look back less 👀

Hey, ,

Over these past few weeks, I've been reflecting on what's holding me back, how I could change, or what I could have done to fix some of the major challenges I faced.

It's been hard to make progress.

It feels like I'm smarter now and would have avoided things I didn't avoid, or I would have given my past self advice to better navigate those challenges. The problem is, I honestly felt like I was making the best judgements I could with the knowledge and experience I had.

It was only until today that I realized why:

Analysis paralysis.

Jason Fried, co-founder of 37Signals (makers or Basecamp and HEY), wrote an article on his personal blog of the same name, "Look Back Less."

In it, Jason delves deep into the idea that retrospectives can sometimes become a hindrance rather than a catalyst for progress. He argues that constantly looking back at what went wrong or right in previous projects often leads to a cycle of analysis paralysis and prevents us from moving forward with confidence.

Instead, by redirecting our energy toward the exciting prospects of our next venture, Jason suggests we can unleash our creative potential and achieve greater success.

Now, I'd like to do just that — start exploring my creativity in full (and share my progress as I go).

37Signals just recorded a captivating episode on the REWORK podcast that covered this idea in even more depth with examples. It's a must-read/listen for everyone seeking a fresh perspective on reflection. 

📝 Read the blog post

📺 Watch the video podcast

The rekindled podcast is exploring modern changes to the book written in 2010, REWORK, and the topics it covered. Even now, REWORK remains one of the best books I've ever read, exceptionally well-written and highly actionable, regardless of whether you have a business.

📚 Read the book

I'm curious to hear your thoughts on either this episode or the book itself.

Enjoy,

Matt

mattcici.com