Mike Schmitz

My Problem with Passion

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There’s a fascinating discussion about the most recent Michael Hyatt episode of Mac Power Users over in the MPU forum where a couple fo listeners started responding to what Michael Hyatt calls his Freedom Compass. Michael talks about it in his new book, Free to Focus, but the TL;DR from the podcast episode is this:

Everything you do can be broken down into one of four quadrants:

  1. The Desire Zone – Things that you are passionate about and proficient in
  2. The Distraction Zone – Things that you are passionate about but not proficient in
  3. The Disinterest Zone – Thing that you are proficient in but not passionate about
  4. The Drudgery Zone – Things that you are neither passionate about or proficient in

It’s an interesting mental model, and I mostly agree with Michael’s argument that if you are able to align the things you care deeply about with the things that you are good at, that is where the magic happens. The one thing I would nitpick here is the use of the word passion.

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Bookword #67: Quiet by Susan Cain

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The rise of the Extroverted Ideal has led to a world that can’t stop talking. But where does that leave you if you find groups exhausting or prefer to work alone? In this episode, Joe & I unpack the soft power that introverts possess. Click here if, like me, you are an introverted bookworm (or know someone who is).

Bookworm #66: Extreme Ownership

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We can’t control everything that happens to us, but how might our lives look different if we assumed ownership for them anyway? That’s the topic Joe & I examine in this episode. Click here to find out why “responsibility” is not a dirty word..

New Free Email Mini-Course

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I just released my first free “course” over on my Teachable site. It’s not really a course like my other paid courses because it’s much shorter. Instead, it’s a single video on my adapted email workflow and an accompanying PDF guide (for people who want a visual reference).

Basically I was frustrated with my own email workflow and went looking for ways to improve it. Along the way, I had the idea to document my changes so that others could benefit from me spending way too much time trying to solve this minor but annoying problem for myself. I’ve heard people on the internet say, “I don’t have a single unpublished thought.” Well, in this case I’m hoping my published thoughts on email can help people like me who want to crank through it as quickly as possible so they can move on to other things.

A couple of highlights:

  • I have new criteria for deciding whether to do something with an email or send it to my task manager
  • The Reference File is no more (GASP!)
  • I’ve discovered Feedbin as a great solution for combining RSS & Read-It-Later

Click here to get The Email Workflow for People Who Hate Email for free.

ScreenCastsOnline: Ferrite for iOS

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I use Ferrite for editing Bookworm on my iPad Pro, and I absolutely love it. In this tutorial for ScreenCastsOnline, I show you how to set up automation like fading out an intro track, adding artwork and chapter markers for export, and leveling audio in the final mix down. If you’ve ever been curious about how to edit a podcast on an iPad, click here to view the tutorial.

Focused #71: Hyper-Scheduling

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I finally got to talk to David about hyper-scheduling! We talk about how to turn your calendar into a productivity weapon, continue the conversation about digital minimalism, and share a few of our favorite books. Click here to give it a listen.

Bookworm #65: Drunk Tank Pink

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Our environment shapes our thoughts and actions in myriad ways, without our permission or even our knowledge. In today’s episode, Joe & I discover the subtle but substantial ways in which outside forces influence our everyday behavior. Click here to hear me get pretty fired up.

Bookworm #64: Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

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Few things have impacted our everyday lives as much as the smartphone. In today’s episode, Joe & I discuss the fallout from our digital addictions and contemplate Cal Newport’s radical approach as a potential cure in the war for our attention. Click here give it a listen.

I help people apply values-based productivity principles and create systems to help them live more intentional lives. If you’re into personal growth or PKM, you’re in the right place.

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