The Secret to my Productivity

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  • Опубліковано 26 жов 2017
  • IMPORTANT NOTE
    I'm not saying that this is the best or only way. I have lots of friends who go to 100% every time and they are extremely prolific and effective creators. And they make things that are better than the things I make. I also am not trying to say that I don't think the stuff I make is good, I think "good" is a combination of time, skill, talent, and ability to choose and understand your own objectives. I just shave on time spent and do my best to optimize the other stuff.
    This is what I do, not what I suggest other people do.
    In general, when people try to sell you on some life-vision for being an ULTLA EFFECTIVE PERSON, what they're really trying to do is make you feel like you haven't accomplished enough or aren't awesome enough, and thus need them to become the thing you should be but which you're being held back from by some lack of knowledge. I hate that shit so much, and I really hope I'm not doing it here. Every person will find different ways of doing things that help the world and other people, which is the important thing.
    But...don't let perfection hold you back from making things or doing things. Revel in your imperfection, because perfect doesn't exist.
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 1,2 тис.

  • @neonjoe529
    @neonjoe529 6 років тому +987

    'Perfect' is the enemy of 'done'.

  • @jarvis
    @jarvis 6 років тому +478

    This strategy was what helped me actually finish creative projects. 80 percent takes 80% of the time and the last 20% takes the other 80% of the time.

  • @RainDancer98
    @RainDancer98 6 років тому +646

    My mom always says "Done is better than perfect" that phrase is getting me through college

    • @1224chrisng
      @1224chrisng 6 років тому +4

      My (better) version of that saying is "Bodge It"

    • @elliebellierox18
      @elliebellierox18 6 років тому +1

      +

    • @amandacavalcante4093
      @amandacavalcante4093 3 роки тому +3

      In portuguese this phrase is "Feito melhor que Perfeito'' and I think that's beautiful

    • @Koshaindia
      @Koshaindia 3 роки тому +3

      Your mom is better than all my professors and managers in the past put together.
      This is such an important life lesson!

    • @loverlyrandom
      @loverlyrandom Рік тому +2

      I can’t remember where I heard this at the moment but I think it was from a shared tweet or tumblr post or something: anything worth doing is worth doing poorly (vs. anything worth doing is worth doing well because sometimes the fear of doing poorly stops you from even trying) the logic was at least you did the thing, even if it’s not perfect and that is absolutely the opposite of how I lived up to that point, and I struggle with it but I think about it a lot and it gets me through a task sometimes.

  • @mineola_
    @mineola_ 6 років тому +1393

    Everything Hank says makes a lot of sense, but at the same time my brain is like: nah mate, you gotta get that 100%

    • @Thaheadband33
      @Thaheadband33 6 років тому +28

      Anne I think the thing for me is, I won’t ever feel that I get to 100% anyway. Maybe I’ll feel I can get to 90-95 of even 99%, but I’ll never feel like it is perfect. So at a certain point it just becomes futile.

    • @StupidButCunning
      @StupidButCunning 6 років тому +22

      I used to be a perfectionist, but eventually learned to settle for good enough. I made it a rule to reach at least 120%, with 100% being what was expected of me. I go above and beyond what my boss expects and leave a positive impression while not being inefficient to reach perfection, that way I can keep inline with projected timelines. Sometimes it's such a simple task to me, I go to 10,000% easily, but if I start to encounter difficulty I push just a tiny bit more to reach at least 120% and move on to the next task. For one job, I was told to spend my first few months entering data into a new database using their paper documents for the information. Less than two full work days later, I completed the task and my boss was left unsure of what to assign me. Instead I began fixing issues around the office like a handyman, rewriting procedural manuals, and sitting in on corporate brainstorming sessions to improve the direction of the company for the future.
      If you can, in a timely manner, dramatically exceed expectations, then by all means do so. If you've already met expectations and cannot proceed further without exceeding your timeline or putting in arduous effort, then accept where you're at and move on to the next task at hand.

    • @starlinguk
      @starlinguk 6 років тому +5

      Anne More like my clients. I'm a translator. They don't realise that nobody is perfect and that it's impossible to get everything 100 percent right. Which is why they need to hire a proofreader. They don't.

    • @IceMetalPunk
      @IceMetalPunk 6 років тому +2

      starlinguk But translation is like 20% subjective finesse anyway, right? XD

    • @rionakessler8928
      @rionakessler8928 6 років тому

      +

  • @Orikron
    @Orikron 6 років тому +1510

    Student here. Wanna know the magical secret to my productivity?
    I'm fucking terrified that I'll reach the age of 40 and be stuck in a job which I hate and where absolutely no advancement is possible.

    • @freeman7079
      @freeman7079 6 років тому +12

      News Flash, 99% of the world ends up convincing themselves that they have to work that kind of job because the only other choice is death. Not everyone has rich, fairly well known parents to get started like the Green brothers. You'll grow up soon and realize how true that is.

    • @avj8833
      @avj8833 6 років тому +24

      Politicrat this comment makes it sound like John and Hank have rich, well known parents.
      Also, interested in what you consider a job you don't hate? Because every corporate job to me seems futile in the long run and that depresses me.

    • @Razbeariez
      @Razbeariez 6 років тому +10

      Yeah, that. Fear is definitely my biggest motivator.

