0:00:07.834,0:00:11.154
I believe that we are responsible

0:00:11.155,0:00:14.584
for creating the moments of joy[br]in our own lives.

0:00:15.459,0:00:18.376
We can't take credit[br]for a beautiful sunrise,

0:00:18.377,0:00:21.336
but we can take credit[br]for being there to see it.

0:00:22.042,0:00:23.124
We can take credit

0:00:23.125,0:00:27.500
for the decisions that we made[br]that allowed us to experience that moment.

0:00:28.334,0:00:31.751
You decided to leave house early.[br]You decided to go for a hike.

0:00:32.709,0:00:35.520
But making good decisions is really hard.

0:00:36.042,0:00:39.001
It's something I've struggled[br]with my entire life.

0:00:39.667,0:00:42.917
When I was young, I was diagnosed[br]with Attention Deficit Disorder.

0:00:43.751,0:00:46.960
At the time, there was not[br]a lot known about the condition,

0:00:46.961,0:00:50.501
and there were no resources,[br]not to mention that there was no Internet.

0:00:50.751,0:00:56.792
So the few tools that I could find[br]were either too rigid or too complicated.

0:00:56.793,0:00:59.400
They didn't work the way[br]that my mind worked.

0:01:00.709,0:01:03.918
A big misconception about ADD[br]is that we can't focus.

0:01:04.584,0:01:06.460
In my experience, I could focus.

0:01:06.959,0:01:10.501
I was just focusing on[br]too many things at the same time.

0:01:12.708,0:01:14.333
So, over the next 25 years,

0:01:14.334,0:01:19.459
I silently made it my mission[br]to design my own resources.

0:01:22.709,0:01:25.876
Over time, I actually outgrew my ADD,

0:01:26.667,0:01:29.645
but I found the methodologies[br]I'd developed

0:01:29.646,0:01:32.646
remained relevant, incredibly helpful

0:01:32.656,0:01:35.168
so I shared them[br]with a couple of my friends.

0:01:35.169,0:01:39.459
I was really surprised to find out[br]that they too found it helpful.

0:01:40.091,0:01:41.192
Who knew?

0:01:41.193,0:01:42.390
I designed it for myself,

0:01:42.510,0:01:45.470
I'd never assumed[br]that it would work for other people.

0:01:45.471,0:01:48.875
But with that in mind,[br]about three years ago,

0:01:48.876,0:01:51.376
I built a website and shot some videos

0:01:51.377,0:01:53.758
to teach the system to others,

0:01:53.759,0:01:57.171
in hopes that it might help them[br]the way that it helped me.

0:01:57.542,0:01:59.959
I called the system "The Bullet Journal."

0:02:02.000,0:02:06.791
If you search for the Bullet Journal[br]on YouTube or Instagram today,

0:02:06.792,0:02:10.541
you will find hundreds[br]of thousands of examples

0:02:10.542,0:02:12.708
of how people have adopted[br]the Bullet Journal

0:02:12.709,0:02:15.501
to help them deal with challenges[br]in their own lives.

0:02:16.459,0:02:20.126
Those tutorial videos[br]have been seen over 5 million times.

0:02:20.393,0:02:21.834
It's incredible.

0:02:24.167,0:02:28.583
I just wished that I'd had this knowledge[br]when I was that young struggling kid.

0:02:28.584,0:02:30.708
That's why I'm very excited[br]to be here today

0:02:30.709,0:02:33.208
to share some[br]of what I've learned with you.

0:02:35.417,0:02:38.417
We're going to talk about[br]how to declutter your mind,

0:02:39.083,0:02:41.715
how to cultivate your curiosity,

0:02:44.678,0:02:47.641
and how to remain focused over time.

0:02:48.281,0:02:51.127
These practices[br]will help you close the gap

0:02:51.128,0:02:55.043
from leading a distracted life[br]to leading one of intention.

0:02:56.179,0:02:59.259
And all begins with reflection.

0:03:00.542,0:03:06.125
Studies suggest we have[br]over 500,000 thoughts

0:03:06.126,0:03:08.106
every single day.

0:03:10.602,0:03:13.231
Remember, as a kid, my biggest problem was

0:03:13.232,0:03:16.251
I was focusing on way too many things[br]at the same time.

0:03:16.851,0:03:18.611
Doesn't that some familiar though?

