Summary and Analysis of Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business

“Models help us choose where to direct our attention, so we can make decisions, rather than just react.”

When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things.

Productivity is about recognizing choices that other people often overlook.

Need to Know: In order to learn from new information, force yourself to do something with it. You’ll remember more of the article you’re reading if you put it down and describe the main ideas to a friend. If you’re looking to shed a few pounds, and you plot your weekly weight measurements on a piece of graph paper, you’ll be more likely to choose the healthier option at lunch

Need to Know: The five key group norms established by Google’s Project Aristotle are: clearly defined roles and group objectives; the belief that the group’s work is important; the feeling that the work is personally meaningful; the knowledge that team members can depend on one another; and, most importantly, psychological safety