    • @pokechatter
      @pokechatter 6 років тому +1

      Álvaro Lopes I went back to college after attempting dropping out because I had no idea what to do with my life because the fear of financial instability was greater than that of being trapped in the challenges of a few more years of secondary education.

    • @KaijaSchmauss
      @KaijaSchmauss 6 років тому +18

      Politicrat Well that was unnecessarily hostile. You okay?

  • @CanadaSkies
    @CanadaSkies 6 років тому +384

    "You'll never really know where you're gonna hit until you /actually/ throw the dart" ... DUDE.

  • @Vezitos
    @Vezitos 6 років тому +296

    I've known people who have been so obsessed with making their one "thing" (screenplay, novel, painting, etc.) so perfect, that they obsess over everything they see wrong and spend too much time trying to fix those things. They then sometimes get depressed and unmotivated to continue. 90% of their awesome work goes unfinished because it was never what they imagined in their heads.
    An old mentor of mine once said it's better to have 100 finished good things made, than only 1 unfinished great thing. I try to always shoot for the perfect image in my head, but if I don't quite make it, there's no shame. It's always better to say "I MADE a thing!" instead of "I ALMOST made a thing..." :)

    • @brentkillian
      @brentkillian 6 років тому +3

      Veggitos you put down what I was thinking but couldn't put into words.

    • @TheRouse24
      @TheRouse24 6 років тому

      That is true, this is my own case TuT

    • @superwild1
      @superwild1 6 років тому

      Every once in a while though, you get perfectionists that make masterpiece after masterpiece. Hayao Miyazaki is famous for how picky he is, asking animators to redraw over and over again. And there's that story about Kubrick where he shot one scene 87 times... I'm just saying, there are productive perfectionists out there too.

    • @perplexityvideo
      @perplexityvideo 6 років тому

      Come on Veggitos let's face it, your animations are amazing every time

    • @monkiram
      @monkiram 5 років тому

      This is me :(

  • @AndrewMadeAFilm
    @AndrewMadeAFilm 6 років тому +204

    I spent over a year making a film for UA-cam channel called 'Entering 1,000 Competitions'. It was pretty much done, but I still spent weeks fussing over the final edit, trying to correct slight nuances. Then, to my horror, I accidentally finalised the project, and was forced to upload it as it was. In my mind it was only about 90% complete. I had released an unfinished video.
    That film then went viral. It turns out that nobody except for me cared about that final 10%.
    Now when I watch it back, I can't even remember what that final 10% was supposed to be.

  • @heavantedder1395
    @heavantedder1395 6 років тому +156

    “Other people’s things will always look better than your things”

    • @LOSTNTH0UGHT
      @LOSTNTH0UGHT 6 років тому

      ++

    • @Hamstroll
      @Hamstroll 6 років тому +2

      I don't fully agree on that one. At the same time you are often proud of your work and you see how much effort and resources you put in it when you look at it, something that other people won't see.
      I would rather say "Don't forget that other people make mistakes and imperfections too".

    • @MakeMeThinkAgain
      @MakeMeThinkAgain 6 років тому +5

      This is why it's good we wear pants. :-|

  • @Jun-si4db
    @Jun-si4db 6 років тому +406

    Meanwhile I watch this to procrastinate, not to actually attempt to increase my productivity

    • @neversober81
      @neversober81 6 років тому +3

      65 Percent You're not alone.

    • @redandpikachu1149
      @redandpikachu1149 6 років тому

      ^

    • @angrysnailsounds7604
      @angrysnailsounds7604 6 років тому

      Perfect.

    • @untitled_paintings
      @untitled_paintings 6 років тому

      Me

    • @RobertPrestley
      @RobertPrestley 6 років тому +10

      I would view it differently. Yes, maybe you're procrastinating but there's a difference between productive and non-productive procrastination. Do you ever find that you get a lot of the work done that you had been putting off when you have a bigger, more scary project deadline looming? I would call that productive - because you're doing something, even if you're not doing the main thing you need to do. Likewise, I think procrastinating by watching a video like this is productive. Yeah, maybe you're not doing the main thing in your life, but you're learning and appreciating a different viewpoint, and that's still productive, especially when you could be spending this 4 minutes doing something much less meaningful, like watching RIP Vine compilations (...guilty)

  • @raghada9123
    @raghada9123 6 років тому +351

    The secret to my productivity?
    Desperately trying to avoid the all-consuming regret of failure and the spirals of what-if-I-tried-harder that keep me up at night

    • @elektrotehnik94
      @elektrotehnik94 6 років тому

      +

    • @sabis3132
      @sabis3132 6 років тому

      Raghad A +

    • @johnhyde
      @johnhyde 6 років тому +10

      I have this but the productivity is replaced with indecision.

  • @HennyMusgrove
    @HennyMusgrove 6 років тому +41

    So basically, to misquote Ron Swanson: “Don’t half ass two things, 80% ass a million things.”

  • @Megan-wf2yv
    @Megan-wf2yv 6 років тому +290

    'Financial and mental stability' ... so this is out the door for college students then 😂

    • @NickCBax
      @NickCBax 6 років тому +4

      So I'ven't been a college student in a long time, but I've dated a few recently.. But I also don't have a whole lot of financial or mental stability, and this is really helpful.
      My 80% isn't anywhere near anyone else's 80%, and financial and mental stability are part of the reason that is. It takes me out of the game of comparing myself to others that is so unhelpful.

