It's probably because of the normal "drag" effect of the "rest of the world" catching up with us geekier types!

It seems that we nerds, geeks and productivity nuts seem to catch onto this sort of stuff earlier than most of The Common Man.

I know that in my circle, I'm considered somewhat "wierd" when I start talking GTD - but I have faith that they'll get it soon!

The other option is that you were just 5 years ahead of your time!!! :D

I think that's fantastic, but now comes the hard part. Implementation! I've had my copy of GTD for just about a year and I still struggle to maintain the system. I've achieved small measures of success but I struggle with making these good habits stick. (Example: My inbox is out of control and has been for weeks :( Perhaps a GTD seminar is in order....)

Still, knowing is half the battle and I suspect the world will be a more relaxed place when we can regain some control of all of these disparate sources of distraction. Thanks David, and congratulations on the books success.

-Dan F.

I bought my first copy yesterday :)

I've been through every time management system that exists and I've seen your book on audible and in bookstores for a couple of years and never bought it. I mean, what could you tell me that I didn't already know? Well, after many years of hacking away at these various systems, I wondered if there was something better out there. So I finally picked up your book after seeing so much support for it on the web--especially the blogosphere.

I'm a GTD evangelist now :)

Substance sticks, David. That's why GTD has staying power.

Congrats!

Funny - my friends and I were just having a discussion about this the other day, of how a five-year-old book like yours can suddenly and randomly hit the bestseller list again like it has. My personal opinion is that a lot of it has to do with the way you treat public mentions of GTD, and public discussions regarding the subject, which could almost be described as the "anti-DRM;" that is, instead of running around, threatening to sue anyone who dared to come up with some cool new aspect of GTD, you're actually encouraging your customers to do just that, and actually sharing the things you like with your audience as well. Could you even imagine the fate of sites like 43 Folders and Lifehacker, if one of these large media corporations owned GTD instead of you?! The fact that you actually encourage your customers to do things like this is what I think keeps GTD as a constant source of global conversation, among a wildly diverse cross-section of the population; and it's this conversation, in my opinion, that has a lot to do with GTD suddenly showing up on the bestseller lists again, five years after it was originally published.

I too read every book on being organized and effective, saw GTD and thought it could not possibly give me something I did not know. I ended up connecting to it through Mindjet. I have been Mind-Mapping since childhood (although my teachers called it something else - a waste of time.) I looked at an add-on, Gyronix, and started using it, then bought the book. I am now an evangelist too and so many of my coworkers have asked me what has happened that I am serene, take care of all the tasks that I get assigned and am able to support the work of others too. David, keep up the great work because your book and website are a boon to those of us who know there is something more out there and I want to be a part of it!

Congratulations! Watch out world, here comes David.

Well, I would like to make a public (or semi-public) confession. I haven't actually started to use your system. I have taken your book out of the library, and read parts of it. I have used parts of your system, and am finding that they work, and trying to come up with the personal will power to fully adapt (or is that adopt?) it. I am a very disorganized person, but your system represents a lifeline I feel has been thrown in the water. Maybe buying the book, instead of just borrowing it for two weeks at a time will help.

pete, buy the book. you need a copy that you can refer back to and can mark up if you want to.

David: it's cause you're good and cause I keep giving my copy away and buying another one!

Scoble's new book just arrived on my desk via Amazon yesterday - so, I suspect there is some greater force at work here -

Jason is spot on Dave. But you need to talk with your publisher about little old New Zealand. I can never find your book down here. I have had to order all my copies through Amazon.

Wow! Major congrats and so well deserved. I must say, there isn't a week goes by in my very tiny shop w/o someone asking for or chatting about GTD.

I'd say the reason for the staying power is, these are not just a bunch of words and slick techniques you've packaged... ever since I've known you -- for what, going on 20 years now? -- you absolutely live what you teach.

Business / management / self-development features prominently in all bookshops here in Dublin, Ireland. Ireland is an extremely vibrant (and consequently stressed out!) workplace at the moment: everyone has dozens of plates spinning. I just know a once off seminar would be a big hit here.

Make a mini holiday out of it: rub shoulders with frenzied business types for a day or two, then have a major chill out in the Irish countryside.

Hope to see you soon!

Dave

Part of it is self-fulfilling.

1. apply GTD

2. get distracted from doing the weekly reviews

3. eventually lose the book

4. remember how much better life was when I was GTD'ing

5. can't find the book

6. buy a new one.

Repeat every 18 months.

GTD is becoming a solid example of viral marketing. Build something useful and get out to people. If it's truly great they become raving fans. Raving fans go off and tell others about it. In this case the Internet is having a huge effect. I found out about GTD in a blog. Then I implemented bits and pieces of it. Then I bought the book. Then I opened my own blog which includes numerous posts about productivity and often mentions GTD.

Well done David!

Alice, thanks for the advice. I will get it from Amazon stat.

Robert,

Me too! So far I've purchased 3 copies of GTD, because I had to replace the 2 copies that I gave away.

Congrats! This is great news and well-deserved.

On the topic of you getting over to Urrp... I happened upon the IMS listing for your Amsterdam appearance (I signed up instantly), with some truly nifty short videos.

David,
5 years later I found you by desperatly Googling my way along looking for the same before mentioned liveline. And thank God I found you! I have been implementing you principles as I go, I'm signed up and payed up to attend your Chicago one day seminar in April and I've printed all of the Coach's Corner articles to read and highlight as appropriate this weekend.

Thank you for your hard work and your conviction and again, as has been mentioned, it is refreshing to find a methodology that both works and is still on an "open" platform that encourages benchmarking and improving upon. What a boon and a credit to the field of Efficiency Management.

David here - Many thanks to all of you who cared to comment on this one. As strange as it may seem, it sometimes feels a little cold out here, wondering what we do that sticks and what doesn't, whether it's worth it... and all that negative self-talk nonsense I allow myself from time to time. So, thanks.

Ordered my copy yesterday. Wish me luck.

In addition to buying replacement copies from time to time, I also find myself sending copies to people who are interested in the topic (usually with the warning to pay more attention to the book than to draw any inferences about my frequent incidents of falling off the horse and climbing back on).

One place where I've wanted to hand GTD out but have so far refrained is into high school settings. I watch my kids struggle to develop the habits I know they will eventually need and to develop the belief that the habits will be needed. GTD is where I would like to get them, but I think you/we need to make an investment in tailoring the work into the specifics of school settings and younger audiences.

Okay, it arrived today from Amazon (slightly smaller than the library edition.) Now the big question--do I read it now?