When you’re busy all the time, it’s hard to pause, slow down and rest. But the busier you are, the more you need to recover and recharge.

In episode 70 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:

1) Wanting to rest is not a sign of weakness or laziness 0:00
2) What is rest 0:53
3) The benefits of passive rest, like Niksen (the Dutch term for doing nothing) 1:21
4) The advantages of active rest, like tactile hobbies or meditative activities 2:20
5) Rest can be mentally restorative, physically recharging, or spiritually renewing, or a combination of all three 2:44
5) The two main branches of the nervous system 4:19
6) Polyvagal Theory and the importance of the vagus nerve and Ventral Vagal State 5:25
7) The four types of responses to stress 8:21
8) Rest allows you to use your nervous system more effectively and activate the Ventral Vagal State to destress 8:36
9) Rest is key to creating big results in small steps 9:26

Website: http://www.dyanwilliams.com/

The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps, is available on Amazon and Leanpub:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFHYHGFZ
(Pros: lowest price for readers and readily available on Kindle)

https://leanpub.com/incrementalist
(Pros: price flexibility for readers and 60-day money back guarantee)

Watch the YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@theincrementalist/

Subscribe to e-newsletter at: 
https://bit.ly/3J9EbsD

Learning is a meta skill for thriving, growing, and doing better. When you don’t learn, you stay stuck and repeat the same mistakes. While learning might not be as urgent as performing tasks, producing output and meeting deadlines, it’s just as important.

Your performance is at its lowest when you’re purely performing or purely learning.  You’re most likely to succeed when you have the ideal mix of both.

In episode 69 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:

1) Chronic performance is counterproductive
2) The difference between having a fixed mindset and a growth mindset
3) 7 big ideas from Eduardo Briceño’s book, The Performance Paradox, to break out of chronic performance and turn the power of mindset into action

2:42 Big Idea #1
3:20 Big Idea #2
4:09 Big Idea #3
4:54 Big Idea #4 
7:34 Big Idea #5
10:07 Big Idea #6
12:25 Big Idea #7

Website: http://www.dyanwilliams.com/

The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps, is available on Amazon and Leanpub:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFHYHGFZ
(Pros: lowest price for readers and readily available on Kindle)

https://leanpub.com/incrementalist
(Pros: price flexibility for readers and 60-day money back guarantee)

Watch the YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@theincrementalist/

Subscribe to e-newsletter at: 
https://bit.ly/3J9EbsD

Uncertainty makes it harder to make progress and find flow in meaningful things. In easy conditions, progress is a straight line toward an end point. But when there’s uncertainty, progress is more like a feedback loop.

In episode 68 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:

1) 0:09 When faced with the unknown, you can either do something or do nothing.

2) 0:26 The difference between uncertainty and ambiguity and why they both cause frustration.

3) 1:03 The Paradox of Control and how we create anxiety.

4) 1:47 How good anxiety works for you and bad anxiety works against you.

5) 2:09 The Progress Principle and ways to leverage it. 

6) 4:03 How to step into uncertainty to make progress and find flow:
4:08 Tip 1
5:15 Tip 2
6:23 Tip 3 (stage 1 of flow cycle)
8:36 Tip 4 (stage 2 of flow cycle)
9:37 Tip 5 (stage 3 of flow cycle)
11:23 Tip 6 (stage 4 of flow cycle)

7) 13:02 Benefits of the Flow Cycle
8) 13:08 Benefits of the Progress Loop

9) 14:03 I'm making an online course currently titled "The Busyness Trap: How to Escape Overload and Focus on What Matters." To get updates on the course launch and registration process, subscribe to my e-newsletter at dyanwilliams.com or The Incrementalist YouTube channel or podcast. 

Website: http://www.dyanwilliams.com/

The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps, is available on Amazon and Leanpub:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFHYHGFZ(Pros: lowest price for readers and readily available on Kindle)

https://leanpub.com/incrementalist(Pros: price flexibility for readers and 60-day money back guarantee)

Subscribe to e-newsletter at: https://bit.ly/3J9EbsD

Theme Music by: Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve.

Setting goals - when done right - puts you on the path to a more desired life. In goal setting, do not make the finish line the main thing or lose sight of the journey. 

In episode 67 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:

1) 0:15 By breaking your big goals down into mini goals, you achieve small wins that build your confidence, grow your knowledge, and keep you on an upward spiral.