  • @ez_aref
    @ez_aref 6 років тому +896

    That's why I only watched 80% of the video !
    I started applying your method :D

    • @xTabbyForeverx
      @xTabbyForeverx 6 років тому +3

      😂

    • @jackisnotabird
      @jackisnotabird 6 років тому +2

      lol same

    • @Jayhbentley
      @Jayhbentley 6 років тому +68

      Watch it in 1.25x speed and it'll only take 80% of the time to watch the whole thing.

    • @jelle7224
      @jelle7224 6 років тому +8

      The Wadsworth Constant says you can skip the first 30% of every video because it doesn't contain anything worthwhile so you can ssave another 10%.
      I think John even made a video about it in the past.

    • @ez_aref
      @ez_aref 6 років тому +1

      Jay , thats smart

  • @LightningFox2407
    @LightningFox2407 6 років тому +118

    "Perfect doesn't exist." - Thank you. I needed that.

  • @AlliEnchilada
    @AlliEnchilada 6 років тому +68

    This is an interesting concept that works. I am a new manager struggling with delegation and my manager gave me an awesome piece of advice, "if your staff can accomplish that task 80% as well as you can, then you need to delegate that task." I literally think about it daily now and it has improved my stress levels immensely.

  • @karenkavett
    @karenkavett 6 років тому +31

    This is my philosophy too. I love what you said at the end about your new 80% being better than your old 100%. Anytime I find myself obsessing over tiny details I just remind myself - "Done is better than perfect"

  • @heizie88
    @heizie88 Рік тому +42

    I think children need to be praised for getting things done and also if they feel they tried their best rather than on how perfect their outcome is. Then they won't feel scared to start a project or anxious it won't turn out right because they know as long as they completed the task and tried to an extent they are happy with that should be enough. I also think guiding kids to learn what the right amount of effort is to them that is sustainable and actualizing of their goals is also very important. I used to feel like the right amount of effort was if I was tried or stressed from it. If it took a lot out of me then it was the right amount and I worked hard enough. This is wrong.

    • @mariacargille1396
      @mariacargille1396 11 місяців тому +1

      Yes. Yes. Yes. I internalized "do your best" a little too hard as a kid such that giving anything but 110% to a project felt like a failure, and that made pieces of high school and college waaay more difficult than they needed to be. Particularly as someone who has a thousand different interests. You can't- and shouldn't!- always do your best, and you sometimes need to prioritize some things to the detriment. Those are the usual reminders that play on repeat in my brain now, and I still need them.

  • @eleanortaylor4768
    @eleanortaylor4768 6 років тому +156

    I actually do really appreciate this advice. I am someone who struggles with perfectionism, which leads to both the unfortunate outcomes of (a) never starting something because I know the end result will never match up to how I imagine it should or (b) over-working myself into a frenzy to get something 100%. While this has benefitted me in some ways, it has massive downfalls in other areas. I realised this was a problem when friend and I were both studying for the same exam, in which I worked at 24/7, didn't sleep, exercise or socialise, whereas she studied hard but continued to go out to parties, exercise and sleep well. She got 80-90% on most papers and received the top grade of an A*, I got 100% on every single paper, received a letter congratulating me on receiving one of the top grades in the country... but ultimately received the same grade of an A*. Looking back I wish I had spent some of that valuable time on self-care and maintaining friendships. It's not that I don't think success is important, but that success in your personal life is just as important as academic or career success.

    • @eleanortaylor4768
      @eleanortaylor4768 6 років тому +10

      ie. In most cases 80% will make you as successful as 100% and give you the time to succeed in the other areas, leading to a more fulfilling existence in general. Don't neglect your family, friends, hobbies, creativity entertainment - the stuff that makes life that worth it.

    • @eleanortaylor4768
      @eleanortaylor4768 6 років тому +9

      also i dunno if there's a way to say 'struggles with perfectionism' and 'received an A*' and not sound like an arrogant knob, but if there is i haven't found it, also im very terrible at maths and video games and i can't touch my toes, so Nerdfightaria please don't think I'm a massive bellend. cheers.

    • @theawesomesaucelady9
      @theawesomesaucelady9 6 років тому +6

      I definitely relate to you, Eleanor! I have been on a pattern of trying to find more balance with life vs. academics as well. It is very hard because society rewards you for those good grades and success, but it is important to realize that YOU are more important. Even writing that is hard for me. I think that a big thing for me is that when I was younger and learning study skills, I had a lot of anxiety problems. This made me become very successful in school, but that success was due to a dread that something terrible would happen if I didn't get good marks, and also an innate drive to push myself to the extreme. Now I have less anxiety about university, but am having trouble lighting that fire to be productive on many of my projects. It ends up with me completing them later when the deadline is sight and the panic has set in. I wonder if you have experienced this, and if you have any tips for how to be productive in a healthy way?

