Stop Overthinking: Just Do The Thing

In this impactful short, Chris Williamson shares a powerful perspective on productivity and procrastination, inspired by an essay from “Strangest Loop.” The message is simple but profound: we often mistake the feeling of being busy for actual progress.

What “Doing The Thing” Is Not

According to the video, many of our daily habits are actually cleverly disguised forms of avoidance. None of the following count as doing the thing:

  • Preparing to do the thing.
  • Scheduling time or making to-do lists for the thing.
  • Telling people or tweeting about how you’re going to do the thing.
  • Hating on yourself for not doing it, or hating on others who have.
  • Fantasizing about the adoration you’ll receive once it’s done.
  • Reading about how to do it or how others did it.

The Ultimate Truth

The video concludes with a vital reminder that cuts through the noise of modern “hustle culture”:

“The only thing that is doing the thing is doing the thing.”

If you’ve been stuck in the planning phase, let this be your sign to stop preparing and start performing.

Full Transcript

[00:00] I fell in love with an essay by Strangest Loop and it is a list of things that are not doing the thing. So here is a list of things that are not doing the thing:

  • Preparing to do the thing isn’t doing the thing.
  • Scheduling time to do the thing isn’t doing the thing.
  • Making a to-do list for the thing isn’t doing the thing.
  • Telling people you’re going to do the thing isn’t doing the thing.
  • Messaging friends who may or may not be doing the thing isn’t doing the thing.
  • Writing a banger tweet about how you’re going to do the thing isn’t doing the thing.
  • Hating on yourself for not doing the thing isn’t doing the thing.
  • Hating on other people who have done the thing isn’t doing the thing.
  • Hating on the obstacles in the way of you doing the thing isn’t doing the thing.
  • Fantasizing about all of the adoration you’ll receive once you do the thing isn’t doing the thing.
  • Reading about how to do the thing isn’t doing the thing.
  • Reading about how other people did the thing isn’t doing the thing.
  • Reading this essay isn’t doing the thing.

[00:49] The only thing that is doing the thing is doing the thing.

#Productivity #ChrisWilliamson #Mindset #Procrastination #DoTheThing #Growth