#044 | The Mindset of Optionality vs Execution Commitment

Hey friends,

The mindset of optionality is a good one; to make decisions that leave your options open so that you can better deal with any uncertainty that happens in the future.

I love the mindset of optionality because it makes so much sense.

No one knows what will happen in the future.

So the best strategy in present time is to make decisions that make yourself more robust; to better adapt to the future.

However…

Keeping options open often means not committing…

This results in doing many things at once and failing to commit to anything…

which as we all know, results in achieving nothing at all…

So should I keep my options open or not?

Yes and No.

Yes — macro wise, keeping your options open is still great.

No — execution wise, stop trying to do so many things at once.

Only commit to few projects at a time.

Avoid doing too many things just to keep the options open.

Only by committing to few projects can you generate good results and make progress.

But what if I have many projects I want to do?

One solution.

Shorter commitments.

Three-month commitment seems to be a good length.

That means you can commit to 4 projects each year.

After each project, you can evaluate whether you want to commit for a second round.

Idea Incubation

Commitment also has one major benefit.

Idea incubation.

Aka you have more time to think and consider about each potential project.

Because you are committing a certain period of time to each project, you have to think carefully about which project to commit to.

This means that you are more likely to prioritise your projects and filter out the bad ones.

Additionally, idea incubation gives you more time to plan for the project.

When I was finishing up my gym project (which lasted 6 years 2 months), I was already planning for my bouldering project that I will be starting after.

🔥 Actionable Knowledge

Only commit to few projects at a time. Save the rest to your idea incubation list. When you finish your projects, choose your next one wisely :)

I would love to hear from you! Share your thoughts by replying to this email 😊

Thanks for reading everyone. Have a good week ahead! 🎮

All the best,

Ryan O

Current Stats: 12.2% action rate <— Read 45 books | Taken actions on at least 5 books

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