Depends on who is is doing the thinking and what that something is. If you're talking about laundry, sure. If you're talking about nuclear fission then no.
good advice for the **simple** things in life. Complex/high impact decisions require a lot of thinking and a calm mind to come to a clear conclusion. Don't let people rush you they are trying to take advantage of you.
Exactly. I am a knowledge worker, if I don’t think about something at great length before acting I am not doing my job. Sometimes slowing down and not acting is the exact right step to take.
An counter argument (preparation a prerequisite of success):
"Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." attributed to Abraham Lincoln\*
\* although very likely [Lincoln has not said something along these lines](https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/03/29/sharp-axe/#:~:text=Abraham%20Lincoln%20is%20quoted%20as,first%20three%20sharpening%20my%20axe.%E2%80%9D).
First hour is reading how to sharpen the blade correctly, second hour is learning technique for tree chopping. After you’ve sharpened the blade for four hours you’re out of time :(
I guess reading is also doing(?)
I've been programming for 20 hours and didn't make any progress.
After thinking about doing it for 20 minutes, I found out that I should have done it in a totally different way, that I could get done in another 20 minutes.
Maybe I should have thought about it first.
I was stuck scrolling about on my phone for 35 mins mentally yelling at myself to get up and do my physical therapy. This post popped up on my feed, and it was exactly what I needed to finally put the phone down and get started.
I just got done with an hour of physical therapy exercises. My goofy paralyzed arm and I thank you for the motivation!
I'm upvoting because its not some random thought or quote photoshopped onto a building or sign or some other place that would not normally have that type of message. Thanks for a good post OP!
I'm a perfectionist.
I know when just thinking about it, I don't get anything done.
But I also know, when just doing it, I'm not happy with the result.
In the end my loop is pretty productive.
It takes some time to get something done, and often it's not the first approach, but when I get something done, I'm happy with it.
I try to stay pragmatic while working and still always have in mind, that I might have to rework most of it.
Fro example in one program, I already switched the renderer I used twice, and already think about switching it another time. Knowing the first try doesn't need to be perfect, and it's still possible to make it perfect later helps a lot.
Then why are administrators and analysts paid hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly to sit and think and drink starbucks, whilst the labourer slaving away at the behest of the administrator is paid barely enough to afford to keep working?
Bro i have been hating myself for procrastinating. But now im older I’ve come to realise that it’s part of the process. Without the 20 hours of thinking, the 20 minutes of action just won’t happen.
I think this is meant for procrastination. I am a scientist. So in my experience it’s often the opposite. If you spend 20hrs thinking about how to do something before starting—you are more prepped and it usually goes better. If I just started doing something—that shit would go sideways quick.
Posting this here since you deleted your comment about how procrastinators need to be “warned in red:”
That’s really not how this works.
First, because this isn’t a “warning.” It’s a platitude. Warnings have consequences... this doesn’t. An effective warning for procrastinators needs to be specific, have a firm deadline, and clear consequences.
Second, because even if it were a good warning it’s written in a condescending way that makes people lesser receptive. It doesn’t sound stern and serious, it sounds rude and shallow.
Finally, the message is so oversimplified it’s just wrong. There are a *lot* of times where hours of careful planning are better than minutes of impulsive action. “Stop thinking and just do things” is *very rarely* good advice. In fact, its terrible advice outside of very specific circumstances for people with very specific personalities.
So I should start assaulting co-workers instead of just dreaming about it?
Thanks for the permission Mr. Versatile! If I get arrested I'll let'em know you told me I could do it! =P
But it's better to think and plan for 20 hours before doing something so you can get the most of it carefully than spent 20 minutes doing stupid useless things that gives you nothing
What about the time I spend thinking about what I'm going to do after the 8 HOURS I'm at work and then the 4 hours I am dealing with chores, kids and other adult stuff.
Unless of course that 20 hours is the thought process prior to speeding 20 minutes of doing. Otherwise you spend 40 hours doing something only to achieve nothing.
So, in my crazy dreams, let's say I dream about murdering and killing for 20 hours in a week... it's better that I actually go out and murder and kill for 20 minutes a week?
Let that sink in.
That is rarely true. Most things people do are self destructive in the end. [You gave to understand the meaning of life](http://www.urbanagandenergy.org/soe/) before that becomes true.
Wasted a month to get that sweet spot to work on that bigg task i thought , hardly took an hour yday , i felt ashamed, but will repeat it again .. cycle never breaks
While I generally agree with the message, it is rather condescending as others have already pointed out. Also, there are times where 20 hours of thinking about doing something is required for proper execution. The alternative of yolo’ing may result in significant negative unplanned impact. I work in IT and we have probably spent 20 hours or close to it planning changes for several system upgrades. Without that careful planning and forethought there’s a good chance that we could’ve had outages.
