What's the next action

There are only two problems in life

28 03 07 - 22:38 - Bookmark this post

I recently listened to some parts of the GTD Fast seminar again and I must say, there are some true pearls in them. Great quotes, stories and hidden little stuff which give you some food for thought.  One revelation in those series is the next line: Do you know that there are only two problems in your life?

No matter how though it gets, no matter how swamped you are in work and you have bad days with a big honkin' backog of things to do. There are, really, only two problems in your life. Want to know which one and how to deal with it?

First problem: You know what you want but you don't know how to get it.

Second problem: You don't know what you want.

Isn't that great? Think about this for a minute or so and you will see that every open loop, every issue you have, little or big, can be reduced to the above two problems. 

So, if there are only two problems, there must be only two solutions right? Right. And look at the above problems. You know what the solutions are? Make it up. And make it happen. It's that simple. You don't know how to get from A to B but you know you want to in B? Well, make up the next action. Think, brainstorm about the possible succesfull outcomes and how to get there. And then think about your Next Action.

You don't know what you want? Same thing. Is it because you can't decide? Think about the succesfull outcome and go back to your next action. Or is it because you don't have all the information yet? There is your next action. Make sure you get the info. Call, email, walk into a library, talk to someone, whatever. But make it happen.

So when you look at those two solutions, make it up and make it happen, it really boils down to the heart and soul of GTD. What's the succesfull outcome and what's the next action?

Pretty deep huh? But it makes sense to me. To you as well?

Only 2 problems, that sounds good! I think the second problem is harder to solve than the first one…
Daniel - 29 03 07 - 09:59

I agree. This one hit me on the head a while ago, and it’s deep.

More at Some David Allen ‘twos’ R..
Matthew Cornell - 29 03 07 - 15:34

Hi,
The only two problems of life I heard about were:
1.To start
2.To stop

Solutions? Be aware of the problem and just do it anyway!

Jalada
Professional Organizer
Jalada - 01 04 07 - 14:06

i liked this post, though i also don’t think the 2nd problem can truly be solved, especially when people really don’t want anything. how do you solve that?
yster - 06 04 07 - 21:34

Maybe we should think in what context a beautiful complex and subtle life can be reduced to those two problems. And that context may be the real problem.
js - 07 04 07 - 23:19

yster: If someone really doesn't want anything, well then there is no problem I guess. And if they find out that after research, calling etc they don't want anything, well, that's a succesfull outcome isn't it?
js: I wonder what you mean by the context being the problem. Could you tell more about the context you are talking about?
Frank Meeuwsen - 08 04 07 - 16:05