    • @eleanortaylor4768
      @eleanortaylor4768 6 років тому +6

      argh yes I completely understand that, my only motivation was the fear of failure (which was, in my crazy head, 100%) and now that I've confronted that issue I've found, as you have, that I don't have a healthy way to push myself.
      The way I've tackled this in regards to studying in particular is, and I know that this advice is not at all revolutionary, to set small goals all the way along a project BEFORE I start to study. If I don't have a plan the night before work, it very rarely gets done, so I make sure to keep a post-it note thing by my bed so as I can just quickly jot down my plans for the next day on there or on my phone. The satisfaction of crossing them all off is honestly super motivating.
      The Pomodoro method is not something I've been able to stick to, but a lot of my friends find it super good to ward off that urge to check your phone. There's lots about it online but it essentially boils down to: work for 25 minutes then chill for 5 minutes (ie. check my texts lmao)
      Additionally pump-up songs before I get started, and then relaxing study music to look forward to have been key. My favourite pump-up songs are all super cringe: Lose Yourself by Eminem, Power by Kanye, Extreme Ways by Moby, and both Pump It and Let's Get It Started by the Black Eyed Peas. My favourite study music is the album Blackcurrent Jazz by Funk DL, anything by Rex Orange County, and the absolute millennial saviour that are those livestreams of 'chill lofi/hip hop study beats'. (All Hail Chill Lofi Study Beats). Much love and good luck.

    • @medslarge
      @medslarge 6 років тому +1

      ++++ thank youuuu

  • @lindax8604
    @lindax8604 6 років тому +87

    Hank!!!!! Your jacket!!! You look super stylish, my friend.

    • @hest.
      @hest. 6 років тому +4

      I know, right? Like Hank is like upping his style game so much! throwback to the days when they all just wore t-shirts man

    • @cinderg1ock
      @cinderg1ock 6 років тому

      +

    • @Dreamfounder
      @Dreamfounder 6 років тому

      +

  • @mmmcake44
    @mmmcake44 6 років тому +45

    This is a well known philosophy in software engineering/development(software life cycles). People always wonder why programs/software are never perfect, and that's because the issue Hank describes here is exacerbated in an industry where there is semi-exponential growth.
    It's better to just release a simple version of your software(one that works but with almost no functionality), and patch/upgrade desired features as you go. As opposed to spending the same amount of your time on only the first 20% of your "perfect" app.
    Then all you have is a really good segment of unusable code, meanwhile someone else comes up with the same idea and releases a "bad" version of your app (or by the time you finished computational power increases and field changes have rendered your idea useless), but his is at least usable while all you have is a block of theoretically good code.
    Your welcome to invest in yourself and try to compete by finishing your own, but your building a snowball by hand, while he made a small snowball and threw it down a hill; even if yours was bigger/better initially, his will pass you up at a point.
    Same idea as the video, I just think in programming it may be more of a 60/40% rule, or maybe even less(which is why technologically speaking everything will always have bugs and other problems).
    Hank broke it down in percentages (and I loved the bullseye analogies and visual representation, genius), but I've always thought of a Time vs. Percent complete graph, and the line is an exponential function. It will approach 100% forever, and will get infinitely close, but the time it takes to get from 80% to 90% was probably more time then it took to get to 80% by itself.
    So how much are you/your-time worth, and what point on the line do your draw your cut-off? Again as Hank says, it probably translates down as you progress in your career, as your knowledge, speed, skills, self-value, and value to others increases. I think this is a very useful thought exercise, not only professionally, but for a variety of aspects in life.

    • @AcceberSk
      @AcceberSk 6 років тому +2

      (I think you mean logarithmic function)

    • @mmmcake44
      @mmmcake44 6 років тому +2

      Yea lol your right, a bad mistake at that. Haven't taken a math class in a longgg time. There are certain aspects of it I find myself using way more in real life situations then I expected, and others that I haven't used outside of instruction. I test high in problem solving and logic, low in memory. I can tell you an entire story from history, or how an entire process works, but forget the name of every person in it, or the actual names of the methods I'm using.

    • @sn0wflake
      @sn0wflake 6 років тому +1

      This is a really interesting real-world example, and great food for thought. Thanks for sharing!

  • @voldysgonemoldy95
    @voldysgonemoldy95 6 років тому +79

    Wow this is really well timed for me. I have trouble being productive because I'm either at 100% or 0%, and I end up not doing things because I feel like they won't be perfect. Sooo this is some good food for thought for me. Thanks Hank :)

    • @mahnoor2775
      @mahnoor2775 6 років тому +1

      voldysgonemoldy95 SAME same same!!

  • @ItTakesII
    @ItTakesII 6 років тому +380

    i'm working on launching a new channel and have been working on the first video for a few weeks, so i probably just need to throw the dart ...

    • @TheEveryMaker
      @TheEveryMaker 6 років тому +24

      I had been trying to get my new channel up and going for a year and a half. I battled with this perfection thing and finally set a deadline and uploaded the video. It's not perfect, but it was incredibly satisfying and rewarding to get that first video up.

    • @thechosenai
      @thechosenai 6 років тому +2

      Throw that dart! Message me and I'll watch it

    • @cdmccul
      @cdmccul 6 років тому +3

      Throw the dart! Yes! I wish you luck! I'll sub you now.

    • @CapturePlay
      @CapturePlay 6 років тому +1

      Same as others have said, throw that dart let us know about it and I'd be happy to check it out!

    • @SimulatedSaint
      @SimulatedSaint 6 років тому +1

      I'm in the same mess. Have an idea, scared it'll be hated but it's a goal I want to pursue and I need to stop revising and editing and just do it. This video is very insightful.