0:03:19.709,0:03:22.999
As an adult, that's just known[br]as being busy.

0:03:23.000,0:03:27.083
But being busy doesn't mean[br]that you're being productive, right?

0:03:27.084,0:03:29.333
A lot of time, being busy just means

0:03:29.334,0:03:32.417
you're in a state of being[br]functionally-overwhelmed.

0:03:34.292,0:03:38.080
And a lot of this is due to[br]the overwhelming amount of choices

0:03:38.081,0:03:40.595
that we have to make in our modern life.

0:03:42.876,0:03:46.752
Freedom of choice[br]is absolutely your privilege,

0:03:47.125,0:03:49.125
but it's a privilege that comes at a cost

0:03:49.918,0:03:52.460
because for every one[br]of these choices that we make,

0:03:52.967,0:03:54.637
we have to make a decision.

0:03:55.197,0:03:57.583
And every decision requires us to focus.

0:03:58.042,0:04:01.668
And focus costs us[br]our two most valuable resources:

0:04:01.864,0:04:04.734
our energy and our time.

0:04:05.584,0:04:08.583
We don't like to think[br]about how to invest our energy and time

0:04:08.584,0:04:10.185
because it's really stressful.

0:04:10.918,0:04:12.794
"What do I want to do with my life?"

0:04:12.795,0:04:14.751
It's a very overwhelming question.

0:04:16.125,0:04:19.149
It's like going shopping[br]when you're super hungry

0:04:19.151,0:04:21.269
but you have no idea what you want to eat.

0:04:21.271,0:04:22.789
Have you ever done that?

0:04:22.790,0:04:25.502
You walk in, and there is[br]a million different options,

0:04:25.517,0:04:27.259
you're immediately overwhelmed,

0:04:27.260,0:04:29.876
so you just start picking[br]all sorts of random junk.

0:04:30.417,0:04:32.709
Most of it will end up[br]in your pantry of shame.

0:04:33.626,0:04:36.544
The rest will go bad in the fridge.[br]It's always a waste.

0:04:36.751,0:04:38.626
But you've vowed to do better next time

0:04:38.627,0:04:41.128
as you pick up the phone[br]to order pizza again.

0:04:44.626,0:04:49.502
Decision fatigue is a real condition,[br]and it can lead to decision avoidance.

0:04:49.900,0:04:51.917
Rather than dealing with these thoughts,

0:04:51.918,0:04:55.168
we just start stuffing them[br]into the back of our mental pantry

0:04:55.169,0:04:58.334
until we have no more room left[br]to think clearly.

0:04:58.918,0:05:03.124
That can cause an incredible amount[br]of anxiety and stress

0:05:03.125,0:05:05.626
because we feel like we're losing control.

0:05:06.250,0:05:10.959
We're overwhelmed.[br]We need room to think and to focus.

0:05:11.649,0:05:13.176
So how do we create room?

0:05:15.375,0:05:19.334
Like when you cleaning a pantry,[br]we have to start by taking everything out.

0:05:20.626,0:05:24.085
We have to externalize our thoughts[br]to declutter our mind.

0:05:25.167,0:05:29.709
A good way that I found to do this[br]is to create a mental inventory.

0:05:31.083,0:05:33.083
Simply take a sheet of paper and a pen,

0:05:34.375,0:05:36.500
write down the things that you need to do,

0:05:36.918,0:05:41.210
the things that you should be doing,[br]and the things that you want to do.

0:05:43.584,0:05:46.834
Holding thoughts in your mind[br]is like trying to grasp water --

0:05:47.177,0:05:48.798
it's nearly impossible.

0:05:49.334,0:05:52.960
But by writing down our thoughts,[br]we can capture them clearly

0:05:52.983,0:05:54.941
so we can work with them later.

0:05:55.542,0:05:58.542
So now we have[br]this mental inventory; now what?

0:05:59.613,0:06:00.791
This mental inventory

0:06:00.792,0:06:02.916
will actually give you[br]a pretty clear picture

0:06:02.917,0:06:06.292
as to how you're investing[br]both your time and your energy.

0:06:06.923,0:06:10.696
So the next step is[br]to ask yourself, "Why?"

0:06:11.918,0:06:15.292
Why am I doing these things?[br]It's a simple question.

0:06:15.293,0:06:18.278
But you don't have to dive down[br]some existential rabbit hole;

0:06:18.279,0:06:23.401
simply ask yourself, "Does it matter[br]or is this actually holding me hostage?"

