Shalhar

Original Notes and Quotes

“By unlearning your cognitive scripts, collecting data on your life, and brainstorming potential hypotheses to test, you have already reawakened your perception of what is possible.” Note: Try it

“Within that quantitative frame, productivity is seen as a virtue and curiosity as a distraction.” Note: Lol

“Let’s be honest: Nobody really wants to live a productive life. We want to express ourselves, connect with others, and explore the world. Productivity is just a means to those ends; it should certainly not come at the expense of actually living life.” Note: Goals

“Deep down, we know this—that time is elastic, that some moments last for what seems like an eternity while others come and go in the blink of an eye.” Note: Time is different

“The shift from a quantitative view of time to a qualitative one is the first huge step toward a healthier approach to getting things done and finding a meaningful answer to how to make the most of our weeks.” Note: Te

“However, the wise forager knows that not all moments yield the same bounty.” Note: F

“Given my current attention and working memory, what is the most sensible task to undertake right now?” Note: Reload and focus

“Managing your energy: When is my magic window? Managing your executive function: What belongs in this window? Managing your emotions: How can I keep the window open?” Note: Mindful productivity qs

“Domain Principle Practice Physical Energy: Align tasks with natural rhythms. Energy syncing Cognitive Executive function: Avoid multitasking. Sequential focus Emotional Emotions: Adapt stress response. Conscious movement” Note: Principles

“Being mindful means interrupting the autopilot mode we often use on a day-to-day basis, taking the time to appreciate the little things, and observing how we feel at a physical, cognitive, and emotional level.” Note: Interrupt autopilot

“So although we want more than anything to put procrastination behind us, we are in the worst possible psychological state to do so. Instead of calm and confident, we feel deeply frustrated, at war with our very sense of self. What if we replaced that second arrow with curiosity instead?” Note: Second arrow

“So while procrastination is often portrayed as a battle between the present self and the future self, involving calculations of the cost and reward of doing something now versus doing it later, it should really be described as poor teamwork between our emotional and our rational selves.” Note: Teams

“The problem with procrastination is not that you’ve been lazy. The problem is that you shot the messenger.” Note: Do not shoot

“When I treated resistance as evidence, it helped me to understand why it was so hard to write this chapter in the first place.” Note: Messege

“If you choose to ask these questions in a nonjudgmental way and interpret the answer constructively, procrastination can be a helpful indicator, shifting your internal monologue from self-blame to self-discovery.” Note: Discover do not blame

“Head: ‘Is the task appropriate?’ Heart: ‘Is the task exciting?’ Hand: ‘Is the task doable?’” Note: Ask procrastination questions

“Source Explanation Solution Head I don’t think the task is appropriate. Redefine strategy Heart I don’t feel like the task is exciting. Redesign the experience Hand I don’t believe the task is doable. Request support or get training” Note: How to beat procrastination

“When philosopher Gloria Origgi and sociology professor Diego Gambetta of Oxford University first met,” Note: Research about mediocrity

“Lucilio Vanini, a sixteenth-century Italian philosopher, encapsulated this concept in his assertion that the greatest perfection lies in imperfection.” Note: Fe

“Unattainable standards are replaced with a heightened focus on what matters. Frustration turns into calm exploration. Setbacks become creative constraints.” Note: Rty

“What many people do not know about one of the fastest marathoners in history is his habit of keeping a detailed diary. This diary is not just a log of his physical training; it also includes notes on his mental state, observations about his environment, and reflections on his performance” Note: Field notes

“document the time, the kilometers, the massage, the exercises, the shoes I’m using, the feeling about those shoes. Everything.” Note: Kipchoge

“We don’t go in circles; we grow in circles.” Note: Interesting

“Write the date at the top of a page and draw three columns. At the top of each column, write a plus sign for what worked, a minus sign for what didn’t go so well, and an arrow for what you plan to do next.” Note: T

“On New Year’s Eve, we usually think about our lives: what went well, what didn’t, and what we want to accomplish next year. But if you only think about that once a year, your life is not going to improve much. What if you could feel that burst of inspiration every week?” Note: Thats what I do weekly

Note: Right mindset

Note: Experiment mindset. Everything is an experiment

“In contrast, a generative approach is about proactively creating value. Instead of waiting for permission or validation, you can leverage your current resources and skills to produce tangible assets that demonstrate your ability to make a difference.” Note: No need for permission

“The fatal issue is that logic always gets you to exactly the same place as your competitors.” Note: Logic is common

“Think of it as an experimentalist manifesto: an exhortation to live a life of systematic curiosity, where uncertainty is a feature and not a bug, where inner resistance is a welcome source of information, and where the generative now matters more than your legacy.” Note: Cool

Key Insights

1. Reframing Productivity
   • Productivity should be a means to an end, not the end itself
   • Shift from quantitative to qualitative views of time
   • Focus on expressing, connecting, and exploring rather than just producing
2. The Experimental Mindset
   • Treat life as a series of experiments rather than fixed goals
   • Embrace uncertainty as a feature, not a bug
   • Unlearn cognitive scripts to see new possibilities
3. Understanding Procrastination
   • Procrastination is not laziness but a messenger
   • It represents poor teamwork between emotional and rational selves
   • Use a framework of Head (appropriate?), Heart (exciting?), Hand (doable?)
4. Mindful Productivity
   • Align tasks with natural energy rhythms
   • Practice sequential focus instead of multitasking
   • Manage energy, executive function, and emotions
5. Tracking and Reflection
   • Regular reflection is more valuable than annual goal-setting
   • Document experiences in detail (like marathon runner Kipchoge)
   • Use plus/minus/next framework for weekly reviews
6. Embracing Imperfection
   • The greatest perfection lies in imperfection
   • Turn setbacks into creative constraints
   • Replace unattainable standards with focus on what matters
7. Generative Approach
   • Create value proactively rather than waiting for permission
   • Differentiate through experimentation rather than logic
   • Focus on the “generative now” rather than legacy

Summary

“Tiny Experiments” offers a refreshing alternative to the goal-obsessed productivity culture that dominates modern life. Le Cunff argues that traditional productivity approaches treat curiosity as a distraction and focus too heavily on quantitative measures of time and output. Instead, she proposes an experimental mindset where uncertainty is embraced, resistance is treated as valuable information, and the focus shifts from productivity as an end to productivity as a means for expression, connection, and exploration.

The book presents procrastination not as a character flaw but as valuable feedback from our emotional selves. By asking whether a task is appropriate (Head), exciting (Heart), and doable (Hand), we can understand resistance and address its root causes rather than fighting against ourselves.

Le Cunff emphasizes mindful productivity—aligning tasks with our natural energy rhythms, practicing sequential focus rather than multitasking, and managing our physical, cognitive, and emotional states. She advocates for regular reflection and documentation, citing marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge’s detailed training diary as an example of systematic self-observation.

The experimental approach replaces rigid goals with flexible hypotheses, transforms setbacks into creative constraints, and shifts from self-blame to self-discovery. Rather than pursuing perfection, Le Cunff suggests embracing imperfection and focusing on what truly matters.

The book culminates in what the author calls an “experimentalist manifesto”—an invitation to live with systematic curiosity, treat uncertainty as an asset, welcome resistance as information, and focus on creating value in the present moment rather than worrying about legacy. This approach offers freedom from the constraints of traditional goal-setting while providing a structured way to learn, grow, and create meaningful change.

Application to my life:

Use PACT framework for productivity:

P-purposeful

A-Actionable

C-Continuous