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The Greg McKeown Podcast

6. What's Essential: David Allen on Getting the Right Things Done

The Greg McKeown Podcast

Greg McKeown

Self-improvement, Business, Education

4.91K Ratings

🗓️ 6 July 2020

⏱️ 68 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

David Allen, author of Getting Things Done, and Greg discuss the practical ways and key specifics to immediately begin the journey of cutting out what is non-essential, both personally and professionally. They go back and forth on the deeper and visionary elements of why it’s beneficial to focus on doing what matters most. Share the What’s Essential podcast with your co-workers & friends and earn rewards: https://refer.fm/essential 1 Referral - Access the exclusive "Tim Ferris" episode 3 Referrals - 21-day Challenge PDF  15 Referrals - $10 digital gift card you can use at stores like Real Simple, Container Store, etc. What's Essential Podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/essentialismpod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/essentialismpodcast   Greg McKeown Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregorymckeown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregmckeown Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregorymckeown/   Scratch Audiohouse Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wheelhousegroup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wheelhouse-group-llc/   Credits: Hosted by Greg McKeown Produced by Greg McKeown and Scratch Audiohouse Executive Produced by Greg McKeown, Avi Gandhi, Brent Montgomery, and Ed Simpson Co-Produced by Paul Dizon

Transcript

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0:00.0

Essentialists life is fast and full of opportunity.

0:05.0

The complication is we sometimes think we have to do it all.

0:09.0

And the implication of that is we start plateauing in our progress or failing altogether.

0:14.6

And my position is that we can make a different choice, that we can figure out what's essential, eliminate what's not, and get what matters done.

0:28.9

And if we do that we can break through to another level of contribution, even in difficult times, personally and professionally.

0:37.0

And that's why I'm delighted to bring this episode to you, a conversation with David Allen, the author of the global phenomenon, getting things done.

0:48.0

This is all about the practical things we can do to begin on this journey.

0:54.3

But before the end of the episode, we take a tilt and unexpected journey

1:00.3

into the deeper, more spiritual elements of what David wants to be about, what he wants to share, who he is and why we ought to do the things that matter most. Enjoy.

1:20.0

David, it's great to have you back and it's great to have you being willing to talk to me today.

1:24.3

Thank you for taking the time.

1:27.2

Sure, thanks for the invitation.

1:28.8

Look, of course I've been familiar with all of your work for years and years,

1:33.0

the Reddit, getting things done,

1:36.0

but also your other materials,

1:38.0

and I've been so amazed at the impact

1:42.0

that GTD has had around the world has it surprised you

1:48.4

be used really more than anything else you You know, it's one of those things go high anticipation, no expectation about whether the world would buy into this or not.

2:00.0

And so, you know, I'm not particularly aspirational or entrepreneurial.

2:05.0

You know, I'm really been more of a researcher and an educator than anything else,

2:12.0

but just to watch that somehow whatever I uncovered

2:17.3

had hit enough of a nerve that it spreads sort of virally and organically.

...

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