I have mastered GTD when...

[stayfly]

I was wondering, how does someone know they have achieved mastery of GTD?

some of the things I think that would need to have been instilled are;

- weekly review
- next action, someday/maybe/project lists etc.
- empty inbox daily
- effective use of calender

anything else friends??

[kewms]

When they quit caring whether they have mastered GTD?

More generally, when they are too busy Getting Things Done to worry about their task management system, and the system works well enough to stay out of the way.

Katherine

[akr95]

I'd second Katherine's comment, but would also add to the initial list - when they have applied the GTD principles not only to the day to day grind but also to the higher level things that impact on their lives.

Kim

[Todd V]

I just recently had to think through this for my own GTD setup since I designed the Ready-Set-Do! GTD approach on the Mac and just added a reporting feature that coaches users through 10 productivity "belt levels".

I've kept these secret so that Ready-Set-Do! users have to graduate through each belt level in order to discover what that level of productivity means and what the next belt is. As I thought through the various belt levels I realized that there is an "ebb and flow" to mastering the GTD workflow. One first learns each of the GTD habits:

1. Empty Your Head
2. Get Inbox to Empty
3. Treat Hard Lines of Calendar as Hard Lines
4. Get Actionables/Next Actions Done
5. Get Clear on Projects
6. Follow Up Waiting Fors
7. Get Reading Done
8. Do Daily Review
9. Do Weekly Review
10. Keep Them All Going

But that's only the first round. As one gets more proficient and works on each of these habits in more depth one begins to see that there is a pattern of times for "thinking" and times for "doing". (1), (2), (5), and (9) are key times for thinking. The rest are times for doing. Each time a person gets through juggling all 10 of those habits they become more and more aware of the thinking/doing pattern. Since the mind can only focus on one thing at a time -- and one can really only master 1 habit at a time -- one has to focus on each of those components in order to graduate to higher and higher levels of productivity.

Are you feeling overwhelmed with how long you've gone not knowing all the things you know you're not doing? Then you need to focus on the 'Thinking' of GTD -- Do a Weekly Review, Get clear on All of Your Projects, Do a Mind-Sweep to empty your head.

Are you starting to go numb to your lists of things to do on your action lists? Then you need to focus on the 'Doing' of GTD -- Take everything with you and have it on hand and just crank through them. Crank through your reading. Crank through your next actions. Go to the locations you need to make things happen and just whittle your lists down.

The more and more one does this, the clearer the horizon becomes and more subtle and subconscious things come to the fore. New projects, insights, and ideas suddenly begin popping up. You start capturing feelings you have about relationships with people around you, what you think about your career, dreams you have for your future, etc. You start capturing these but you also begin to see that there is a "vertical dimension" to them that needs to be refined and clarified. How do all of these relationships and projects interconnect with your deepest values and life roles, etc.? This begins the journey through the same original habits, but now with a resolve to see how they instinctively connect with higher outcomes you envision, with your life roles, and, ultimately, with why you exist.

There will be times of keeping that ebb and flow going -- of mastering both the thinking and the doing components of the workflow. And there will be times of falling off and having to start juggling the habits all over again. Each time, though, one becomes more and more proficient, and eventually "graduates" to that next level of productivity.

How will one know when they've mastered GTD? The difficulty is that many GTDers neglect some of the more subtle aspects of the workflow and thus they may think they've mastered GTD when they've only mastered a few of the habits. What does it mean to Get Clear On Projects, for example? On *all* your projects? It doesn't mean listing a project and coming up with one next action to put on your list! It means clarifying the primary purpose, the standards, the outcome vision, and all of the components of the project. How many people have done that for all of their projects? My guess is more need to. It may seem like a lot of work, but that's one of the GTD habits that can't be neglected if one wants to become a "master" of the GTD workflow.

In my view, the sign of someone who has mastered the GTD workflow is someone who trusts their system and who trusts themselves to work that system when they need to. The easier one finds it to think about the things they need to think about when they need to think about them and the easier one finds it to do the things they need to do when they need to do them, the more likely it is that the person is becoming a master of the GTD workflow.

[Rolf F. Katzenberger]

I was wondering, how does someone know they have achieved mastery of GTD?

"A new monk came up to the master Joshu. 'I have just entered the
brotherhood and I am anxious to learn the first principle of Zen,'
he said. 'Will you please teach it to me?'

Joshu said, 'Have you eaten your supper?'