0:06:25.959,0:06:30.835
We burden ourselves with[br]unnecessary responsibilities all the time.

0:06:31.353,0:06:33.124
We're so distracted by all the things

0:06:33.125,0:06:35.334
that we should be doing[br]and we could be doing

0:06:35.335,0:06:37.412
but we completely forget[br]to ask ourselves,

0:06:37.413,0:06:41.292
"Why are we doing these things?[br]Do I even want to be doing those things?"

0:06:41.959,0:06:44.376
But now we have[br]a mental inventory to remind us.

0:06:45.667,0:06:50.585
So, for every item on this inventory,[br]ask yourself two questions.

0:06:51.542,0:06:54.150
One - "Is it vital?"

0:06:54.151,0:06:58.663
Is this item vital, this task vital;[br]think rent, taxes - that kind of thing.

0:06:59.910,0:07:02.491
Two - "Does it matter?"

0:07:03.292,0:07:07.101
Does it actually matter to you[br]or to someone that you love?

0:07:07.709,0:07:10.376
If the answer is no[br]to both of those things,

0:07:10.377,0:07:14.959
you've just identified a distraction,[br]and you can cross it off your list.

0:07:15.626,0:07:20.377
For every item you cross off your list,[br]you're becoming less and less distracted.

0:07:22.626,0:07:27.167
OK, so now, your mental inventory[br]is divided by the things you have to do,

0:07:27.168,0:07:31.293
and the rest is probably related to things[br]that you aspire to -- your goals.

0:07:32.459,0:07:36.085
The key to setting goals[br]is to set yourself up for success.

0:07:36.417,0:07:38.250
And the best way I found to do that

0:07:38.251,0:07:43.460
is to take your goals and to break them[br]down into small actionable projects.

0:07:43.928,0:07:46.417
If you don't know how to cook,[br]but you want to learn,

0:07:46.418,0:07:48.959
don't start by tackling[br]an incredibly complicated meal

0:07:48.960,0:07:50.276
for six people.

0:07:50.277,0:07:52.314
Even if you don't make a total mess,

0:07:52.315,0:07:54.750
the experience[br]will have been so unpleasant

0:07:54.751,0:07:57.626
that you run the risk[br]of ruining your curiosity

0:07:57.627,0:07:59.432
about cooking all together.

0:08:01.417,0:08:07.626
Natural curiosity is incredibly important[br]because it's genuine, it can't be faked.

0:08:08.667,0:08:10.500
These small projects allow us

0:08:10.501,0:08:13.626
to cultivate our curiosities[br]and help them grow;

0:08:13.627,0:08:17.668
maybe even help some of them blossom[br]into fully-fledged passions.

0:08:18.167,0:08:20.191
At the very least,

0:08:20.192,0:08:23.667
we learn more about ourselves,[br]about the things that we want.

0:08:24.542,0:08:26.751
So what do these small projects look like?

0:08:27.792,0:08:30.084
For one, they have to have[br]no barriers to entry.

0:08:30.199,0:08:31.374
What does that mean?

0:08:31.375,0:08:33.541
You don't have to wait[br]on anybody or anything;

0:08:33.542,0:08:35.044
you can get started right away.

0:08:35.751,0:08:41.893
Two - they have to have a very clearly[br]defined list of actions and tasks.

0:08:42.832,0:08:46.501
And three - it should take[br]less than a month to complete.

0:08:47.167,0:08:50.750
If you estimate your project will take[br]more than a month, that's fine.

0:08:50.751,0:08:52.709
Just break it into two smaller projects.

0:08:52.710,0:08:56.691
These projects don't even have to be[br]part of some big epic goal.

0:08:56.692,0:08:59.706
They can be self-contained micro goals.

0:09:00.584,0:09:05.333
The goal really here is to be able[br]to indulge your curiosity,

0:09:05.334,0:09:09.584
try it on for size and see if it fits[br]so you don't waste time.

0:09:11.501,0:09:14.460
Unfortunately, time[br]is not a renewable resource.

0:09:15.250,0:09:19.584
You can't make time.[br]You can only take time.

