The Age of Doing Things
Gen Z has an obsession with preparation but the future belongs to those who do, not those who say they can.
Gen Z has an obsession with preparation. Always trying to establish productivity systems to be prepared when the “perfect” thing comes along.
AI has led to a certain type of perfectionism where humans can send out hundreds of tailored job applications. An AI productivity tool leads us to believe we are preparing the perfect daily routine, but instead, it accomplishes nothing because we never take action and do the thing. It’s an obsession with preparation. Much of the attention goes to AI, but what has a chance to plague my generation is a reluctance to do things and instead, get stuck in an endless loop of creating new systems for instituting action. But the pursuit of the perfect system or perfect thing is an allure that leads us astray. The real answer to doing things that matter to you is to just do them.
The future belongs to those who do, not those who say they can. An obsession with productivity and “finding the right time” has led Gen Z to seek productivity systems and outsource everything without getting anything done. It is always the new productivity tool that will change us. The new AI software will help us send out hundreds of job applications. That latest podcast episode will help prepare us to ace our interviews. ChatGPT will complete our homework so we can focus on things that matter, but it won’t. Change is done through hard work and hunger.
It’s an addiction to preparing. It goes something like this. About a year ago, I wanted to start going to a CrossFit gym again. I talked to my friends and family about it. I bought CrossFit programming. I bought new CrossFit shoes. I even went as far to research every gym in my area. I had done everything but join a gym, quite impressive. I was becoming addicted to “preparing”. It was daunting to join a new gym, not knowing a single soul, allowing me to reason with postponing the process day after day. I waited weeks until I felt it was right to join.
What I should have done instead was to forget about “becoming a CrossFitter again” and focus on signing up or contacting a gym for a free trial. All I needed to do was send one email to make a meaningful step towards my goal. One email. The days I could have been a member, and maybe build valuable relationships, passed me by. I was losing the game. Signull on Twitter put it well,
“the game is “decide which imperfections you’ll live with, then craft something beautiful from them” rather than finding the perfect thing”.”
I wanted extended hours access, a great community, solid class programming, a short drive, and the list goes on. Instead of understanding everything comes with imperfections, I was stuck trying to perfect every piece of my gym experience. Life is all about tradeoffs. Of course, I would prefer a greater sense of control and not to walk into a gym full of strangers, but that is not how life is.
We’d love to be able to craft the perfect resume with the most robust AI software that tailors the resume to our needs in mere seconds without us ever touching it. The new productivity bot that organizes us and prepares our schedule for the day is enticing because it might help time not feel so finite.
But doing something — signing up for a free trial at the gym, doing mock interviews with a classmate, or posting the imperfect writing piece requires you to do things beyond preparation. It means not knowing what could happen, but understanding the real signal lies in results, not goofy productivity systems. It’s an act of faith, but it also recognizes the truth that the second order effects of what you are doing now will arrive much later. And I’d argue in the age of AI, doing things has never mattered more. AI is fantastic, but it should help you do the things, not prepare to do the things.
It’s like Nike’s ad for Shedeur Sanders after his strong preseason performance in week one,
“When you get your opportunity, create your next one.”
What’s one thing that can be done within that window of opportunity to produce another opportunity? Just doing things, not trying to create a productivity system that maybe will eventually lead to action.
Doing that one thing – joining that gym – allowed me to craft something beautiful from it. Here I am today writing about it, happy that I exited the trance of productivity that tried to convince me I was making progress through rigorous preparation. The perfect gym never existed.
My generation struggles with being the kind of person who spends their life developing plans, never doing anything at all. It is a persistence to be one who says they can, but the future doesn’t belong to who can. It belongs to those who do.
-Scantron
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Into the archives:
That Shedeur ad is heat