Quick Cut: S2E353 Getting Things Done with David Allen

It's a Good Life

Brian Buffini

Business, Unknown, Entrepreneurship, Life, Good, Entrepreneur, Coaching

4.4 • 2.4K Ratings

🗓️ 4 December 2025

⏱️ 10 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

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David Allen's Getting Things Done® work-life management system is a global productivity movement that helps people bring order to the chaos in their businesses and their lives. In this episode, David tells Brian how the GTD® system enables greater performance, capacity and innovation.

YOU WILL LEARN:

· How to engage and be present.

· How to get in the zone without having a crisis.

· How to write a superior to-do list.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

“Getting Things Done,” by David Allen

Inspirational quotes from today’s interview:

“How you are engaged with the world is the issue.” — David Allen

“Productivity is simply achieving desired results.” — David Allen

“Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.” — David Allen

“Your head can handle about four things max before it starts to feel overwhelmed and confused.” — David Allen

“Pay attention to what has your attention, start to engage with it appropriately and it opens space.” — David Allen

“Completion and creativity: that’s really the essence of what Getting Things Done® is all about.” — David Allen

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to It's a Good Life with Brian Bafini, founder of America's largest business coaching company.
0:10.4	Here's a short classic cut from one of our all-time favorite episodes.
0:17.3	I am very excited to have the personal productivity guru, David Allen, on our show.
0:24.0	Brian, thanks for the invitation.
0:25.4	I want to dive right in to the methodology of getting things done.
0:28.8	And for those of you who are new to David Allen, it's been interesting to me because David
0:32.9	was connected through corporations and what's called the GTD movement.
0:54.8	Many people in my space, it's a movement they missed. This is some of the most amazing stuff. Like, they feel like they've seen the cure for cancer. People are so confused today. So, I mean, the culture is designed to overwhelm you today. But it takes two to tango, right? It does. Well, anybody listening to this, just look out on the world.
0:55.8	It's fine.
0:57.2	It's not confused.
0:58.5	It's not overwhelmed.
0:59.7	What's the issue?
1:02.9	How you are engaged with the world is the issue.
1:09.2	And that's what I uncovered was the algorithms about how to get a hold of appropriate engagement.
1:11.4	Are you appropriately engaged with your health? Are you appropriately engaged with your clients? Are you appropriately engaged with your health?
1:12.9	Are you appropriately engaged with your clients?
1:14.5	Are you appropriately engaged with your spouse?
1:15.8	Are you appropriately engaged with your kids?
1:17.3	Are you appropriately engaged with your dog?
1:19.7	Are you appropriately engaged with your office space?
1:22.8	And it's not about finishing all this stuff.
1:24.1	It's not even about working harder.
	...

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