  • @doddleoddle
    @doddleoddle 6 років тому +12

    SO ACCURATE

    • @doddleoddle
      @doddleoddle 6 років тому +3

      MIND IS BLOWN

    • @sss-zx9jl
      @sss-zx9jl 5 років тому +3

      @@doddleoddle how am i the only reply to u

    • @llll-lk2mm
      @llll-lk2mm 4 місяці тому

      omg doddledidoo :)

  • @teganjoanne672
    @teganjoanne672 5 років тому +19

    My doctor actually recommended this to me as a way to help me function with my anxiety and depression (which can get triggered by my perfectionism). She called it "satisfysing" which is basically doing things so that they're done, not so that they're perfect. It's about changing the way you define completion and success, just like Hank talks about here!

  • @c.newman821
    @c.newman821 6 років тому +39

    Wow. This made me feel way better about my creative endevours because i have put so much pressure on myself about not being perfect recently.

  • @sourcedrop7624
    @sourcedrop7624 6 років тому +8

    This was perhaps the best productivity explanation I've ever heard. And I've heard a lot of them. Good job.

  • @lostleviathan2352
    @lostleviathan2352 6 років тому +5

    People seem to be confused about what the 80% is out of. It's not 80% on your test, 80% of what's expected of you, or 80% of the work you have been assigned. It's 80% of your current ability in whatever you are doing. That 80% might get you a 100% on your test. It might get you a 90%. But preparing yourself 80% of the way to your perfect level of preparation will keep you from burning out, neglecting all your other responsibilities, and losing sleep. Those things all create stress. Sometimes, by trying to get myself to 100% ready, I neglect other important things and probably end up doing worse that I would have if I had stopped preparing at 80%.

  • @joygilman1110
    @joygilman1110 6 років тому +35

    I'm going to have my 12 year old perfectionist Nerdlet watch this on repeat. Maybe she will listen to Hank when she won't listen to me!!! (Plus it's better articulated. )

    • @sarahprunierlaw9147
      @sarahprunierlaw9147 6 років тому

      Yay!

    • @elektrotehnik94
      @elektrotehnik94 6 років тому +1

      did it work? :D

    • @sccello
      @sccello 6 років тому

      I kind of wish I'd heard this when I was 12, it would have saved me some pain&suffering (tm), but honestly I don't know if I would have taken the advice, because I'm not sure I would have believed it at that point.

  • @daniwenger
    @daniwenger 6 років тому +8

    It’s crazy how much I needed this video today - so many assignments flying at me at the moment. The scary world of homework in the creative arts is always subjective but as long as you can get enough of it done to feel moderately okay about it, you can break free and move on. Thanks, Hank ☺️

  • @JorizzleMeNizzle
    @JorizzleMeNizzle 3 роки тому +12

    Coming back to this video years later, I realize how much I needed to hear this. I am very guilty of wanting to get to 100% because most of my life I was taught that giving less than 100% was only a form of laziness or a show of disrespect. But 100% is unrealistic (as you said, perfection is impossible). And as a recent example in my own life, I took the initiative to do a project even though I had 100% confidence that the final product would be Not Great, maybe even pretty bad. But for the first time in my life, I recognized that doing something less than 100% was better than doing Nothing at all.

  • @MyNamesChai
    @MyNamesChai 6 років тому +4

    YES! MAN LIKE HANK KNOWS THE TRUTH! I AM SO IN THIS CAMP OF PUTTING THINGS OUT THERE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU TRY, NOTHING IS EVER PERFECT!!!

  • @moiradarling97
    @moiradarling97 6 років тому +79

    Hank, you are a beautiful smart man. That's all, just thought I'd let you know.

  • @mynameismud8596
    @mynameismud8596 6 років тому +4

    apart from that, id say very good time management. creating lists of daily to-dos is a good start. or finding ways to boost productivity
    also, if you absolutely need to relax & waste a bit of life, make sure you do something worthwhile and memorable. something that'll fill you with happiness and leave pleasant memories behind

  • @Phripheoniks
    @Phripheoniks 6 років тому +2

    Among people I've listened to, you're the first to say "Perfect doesn't exist." This phrase alone has made me more productive.

  • @hypernauta6909
    @hypernauta6909 6 років тому +12

    That's a passing score
    Yes, I am talking about 80%

  • @maddiesensor7930
    @maddiesensor7930 6 років тому +21

    I was watching this video when I got the twitter notification, and I felt so proud of myself.

  • @smpolaske
    @smpolaske 6 років тому +8

    Wow Hank! The inside of your Tour Bus is so Spacious!

  • @mycookiemonster4
    @mycookiemonster4 6 років тому +34

    Quality content as per usual

    • @disconcertedrave
      @disconcertedrave 6 років тому +1

      Abi B as per yooshje

    • @silverandexact
      @silverandexact 6 років тому

      DisconcertedRavenclaw THANK YOU! I was really hoping someone else saw that bit of the podcast in this comment. Definitely in my top 10 Dear Hank and John discussions.