2) 0:32 Goals are spotlights pointing you in a certain direction. They are not always your ultimate destination point. 

3) 1:21 The key differences between extrinsic goals and intrinsic goals. 

4) 1:53 Why it's better to focus on goals you control, like your daily habits and actions.

5) 2:41 How to measure progress by thinking about the gains rather the gaps.

5) 4:09 The benefits of embracing failure as a chance to learn, instead of a negative experience to avoid at all costs. 

6) 5:05 Why you need to choose or design the ideal environment and not rely on your willpower.

7) 6:40 Fear of hope is a root cause for why we resist change. 

8) 9:56 I'm creating an online course currently titled "The Busyness Trap: How to Escape Overload and Focus on What Matters." To get updates on the course launch and registration process, subscribe to my e-newsletter at dyanwilliams.com or The Incrementalist YouTube channel or podcast. 

Website: http://www.dyanwilliams.com/

The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps, is available on Amazon and Leanpub:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFHYHGFZ
(Pros: lowest price for readers and readily available on Kindle)

https://leanpub.com/incrementalist
(Pros: price flexibility for readers and 60-day money back guarantee)

Subscribe to e-newsletter at: 
https://bit.ly/3J9EbsD

Theme Music by: 
Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve. 

A bias for action can help you do big things and reach big goals.  In big projects, it's vital in the delivery phase, which should be fast. But it hurts the planning phase, where it’s better to be slow.

In episode 66 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:

1) 0:00 A bias for action feels productive but can also backfire and cause big failure in big projects.

2) 0:55 Every big project has 2 basic phases: Planning and Delivery.

3) 1:11 In their book, How Big Things Get Done, authors Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner note that 99.5 percent of megaprojects go over budget, over schedule, fail to deliver promised results, or have some combination of these.

4) 2:01 Failed projects use the Think Fast, Act Slow approach (rushed, superficial planning before project delivery). Successful projects apply the Think Slow, Act Fast pattern (careful, precise planning before project delivery).

5) 2:59 To do big things, apply the Think Slow, Act Fast approach with these 5 action tips: 

i) 3:05 Tip #1 - Commit to not committing.
ii)  6:06 Tip #2 - Think from right to left.
iii) 8:33 Tip #3 - Tinker, test, and experiment.
iv) 12:10 Tip #4 - Figure out what’s your LEGO - your basic building block – and keep adding one block to another.
v) 13:19 Tip #5 - Take the outside view, not just the inside view.

6) 15:15 Why the significance of planning is often downplayed: The Principle of the Hiding Hand and the Theory of Beneficial Ignorance or Providential Ignorance

You don't need to be deep in delivery mode to spark creative ideas. Use the think slow, act fast pattern to plan carefully, deliver effectively, and get the best results in big projects.

Website: http://www.dyanwilliams.com/

The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps, is available on Amazon and Leanpub:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFHYHGFZ
(Pros: lowest price for readers and readily available on Kindle)

https://leanpub.com/incrementalist
(Pros: price flexibility for readers and 60-day money back guarantee)

🎧 Listen to The Incrementalist podcast and get transcripts at:
https://theincrementalist.transistor.fm/

Subscribe to e-newsletter at:
https://bit.ly/3J9EbsD

Theme Music by:
Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve.
https://open.spotify.com/album/7lbT8zOQMXeWkRUZto3tKL

Solitude is a chosen state of being alone. It is not the same as interpersonal loneliness or existential loneliness, which may lead to an early death or death by suicide in extreme cases.

The need for alone time is as vital to human life as the need for social interaction. When you practice solitude, you will be better able to move through loneliness with skill, rather than try to end it unskillfully at all costs.

In episode 65 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:

1) The main differences between solitude and loneliness
 
2) The key differences between loners and introverts, who both enjoy solitude

3) The reason extroverts might need solitude more than loners and introverts

4) The four key benefits of solitude:
i) Intentionality
ii) Intellectuality
iii) Simplicity
iv) Self-sufficiency

5) Easy ways to practice solitude in daily life

The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps, is available on Amazon and Leanpub:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFHYHGFZ
(Pros: lowest price for readers and readily available on Kindle)

https://leanpub.com/incrementalist
(Pros: price flexibility for readers and 60-day money back guarantee)

To learn more about how to get a Leanpub book on your Kindle, or into the Kindle app on your phone or tablet, go to:
How do I get Leanpub books on my Kindle, or into the Kindle app on my phone or tablet? | Leanpub Help Center

Watch the video, Solitude: The Overlooked Path to Moving Through Loneliness, on our YouTube channel, The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show.

