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David Allen is back with an add-on to the popular book, "Getting Things Done". I prefer this one, simply because it has less jargon and gives you something to work on every week. Still, I think that most people ought to buy both books.
Anything David Allen writes is something I'm going to read. Even if he slips one day and writes a "bad" book, it will no doubt have at least three ideas that can change your life.Allen condenses 52 "principles" into brief, powerful, and to the point pages. Get it.
All in all, I found Ready For Anything to be a powerful collection of insights as to why organization and productivity matter in the first place. The four sections create a logical structure for the free flowing advice.
GTD is definitely more comprehensive, in terms of how-to. However, Ready For Anything gets to more of the why -- why being organized contributes to a better life, why the right productivity matters.
Full disclosure: I am already a David Allen fan from Getting Things Done. The quotes throughout are well-placed and excellent.
If you are looking for a how-to system, I would start with GTD. If you are looking for inspiration and a mission, I would start with Ready For Anything and supplement with GTD for the specifics.
The By The Way at the end of each chapter are a quick review of that chapter theme. This provides a good jolt if you haven't been organized thus far and a powerful reminder to keep going.
Both the most vital and the hardest part about the entire GTD process is a state of continual improvement. An overlooked follow up to the now famous "Getting Things Done". First time you read GTD you'll be struck by the obvious, then you'll pick up a few habits and to your amazement later reread the same tome again to find a completely different set of ideas. In this book, David Allen builds on his earlier work and fills in many of the missing pieces - more examples, more reflection, more ways to improve your day to day workflow. If you've been referred to this book and haven't read GTD, I would strongly encourage you to do that first. "Ready for Anything" is a book for moving yourself beyond the core GTD and into the "black belt" territory: strategy vs tactics, mind as water, focus and relaxation, organization and creativity, doer vs visionary, and many others. This is a book I will be revisiting many times in the future, highly recommended.
Read ahead---->2) get Ready for Anything 52 Principles. 1) read Getting THings Done. I read a chapter from this book everymorning, after listening to GTD, and it has helped me through the most difficult part; maintaining enough enthusiam and focus to make it a way of life. The knowledge inside this work has been so powerful it has even effected how I sleep; much better. The information here is life changing but like most revivals it can be like thunder a loud exciting burst followed by stillness. The chapters are short to the point and filled with everyday, real life, easy to digest reminders on getting things done. The fire is still burning well after the storm.
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