the long-term *
      • Think big. Start small. *
      • It's not enough to dream. You have to do. *
      • Focus on Direction, Not Speed *
      • If something isn't working, make a change *
      • The Physics of Productivity *
      • Momentum of Productivity
      • Keep Showing Up
      • A baby step is better than stopping
      • Doubt is removed by action *
      • Create a bias for action
      • It's not enough to set a goal
      • The secret to GTD? Reverse-engineer goals into habits.
    • ๐Ÿ’ชHabits vs. Motivation
      • Motivation is Overrated *
      • Consistency breeds motivation *
      • consistency > motivation *
      • Tying our habits to our identity for intrinsic motivation *
      • How to break down your goals into habits *
      • Habits let you level up *
      • New habits should feel easy *
      • So easy to do, you always say yes *
      • Start small, reap big *
      • Habit Stacking *
      • Never miss a habit twice
    • ๐ŸŒฟGrowth Opportunities
      • 1% Better Every Day *
      • The infinite dance of continuous improvement *
      • Innovation is not a linear path *
      • The only comparison that matters is to you yesterday *
      • Self-doubt is a distorted lens *
      • Our biases are our reality's architect
      • Outlearn to Outperform *
      • How fast you learn from your mistakes is the real competitive advantage *
      • Compete with yourself
      • Learning is a skill. There is a right way to do it.
      • Mistakes = Growth Opportunities *
      • Loss aversion keeps us playing it safe *
      • An expert has failed more than novice has even tried *
      • Your markers for success progress as you do *
      • See Problems as Opportunities
      • 3 steps to help focus on inner growth
    • ๐ŸŒŸBest Practices
      • Over-thinking? Write. Under-thinking? Read. *
      • Prioritize Facts
      • Embrace unknown unknowns *
      • Master the art of thinking ahead *
      • Timeliness Beats Flawlessness *
      • Aim for Excellence, not Perfection
      • Actions speak louder than words *
      • A miscommunicated idea is an opportunity lost
      • Work smarter, not harder *
      • Take calculated leaps, not blind jumps *
      • Regret Minimization Framework *
      • 45% Purpose + 45% Priority + 10% Productivity = Success *
      • 3 reasons why single-tasking is a game-changer
      • Genius is found in simplicity
    • ๐Ÿ’–Self-Care
      • Ikigai *
      • Memento Mori *
      • Manage Your Mindset *
      • Transform your inner voice from a bully into your bestie
      • Make time to explore
      • Your authentic self *
      • Free time is a call option
      • From a tiny seed, great dreams can grow *
      • 5 Strategies for Preventing Burnout *
      • You can't pour from an empty cup *
      • Celebrate Your Wins *
      • Your energy matters *
      • Make the time to recharge! *
      • By changing nothing, nothing changes *
      • The Four Pillars of Productivity *
    • My 5 Biggest Life Lessons
      • 1. Have a Plan
      • 2. Keep Showing Up
      • 3. Assume Positive Intent
      • 4. Your Network is Your Net Worth
      • 5. Luck = Doing x Telling
  • My Founder's Journey
    • Smarty's Origins
    • Smarty isn't a productivity tool. It's a mindset.
      • Brain Dumping with Smarty
      • Prioritizing with Smarty
      • Time Blocking with Smarty
      • Solving Stress with Smarty
      • Your Way with Smarty
    • My Personal Productivity Journey
      • Methodologies
        • How to work faster
        • How to reduce overwhelm
        • How to create the right habits
        • How to stop procrastinating
        • How to manufacture flow
        • How to declutter your digital environment
        • How to make the menial feel magical
      • Musings
        • Managing Your Mindset
        • Finding Ikigai Led to Smarty
        • What I do with the mental energy Smarty frees up for me
        • Hard truth: you don't need more time
        • Hot take: don't go with your gut
        • You can't rely on motivation
        • Reaching a flow state - every day!
        • My 4 Quarters Method
        • Combatting Procrastination
        • My Perspective on Productivity Tools
      • Live with Intention
    • My Mission & Vision with Smarty
      • Smarty Makes Automation Accessible
      • Smarty Cuts Through Productivity Software Clutter
      • Smarty + AI/ML/NLP
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  1. My Productivity Playbook
  2. My 5 Biggest Life Lessons

3. Assume Positive Intent

Previous2. Keep Showing UpNext4. Your Network is Your Net Worth

Last updated 1 year ago

(3/5) One of my first and biggest takeaways from business school was to always assume positive intent.

Life is better when you believe that everyone is trying their best.

We all make mistakes but unfortunately we have a double standard when we look at the mistakes of others.

With ourselves, weโ€™re quick to blame the circumstances and mitigate our agency in the choices weโ€™ve made.

With others, weโ€™re quick to overemphasize their agency and undervalue the circumstances.

The 'spotlight effect', a psychological concept, exacerbates this imbalance. It suggests that we tend to magnify our own mistakes, believing others are scrutinizing us more than they really are.

Living in the present breaks us free from this self-imposed trap.

Refocus on what is, instead of what should or could be.

The rare instances where negative intent is at work, then allow yourself to learn this intent, rather than jumping to that conclusion from the onset.

Rather than getting defensive or, worse, getting retributive, engage in a productive conversation. If possible, focus on working together to heal the situation.

To believe that everyone is doing their best, to give them the benefit of the doubt, and to let go of any grievances is a liberating mindset.

YOLO, so do what makes life with others best.