    • @disconcertedrave
      @disconcertedrave 6 років тому

      Shea Pierson Lol It’s such a good one

  • @TorgieMadison
    @TorgieMadison 6 років тому +3

    2:26 - "for me, those final tweaks, I'm not learning anything. I'm just scared." - so so true

  • @NerdyAardvark
    @NerdyAardvark 6 років тому +4

    I have a project for an engineering class due tonight. I waited too long to start and now I feel like there is no way I will get to 100% of what I could or should do. Watching this video was comforting because it reassured me that even if I don't get to 100%, I can put in the effort to get to 80% and hopefully that will be enough.
    I also liked the part reminding that there are multiple targets and hitting one means getting farther from another. Working on this engineering design project reinforces the fact that there are tradeoffs in anything creative, from engineering design to video making.
    Thanks for a great video!

  • @KikiRayburn
    @KikiRayburn 4 роки тому +4

    Thank you so much for this! As a perfectionist as well as a procrastinator, I feel this need to give my 100%. This is a soft reminder that 80% can help me not overwork myself and put things off.

  • @hellotyne5365
    @hellotyne5365 4 роки тому +1

    I love this video. I watched it for the first time when it came out in 2017. I've quoted it to my bosses, used it when stressed before tests, and it helped me overcome my anxiety about submitting my novel for publication.
    It motivates me in another way too. I hope someday I can put something like this out, even if it only ever helps one person in the same way this has helped me. Then I'll know all my time and energy has been worth it. Thank you, Hank, and thank you Nerdfighteria!

  • @kaitieharty4588
    @kaitieharty4588 6 років тому +3

    "Perfect doesn't exist" I needed this, thank you.

  • @blane481
    @blane481 6 років тому +39

    Am I the only one wanting the nerdfighter census to happen rn?

    • @skylerwitherspoon
      @skylerwitherspoon 6 років тому

      +

    • @sexyscientist
      @sexyscientist 6 років тому +1

      In the meantime, you can take the tuataria census. It's open right now.

    • @VGCHANEL
      @VGCHANEL 6 років тому +1

      It's going to be my first one!

    • @AzuriteCoast
      @AzuriteCoast 6 років тому

      +

    • @Luke-lw9dg
      @Luke-lw9dg 6 років тому

      Where's the Tuataria Census? is it linked in the discord?

  • @nerdfighter_and_unicorn2422
    @nerdfighter_and_unicorn2422 6 років тому +6

    Thank you, Hank! Your advice is so helpful and it also somewhat relieves my anxiety 😌

  • @321Sapphire123
    @321Sapphire123 6 років тому

    This is such awesome advice, Hank! I've been procrastinating with my writing for days now but your video drilled into my head that it's better to get the pieces done rather than perfect! Thank you 😊

  • @bicooo1
    @bicooo1 6 років тому +1

    This was actually super helpful and might be exactly what i've needed to hear for the past year. Thanks Hank!

  • @hopekitten
    @hopekitten 6 років тому +3

    THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS I got my report card today and with this new grading system my school implemented it's only possible to get an A+ if you literally get ONE HUNDRED PERCENT on your exams which is both idiotic and to someone who is a perfectionist, like me, is very frustrating and degrading to my self worth. due to this, this video was very inspirational and calming. thank you.

  • @BananaNeil
    @BananaNeil 6 років тому +5

    This is incredibly pertinent to my life right now, thank you.

  • @Lizcivismundi
    @Lizcivismundi 4 роки тому

    This is so true. It took me a while to realize that seeking perfection slows me down and keeps me from just going for it and achieving something. I love your videos Hank!

  • @cotangentthetaoverwatchgui995
    @cotangentthetaoverwatchgui995 6 років тому +1

    This is why I always say: "If something is worth doing, it's worth doing badly."

  • @2201rafaela
    @2201rafaela 6 років тому +14

    I've been stressing out about NaNoWriMo being right around the corner and this was incredibly eye opening. Thank you, Hank!

    • @KasSommers
      @KasSommers 6 років тому +2

      Rafaela Carvalho my daughter does NaNoWriMo. I’ll pass this on to her.

    • @2201rafaela
      @2201rafaela 6 років тому

      I hope she feels as good as I did!

  • @ruki4929
    @ruki4929 6 років тому +12

    I suppose if you think about it, no matter what you put out, to everyone else, it is 100%

  • @MikaDoesStuff23
    @MikaDoesStuff23 6 років тому +1

    Commenting now though I watched this when it posted. I've found myself thinking back to it. I think I remember you being hesitant to share this "secret" because you're choosing 80% over 100%. But as someone who avoids starting something that might not get to 100%? The acceptability of 80% is comforting and encouraging.

  • @Cynthia63636
    @Cynthia63636 Рік тому +1

    This video is 5 years old.. i can't possibly remember it.. let's rewatch.. --> this video has had so much influence on my life over the last 5 years.. i remember the ideas very well. Thanks Hank ❤️

  • @tamago2474
    @tamago2474 6 років тому +3

    Stellar video Hank, couldn't agree more!

  • @mahamasif5875
    @mahamasif5875 6 років тому +7

    This is my favourite UA-cam channel ❤️

  • @Shywarlikegirl
    @Shywarlikegirl 6 років тому

    I really needed a video like this. There's a lot I want to do and only so much I can do right now. Thank you for a awesome video!

  • @lilysleeper2783
    @lilysleeper2783 6 років тому

    THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS VIDEO!!!! I've been thinking about this a lot.

