Your BREAK THROUGH, Vol. 1, Post 36

While Hacking first makes us think of massive computer viruses and technological take-downs, lots of think pieces recently encouraged us to re-purpose the concept of hacking as a useful method to question paradigms, innovate seemingly fixed systems, and alter our routines to make us more efficient and effective.

This TED Radio Hour Show provides an awesome foundation and thought-provoking look into the transformative uses of hacking. Tim Ferris and Dale Stephens each provide seminal texts on hacking elements of our life.  And ultra runner, Rich Roll, provides a few opposing view points that encourage us to reconsider the #hack phenomenon of late.

What in the end can we do with all of this? I certainly agree with several of Rich Roll’s points, particularly how important hard work, dedication, and the journey are to our long-term satisfaction. But I also think we fall victim all-too-often to paradigm paralysis … we do things a certain way “because everyone else is doing it,” (stay tuned next week for my manifesto on my flip phone).

Hacking … can we tap into this system, learn how it works, and then break it down to discover more effective approaches … allows us to reexamine our expectations about our world. Hacking provokes creative thinking and our unbridled human desire to just do things better.

This summer, I tracked how I spent my time over the course of a day, then a week, and then a month.  I discovered some time sinkholes … tasks, that because of routine, I thought were important. The next month, I let go of those activities and asked the question: what will happen if I just stop doing these things?

I suddenly found myself free of items on my weekly to-do list that weren’t actually getting me anywhere, and that were causing unnecessary stress. Almost overnight, I had more time for more meaningful and higher priority activities. And there’s nothing I value more than time.

So yes, I can hack my day, and will continue to do so regularly because of the positive results. How about you?