Who Cares If Warren Buffet Reads 5 Hours per Day?
There’s a difference between being effective and happy.
I’ve spent a lot of time trying to come up with the best set of rules for my life. I tried to create the ideal day. I’d write to myself in my Moleskine:
“Wake up at 6 AM. Write for three hours. Go to the gym, run 10K. Have a protein-rich breakfast. Then work, take calls, or meetings. At the end of the day, read a book or socialize with family.”
Of course, this almost never happened. There were days when I was quite close to living my ‘ideal day’ — which took a toll on my energy and will-power — but most often, I was left burnt out and full of self-loathing because of how far away from perfect my day was. Or, if I am honest, how far away from perfect I was.
It’s the same with to-do lists. When you make to-do lists, you’re excited — sometimes too excited. You think that you’ve got this whole day ahead of you, and so many things you could do, so you fill it up with projects, tasks, and commitments, trying to squeeze everything in and make every second productive.
“Carpe diem!” they said.