  • @bimbobaggins4521
    @bimbobaggins4521 6 років тому +8

    Love you, Hank.

  • @badazzledhippo6010
    @badazzledhippo6010 6 років тому +9

    I literally just finished listening to the pod episode where you talk about this. Maybe the universe is telling me something...

    • @SwissAdelina
      @SwissAdelina 6 років тому

      badazzled hippo, which pod ep is that? I should listen! (Or, relisten, as all the hilarious and deep thoughts mash together on that show :))

    • @disconcertedrave
      @disconcertedrave 6 років тому

      Do you know what episode that is?

    • @ghostsoffishandcrows7341
      @ghostsoffishandcrows7341 6 років тому

      Yeah I saw that episode a while ago and now the vid is here!

  • @puppykat800
    @puppykat800 6 років тому

    Thank you so much for this video hank, this is a really inspiring and true take on our concept of productivity that can be overwhelming and toxic at times

  • @wolfferoni
    @wolfferoni 6 років тому

    "Your things are always going to look worse than other people's things" - that's a good thing to remember and to stop obsessing over the smaller stuff

  • @AzeemaC
    @AzeemaC 6 років тому +5

    I know what I'm showing my students tomorrow :")

  • @skylerwitherspoon
    @skylerwitherspoon 6 років тому +3

    I'M WEARING A COSTUME TO THE HALLOWEEN SHOW I'M SO EXCITED

    • @angrysnailsounds7604
      @angrysnailsounds7604 6 років тому +1

      Autumn Berthold Don't go as a turtle. :p

    • @skylerwitherspoon
      @skylerwitherspoon 6 років тому

      angrysnailsounds hahaha don't worry I'm not! I'm going as Jillian Holtzmann from Ghostbusters

    • @IrisGlowingBlue
      @IrisGlowingBlue 6 років тому +1

      Autumn Berthold I hope you have a good time!!

    • @skylerwitherspoon
      @skylerwitherspoon 6 років тому

      GlowingBlueIris thanks!! I hope so too, I'm looking forward to it!

    • @skylerwitherspoon
      @skylerwitherspoon 6 років тому

      Homura honestly I just like any excuse to dress up in a fun costume. I'm not going to try to defend Halloween because I don't know a lot about the history, and there's a good chance you're totally right and I shouldn't be celebrating it. Maybe I should look it up. But for now I'm just thinking about it as dressing up in a fun costume. I'm genuinely sorry if that's upsetting

  • @rmsmith7739
    @rmsmith7739 6 років тому

    Thanks for this video Hank. This is really going to help me and I'm sure it will help a lot of other people too.

  • @JessicaBiilor
    @JessicaBiilor 6 років тому +1

    "Getting it done is success, getting it perfect is not"
    As a perfectionist with lots of anxiety, I really needed these words. Writing them everywhere as a reminder now, thank you Hank!!

  • @avi_mukesh
    @avi_mukesh 6 років тому +31

    I'm only going to write 80% of thi

    • @cognician_
      @cognician_ 6 років тому +1

      I calculated 79%.. weak

    • @41-Haiku
      @41-Haiku 6 років тому +1

      I'm getting 91%, counting all characters and assuming a period. I think this goes to prove Hank's point.

  • @Razbeariez
    @Razbeariez 6 років тому +107

    My secret to productivity if caffeine. I'm pretty nonfunctional without it these days...

    • @andreajohnson6968
      @andreajohnson6968 6 років тому

      +

    • @jliller
      @jliller 6 років тому +5

      I'm pretty sure that's unhealthy.

    • @TehBurek
      @TehBurek 6 років тому +4

      A cup of coffee or two a day isn't unhealthy, some have shown there are even some slight benefits to it. But from my experience, even though your coffee has active ingredients, about 80% (ha!) of it is just placebo. It's a habit, you start thinking "I need to have my coffee to really wake up and start being productive" and it becomes a sort of a mental barrier. Everyone is desperate for that one "hack" that will make them feel better and get more things done better, and if a thing like coffee (or caffeine in general) helps you feel that way, it's mostly just because you believe it does.

    • @joachimschoder
      @joachimschoder 6 років тому +4

      Sleep is underrated.

    • @godserens
      @godserens 6 років тому +1

      Hey me too. I call it depression.

  • @unaiza7
    @unaiza7 6 років тому

    I needed this! All of this!! Thank you, Hank!

  • @christinoberman9554
    @christinoberman9554 6 років тому

    HANK. Thank you so much for this. I’m in my first year of teaching middle school English, and I struggle every day with knowing that I’m nowhere near my 100%. I also constantly compare myself to other, more experienced teachers and get really discouraged when their 80% is infinitely better than mine. I know this was intended specifically for creative content, but it was like you deconstructed all of the daily thoughts I have about teaching. So thank you. Your 80% has been a source of joy and learning for me for many years. DFTBA!

  • @FabioPalvelli
    @FabioPalvelli 6 років тому +10

    This!

  • @haftrox1
    @haftrox1 6 років тому +13

    feel like his hair is messed up in the back and its distracting me. i think he only put in 80% on the styling.

  • @LauraDFTBA
    @LauraDFTBA 6 років тому

    Aaahhhhh, I needed this today - editing and constantly doubting whether I should scrap and reshoot. Thank you!

