JUNE 13, 2025

7 deep life lessons from Four Thousand Weeks

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An 80-year life equals ~4,000 weeks. In Four Thousand Weeks, Oliver Burkeman urges us to accept limits and rethink how we spend our brief time on Earth.

“Organise your days with the understanding that you definitely won’t have time for everything you want to do.”

Time is limited

“Productivity is a trap. Becoming more efficient just makes you more rushed trying to clear the decks simply makes them fill up again faster.”

Quit the productivity trap

“The core challenge is how to decide most wisely what not to do, and how to feel at peace about not doing it.”

Limit your focus

“You need to learn how to start saying no to things you don't want to do, with the recognition that you have only one life.”

Prioritise the few

“If you’re procrastinating because you’re worried you won’t do a good enough job, you might as well make a start.”

Embrace imperfection

“What you do with your life doesn’t matter all that much and when it comes to how you’re using your finite time, the universe absolutely could not care less.”

Cosmic insignificance

7 life lessons from Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins

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