Website: http://www.dyanwilliams.com/

Subscribe to e-newsletter at:
https://bit.ly/3J9EbsD

Theme Music by:
Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve. 

As you make gains, step by step, your actions and behaviors that used to take a lot of effort become more like a habit. You can choose to stay there and enjoy what you’ve accomplished or take the next step for a new challenge.

The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps, is now available on both Amazon and Leanpub.

The book shows you how to skillfully practice the Incrementalist principles to do the right things, in the right way, at the right time – even when you feel unmotivated or uninspired.

If you buy it, read it, and enjoy it, please recommend it to others and post a 5-star customer review on Amazon! Your support goes a long way in encouraging more readers to check it out and benefit from it as well.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFHYHGFZ
(Pros: lowest price for readers and readily available on Kindle)

https://leanpub.com/incrementalist
(Pros: price flexibility for readers and 60-day money back guarantee)

To learn more about how to get a Leanpub book on your Kindle, or into the Kindle app on your phone or tablet, go to:
How do I get Leanpub books on my Kindle, or into the Kindle app on my phone or tablet? | Leanpub Help Center

Watch the video, Turn your hard efforts into easier steps, on our YouTube channel, The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show.

Website: http://www.dyanwilliams.com/

Subscribe to e-newsletter at:
https://bit.ly/3J9EbsD

Theme Music by:
Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album – Olemus; Song – La Nieve. 

Uncertain outcomes and imperfect data make it tougher to decide. A decision starts with a choice, which is an opportunity to select from two or more options. A decision is cutting off options and narrowing it down to just one. This is harder to do in novel, high-stakes situations.

In episode 63 of The Incrementalist, you will learn how to make better decisions in the face of uncertainty:

1. Understand that decision making starts with knowing what you really want. Go with thick desires, instead of thin desires.
2. Find out where you are on the Social Behavior Map in decision making.
3. Embrace Wicked Learning Environments.
4. Create Kinder Learning Environments.
5. Consider the need for certainty as a pitfall in decision making. 

Watch the video, Making Decisions When You Don't Know What to Do on our YouTube channel, The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show.

Theme Music by:
Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album –  Olemus; Song – La Nieve 

Check out the book: The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps
Email: [email protected]
Visit website: www.dyanwilliams.com

Decision-making can be daunting. A decision can be so tough that you avoid it for as long as possible, instead of approach it head-on.  And we can get worn out by the sheer number of choices we make daily. 

In episode 62 of The Incrementalist, you will learn two major pitfalls in decision making and strategies to navigate them:

1. Pitfall #1 - Choice Overload 

• Decision Matrix
• Paradox of Choice
• Maximizer vs. Satisficer
• Narrow Framing

2. Pitfall #2 - Cognitive Bias

• System One vs. System Two Thinking
• Common Cognitive Biases
• Mental Models
• Get Distance

3. Four Basic Steps to Decision Making: there's a villain at each step. 

Watch the video, Making Decisions When You Have Choice Overload and Cognitive Biases on our YouTube channel, The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show. It adds a visual dimension to what you hear on the podcast.

Theme Music by:
Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album –  Olemus; Song – La Nieve 

Check out the book: The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps
Email: [email protected]
Visit website: www.dyanwilliams.com

Goals are targets, milestones or results you want to achieve.  But week after week, month after month, year after year, we set goals that we soon forget. Before you decide that goals don’t work, first look at how you set them.

In episode 61 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:

1) Even when we don't set goals, we carry them around in some shape or form.

2) 7 big mistakes to avoid when goal setting (and how to fix them).

Watch the video, 7 Mistakes to Avoid When Goal Setting on our YouTube channel, The Incrementalist - A Productivity Show. It adds another dimension to what you hear on the podcast.

Theme Music by:
Sebastian Brian Mehr. Album –  Olemus; Song – La Nieve 

Check out the book: The Incrementalist, A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps
Email: [email protected]
Visit website: www.dyanwilliams.com