  • @lucasJcarson
    @lucasJcarson 6 років тому

    Thank you Hank! I really needed this.

  • @AuntMay2011
    @AuntMay2011 8 місяців тому

    Thank you a thousand times over!!! This is fantastic advice and was so needed. I appreciate you so much!!!

  • @QuantumVariant
    @QuantumVariant 6 років тому

    One of your Best episodes yet, for me. Thank you, I needed that!!

  • @brebytheway
    @brebytheway 6 років тому

    great video, I love the idea of focusing more on learning as much as you can rather than making it absolutely "perfect". Also the description is also really, really great. 👌

  • @Storystein
    @Storystein 6 років тому

    This hit me hard, and is very relatable. Thanks for putting it in words so clearly, Hank.

  • @musicandloveismylive
    @musicandloveismylive 6 років тому

    Thank you Hank... I really needed this right now!!

  • @OBearry
    @OBearry 6 років тому

    Yes! So often, I get stuck in the 80-100% zone of creative desert where worrying and analysing takes over. Sometimes I get stuck before I even start!... in my head! and end up doing nothing, afraid of failure or doubting my ability. What if we already are perfect? We can bring 80% of everything we are to everything we create. That is still pretty amazing! Thank you!

  • @aleinbanger9942
    @aleinbanger9942 6 років тому

    Thank you, Hank! I'm going to rewatch this video every week.

  • @thistles.and.thread
    @thistles.and.thread 6 років тому +1

    when i was writing my master's thesis and freaking out about including everything that i felt needed to be included and also finishing it on time my advisor said to me, "it can be complete, or it can be done, but it can't be both. done is infinitely better." he was absolutely right, and also i won the award for best master's thesis at my university so yay!

  • @danichan913
    @danichan913 6 років тому

    I love that you said this.I am going to have to take your words to heart whenever I am feeling bad about my creative things.

  • @gnome3715
    @gnome3715 6 років тому

    It’s been almost two weeks since this video was posted, and it’s improved my life. I had two major projects due in school recently, and when applying this method, I’ve felt better emotionally and physically. Stopping at 80% really does help. When I don’t pull an all-nighter to get that last page perfect, I still get a good grade (and I don’t feel like my brain is a puddle the next day in class!)
    Thanks so much for sharing :)

  • @tobybraatz8962
    @tobybraatz8962 6 років тому

    I’ve watched this video more times than I can count over the last month. Struggling with mental health and just life in general has me being rather unproductive, but this video makes me confident and more motivated. Thank you for this video. Thank you.

  • @veeri92
    @veeri92 6 років тому

    Thank you, Hank, I really needed to hear this today.

  • @nikko_neko_
    @nikko_neko_ 6 років тому

    This is such a good advice!!! Probably one of the best advice you can give to me/I've heard from you up till now. Thank you so much Hank!

  • @SergioSolo
    @SergioSolo 6 років тому

    My God! This is exactly what I needed to hear today! My channel just surpassed the 10k subscribers mark and I feel the pressure and stress building up with every new video I upload, and it was getting really hard to keep trying to get to that 100% idea of perfection. Thank you very much, Hank! And greetings from Colombia 😊

  • @monisha2698
    @monisha2698 6 років тому

    I get caught up in the perfection-procrastination loop all the time and this really helps. Thank you!

  • @Unicornsandpie
    @Unicornsandpie 6 років тому

    Thank you Hank, I really needed this today. I'm someone who also finds themselves creating and doing so many different things at once, and I always feel that because of that I'm not good at anything in particular; just mediocre at many things.
    I'm a grad student getting my masters full time while also working 2 jobs at school and being a substitute teacher on days I'm not at school, while also being an Equestrian, and all while growing my photography business and blog 😬. Sometimes I feel like I can't do it all, that I need to drop something to be better at the other things. I guess I was getting so obsessed with being perfect at it all, but perfect doesn't exist!!

  • @verbatim_rap
    @verbatim_rap 4 роки тому

    I find this very, very inspiring, and actually come back to rewatch this every few months! Thanks Hank!!

  • @rachelforbes4424
    @rachelforbes4424 3 роки тому

    this might be the only original video on productivity ive seen in a few years. thank you for the insight!

  • @Hubbmade
    @Hubbmade 6 років тому

    Brilliantly said, vague enough for me to put my thing-I'm-working-on in place of what you were saying and apply it to myself. Thanks for articulating what needed to be said.

  • @bethany96088
    @bethany96088 6 років тому

    I really needed to hear this thank you. I have been watching your videos a lot lately on all different sorts of subjects and I appreciate who you are and how much your videos help me and I'm sure several hundreds of other people as well. I just want to show my gratitude! So thanks!

  • @ellieban
    @ellieban 6 років тому

    The perfect video watched at the perfect time. Thank you Hank, you just made me feel a lot less stressed about my deadline tomorrow morning. And much less inclined to stay up late working at it.

  • @catherineboudreau3544
    @catherineboudreau3544 6 років тому

    This is actually a beautifully freeing way of seeing things for someone who does not even start for fear of it not reaching the 100% mark.

  • @ChantaleMoon
    @ChantaleMoon 6 років тому

    You are so wise. I really needed this right now!

  • @heavyreckless
    @heavyreckless 6 років тому

    Thank you, Hank. I needed to hear this.