The Power of Completion#
In today’s fast-paced world, getting things done is crucial. The Done manifesto is all about embracing this mindset and applying it to your work.
12 Principles for Getting Things Done:#
- Know, Act, Complete: Recognize that there are only three states - not knowing, taking action, or being complete.
- Draft Mode: Accept that everything is a draft, even if you’re not sure what the final product will look like.
- No Editing Required: Don’t get bogged down in perfectionism - just finish!
- Fake It Till You Make It: Pretend you know what you’re doing (even if you don’t) and take action anyway.
- Procrastination is a Killer: If an idea takes more than a week to complete, it’s probably not worth pursuing.
- The End Justifies the Means: Focus on completing tasks rather than getting stuck in perfectionism.
- Let Go of Perfection: Once you’ve completed something, let go and move on - no attachment necessary!
- Laugh at Perfectionism: Recognize that striving for perfection is a waste of time and energy.
- Get Your Hands Dirty: People who don’t take action are missing out - get involved and make things happen!
- Failure is an Option (and Opportunity): View failure as a chance to learn and improve, rather than something to be feared.
- Destruction is a variant of done: Sometimes the best way to move forward is by tearing down old systems or ideas that are no longer serving you.
- Share Your Work: Publishing your work online counts as “done” - share it with others and take pride in what you’ve accomplished!
By embracing these principles, you’ll be able to overcome procrastination, perfectionism, and other obstacles that hold people back from achieving their goals.
Origin of Done Manifesto#
The Done manifesto is based on the principles of Lean Software Development, which emphasizes the importance of delivering value early and often, and continuously improving the product based on feedback from customers. It also emphasizes the importance of collaboration and communication among team members, as well as a focus on experimentation and iteration to improve the product over time.
The Done manifesto is not just about software development, but can be applied to any field where teams work together to create products or services that meet customer needs. By following the principles of the Done manifesto, teams can create high-quality products that deliver value to customers and promote continuous improvement through experimentation and iteration.
Try It Out#
Now that you’ve read through the Cult of Done manifesto, we invite you to try out some aspects of this mindset for yourself.
Choose one principle that resonates with you the most (e.g. #5 Procrastination is a Killer) and challenge yourself to apply it in your daily life. Identify an area where you tend to procrastinate or get stuck in perfectionism, and commit to completing something small but meaningful within the next week. Share one of your completed projects with someone else - this can be as simple as sharing a photo on social media or sending an update to a friend.
By incorporating these principles into your daily life, you’ll start to see changes in how you approach tasks, relationships, and even yourself. Remember that it’s okay to make mistakes along the way - failure is just another form of “done”!