The "Helicopter Tour" can help show what's important
Perhaps the most important skill in life is: discerning what's important. An approach I call "the Helicopter Tour" can help.
The 80/20 rule is a powerful framework that many people underuse.
Consider this post a reminder that most effort is a waste.
The majority of your important outputs will come from a small number of inputs.
People talk about the 80/20 rule all the time.
But here is a tip that most people don't know.
It's called the Helicopter Tour:
Make it your habit to zoom way out and speed way up.
THEN dive into what needs attention.
In other words, your goal is to first get a lay of the land.
Whether it's a recipe, a book, a long YouTube video, a project at work, a course, etc.
Get a general sense for all there is.
Understand the scope.
What's available, what's missing.
Let's use YouTube videos as an example.
I ALWAYS watch at 2x speed (or >2x with a browser extension).
Make use of the scrubber (progress bar) to jump around and skim.
Read the chapter notes ahead of time (if available).
99% of the time, I understand everything.
1% of the time I decide to slow down for a moment and pay closer attention (or pause and think).
The Helicopter Tour approach in your life will help you:
🟢 do the same amount in far less time
🟢 quit something that would end up being a total waste
🟢 be a faster processor of information in general
Aim to make faster decisions.
"Is this useful to me?" ("Or enjoyable?")
Don't muscle your way through a bad book even though school programmed you to read that way.
I wish I had learned and adopted this way of thinking years ago.