0:09:20.542,0:09:23.193
It's our responsibility to take the time

0:09:23.194,0:09:27.334
to identify the things that interest us,[br]to figure out ways to pursue them

0:09:27.542,0:09:30.791
because project after project,[br]goal after goal,

0:09:30.792,0:09:32.958
we will learn what we want to eat,

0:09:32.959,0:09:37.293
and we'll have acquired all the skills[br]that we need to prepare a beautiful meal.

0:09:38.375,0:09:42.792
We'll go from this state[br]to something more along these lines.

0:09:43.209,0:09:48.251
But it takes time.[br]And it takes dedication.

0:09:50.792,0:09:52.166
Please, raise your hands

0:09:52.167,0:09:55.209
if you've ever accomplished the goal[br]that you set for yourself.

0:09:57.004,0:09:58.488
Congratulations.

0:09:58.489,0:09:59.697
(Laughter)

0:10:00.250,0:10:02.666
Now please, raise your hands again,

0:10:02.667,0:10:06.958
if by accomplishing a goal[br]it was like a dream come true,

0:10:06.959,0:10:10.001
it was exactly like you thought[br]it was going to be.

0:10:11.125,0:10:15.165
All right. Not as many hands. Why is that?

0:10:16.561,0:10:18.240
It's because time has passed.

0:10:18.626,0:10:22.402
You've learned new things,[br]your circumstances have changed;

0:10:22.403,0:10:24.532
you're not the same person anymore.

0:10:26.956,0:10:29.253
This mental inventory is like a map

0:10:30.375,0:10:32.543
and as we navigate our lives,

0:10:32.544,0:10:34.157
we have to dedicate ourselves

0:10:34.158,0:10:38.627
to a habit of keeping that map updated[br]with all the new things that we discover.

0:10:39.250,0:10:45.126
If we don't, our map becomes inaccurate,[br]and we start to go off course, we drift.

0:10:45.459,0:10:49.126
And all of sudden, the distractions[br]start leaking back into our lives.

0:10:50.334,0:10:54.835
Even if it's only five minutes a day,[br]just five minutes a day,

0:10:54.836,0:10:58.166
we have to dedicate[br]ourselves to a practice

0:10:58.167,0:11:01.542
that allows us to keep[br]our mental inventory updated.

0:11:02.609,0:11:05.583
Over time this skill, this practice

0:11:05.584,0:11:09.542
will also provide you[br]with a lot of personal data,

0:11:09.543,0:11:13.333
and that data can provide[br]profound insights into your life:

0:11:13.334,0:11:15.734
what have you tried,[br]what have you not tried,

0:11:15.735,0:11:18.585
what should you do more of,[br]what's working, what's not.

0:11:19.209,0:11:20.875
I've been doing this for years,

0:11:20.876,0:11:25.043
and it's shown me just how much power[br]I actually do have in shaping my life.

0:11:26.209,0:11:29.168
It's allowed that young[br]struggling kid with ADD

0:11:29.169,0:11:32.251
to stand on this stage today[br]in front of you.

0:11:32.751,0:11:35.418
It's also allowed this adult[br]to get through the speech,

0:11:35.419,0:11:37.069
but we're almost there.

0:11:37.070,0:11:39.372
OK, so, to recap:

0:11:41.652,0:11:46.347
reflect - declutter your mind[br]by creating a mental inventory,

0:11:46.348,0:11:48.722
get rid of what doesn't matter;

0:11:50.918,0:11:55.669
ideate - figure out ways[br]to pursue the things that interest you

0:11:55.690,0:11:58.278
by creating small actual projects;

0:11:59.918,0:12:05.419
dedicate - get into a daily practice[br]of keeping your mental inventory updated.

0:12:06.584,0:12:09.809
Reflect, ideate, dedicate.

0:12:10.626,0:12:13.085
Rid yourself of the things[br]that don't matter,

0:12:13.086,0:12:17.208
so you have the time and the energy[br]to focus on the things that do.

0:12:18.125,0:12:20.958
I'll help you go[br]from leading that busy life

0:12:20.959,0:12:25.616
to leading an intentional life,[br]to close that gap.

0:12:26.417,0:12:29.541
An intentional life is the one[br]that you want to live

0:12:29.542,0:12:32.635
not the one that you endure.

0:12:33.893,0:12:36.374
The intentional life has the power

0:12:36.375,0:12:41.223
to grant you more of those[br]beautiful moments in the sun.

0:12:41.224,0:12:42.510
Thank you.

0:12:42.511,0:12:43.830
(Applause)