The novice answered, 'I have eaten.' Joshu said, 'Now wash your
bowl.' "

Rolf

[stayfly]

I just recently had to think through this for my own GTD setup since I designed the Ready-Set-Do! GTD approach on the Mac and just added a reporting feature that coaches users through 10 productivity "belt levels".

I've kept these secret so that Ready-Set-Do! users have to graduate through each belt level in order to discover what that level of productivity means and what the next belt is. As I thought through the various belt levels I realized that there is an "ebb and flow" to mastering the GTD workflow. One first learns each of the GTD habits:

1. Empty Your Head
2. Get Inbox to Empty
3. Treat Hard Lines of Calendar as Hard Lines
4. Get Actionables/Next Actions Done
5. Get Clear on Projects
6. Follow Up Waiting Fors
7. Get Reading Done
8. Do Daily Review
9. Do Weekly Review
10. Keep Them All Going

But that's only the first round. As one gets more proficient and works on each of these habits in more depth one begins to see that there is a pattern of times for "thinking" and times for "doing". (1), (2), (5), and (9) are key times for thinking. The rest are times for doing. Each time a person gets through juggling all 10 of those habits they become more and more aware of the thinking/doing pattern. Since the mind can only focus on one thing at a time -- and one can really only master 1 habit at a time -- one has to focus on each of those components in order to graduate to higher and higher levels of productivity.

Are you feeling overwhelmed with how long you've gone not knowing all the things you know you're not doing? Then you need to focus on the 'Thinking' of GTD -- Do a Weekly Review, Get clear on All of Your Projects, Do a Mind-Sweep to empty your head.

Are you starting to go numb to your lists of things to do on your action lists? Then you need to focus on the 'Doing' of GTD -- Take everything with you and have it on hand and just crank through them. Crank through your reading. Crank through your next actions. Go to the locations you need to make things happen and just whittle your lists down.

The more and more one does this, the clearer the horizon becomes and more subtle and subconscious things come to the fore. New projects, insights, and ideas suddenly begin popping up. You start capturing feelings you have about relationships with people around you, what you think about your career, dreams you have for your future, etc. You start capturing these but you also begin to see that there is a "vertical dimension" to them that needs to be refined and clarified. How do all of these relationships and projects interconnect with your deepest values and life roles, etc.? This begins the journey through the same original habits, but now with a resolve to see how they instinctively connect with higher outcomes you envision, with your life roles, and, ultimately, with why you exist.

There will be times of keeping that ebb and flow going -- of mastering both the thinking and the doing components of the workflow. And there will be times of falling off and having to start juggling the habits all over again. Each time, though, one becomes more and more proficient, and eventually "graduates" to that next level of productivity.

How will one know when they've mastered GTD? The difficulty is that many GTDers neglect some of the more subtle aspects of the workflow and thus they may think they've mastered GTD when they've only mastered a few of the habits. What does it mean to Get Clear On Projects, for example? On *all* your projects? It doesn't mean listing a project and coming up with one next action to put on your list! It means clarifying the primary purpose, the standards, the outcome vision, and all of the components of the project. How many people have done that for all of their projects? My guess is more need to. It may seem like a lot of work, but that's one of the GTD habits that can't be neglected if one wants to become a "master" of the GTD workflow.

In my view, the sign of someone who has mastered the GTD workflow is someone who trusts their system and who trusts themselves to work that system when they need to. The easier one finds it to think about the things they need to think about when they need to think about them and the easier one finds it to do the things they need to do when they need to do them, the more likely it is that the person is becoming a master of the GTD workflow.

this is fantastic stuff!!

[stayfly]

When they quit caring whether they have mastered GTD?

More generally, when they are too busy Getting Things Done to worry about their task management system, and the system works well enough to stay out of the way.

Katherine

that's a nice way to think of it

I'm more a quantitative type person i.e. if my goal was to be a healthy weight I wouldn't say "when I can live my life in a healthy way" it would be "70 kilos" (or whatever my desired weight was).

each to their own though

[cornell]

You may find my tips/assessment helpful - if you can check off all items, you are a master! Matt's Idea Blog: GTD Workflow Assessment/Tips Checklist

[Barb]

If you haven't looked at Cornell's Blog yet, I highly recommend it. He's got some great stuff. (You ought to work for David!)

[ceehjay]

See Duff's GTD Mastery 100: Checklist for Greatness based on David Allen's book.

Interesting list!

Carolyn