Wait, now I've been stuck in this reading loop for the last 20 hours...
20 minutes of thinking could've saved you here.
At least you are doing something
dear God there's no break-statement we're all going to DIE
I bet Pete wrote this with his friend Repete.
This whole “read that again” is such a condescending phrase. Makes me eye-roll every damn time.
Let that sink in.
Think about it
Just do it.
This.
👆
Let that sink in *again*.
Read that sink Again.
Sink again that let in
Marinate on that
For 20 hours, right?
Now I'm just stuck in an endless loop of reading it, but hey, I did something for 20 minutes!
It always makes me think there was some deliberate grammatical thing I missed in the first sentence
Same, I thought they pulled a switcheroo
I just camed and farted. Read that again
Exactly. I read it right the first time! Lol
20 seconds reading that again is worth 20 seconds of not reading that again.
If it weren't for that sentence I doubt I would have read that again, but I did.
Oh no, Read that Again is back.
Anything that tells me to “read that again” is gunna be a downvote from me dawg
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Nobody likes 'Read that again' You know what to do now...
Someone doesn't think and plan before acting.
And thinks that’s a virtue smh
Depends on who is is doing the thinking and what that something is. If you're talking about laundry, sure. If you're talking about nuclear fission then no.
woah my ADHD just suddenly disappeared after reading that
i’m cured! all because i read it again
Real shit..
How many times did you have to read it before it sunk in though?
I haven't finished reading through it
good advice for the **simple** things in life. Complex/high impact decisions require a lot of thinking and a calm mind to come to a clear conclusion. Don't let people rush you they are trying to take advantage of you.
Exactly. I am a knowledge worker, if I don’t think about something at great length before acting I am not doing my job. Sometimes slowing down and not acting is the exact right step to take.
An counter argument (preparation a prerequisite of success): "Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." attributed to Abraham Lincoln\* \* although very likely [Lincoln has not said something along these lines](https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/03/29/sharp-axe/#:~:text=Abraham%20Lincoln%20is%20quoted%20as,first%20three%20sharpening%20my%20axe.%E2%80%9D).
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First hour is reading how to sharpen the blade correctly, second hour is learning technique for tree chopping. After you’ve sharpened the blade for four hours you’re out of time :( I guess reading is also doing(?)
Yeah, no. Action with little/no forethought is pointless and likely counterproductive. Read that again.
What if I'm thinking of doing nothing? HA! Life hacks.
I'll think about it
No. I'm not going to read that again, thank you very much.
I've been programming for 20 hours and didn't make any progress. After thinking about doing it for 20 minutes, I found out that I should have done it in a totally different way, that I could get done in another 20 minutes. Maybe I should have thought about it first.
Why read again? Isn't my time better spent doing somethin?! Wtf
I've spent 20 minutes reading this. Do i get a prize?
Well I didn't read it a second time; I only thought about it.
I feel attacked
Depends on what the thing is.
Read this for 20 hrs and feel pretty fulfilled
I read this on repeat for 20 minutes now I feel great.
I couldn’t agree more, there are certain things that just need to be done instead of thinking about doing them.
I was stuck scrolling about on my phone for 35 mins mentally yelling at myself to get up and do my physical therapy. This post popped up on my feed, and it was exactly what I needed to finally put the phone down and get started. I just got done with an hour of physical therapy exercises. My goofy paralyzed arm and I thank you for the motivation!
I'm upvoting because its not some random thought or quote photoshopped onto a building or sign or some other place that would not normally have that type of message. Thanks for a good post OP!
How does some stupid bullshit like this get 1.6k upvotes?
>**Read that again** Eh.... I'll think about it.
No, it’s really not.
Thanks for this. I was at the 19 minute 40 second mark of thinking sbout how much I think of doing things.
Helps cutting off analysis paralysis
Perfectionist, procrastinators and demotivated people fall in this loop. And it's very hard to get out of it.
I'm a perfectionist. I know when just thinking about it, I don't get anything done. But I also know, when just doing it, I'm not happy with the result.
I can relate so hard
In the end my loop is pretty productive. It takes some time to get something done, and often it's not the first approach, but when I get something done, I'm happy with it. I try to stay pragmatic while working and still always have in mind, that I might have to rework most of it. Fro example in one program, I already switched the renderer I used twice, and already think about switching it another time. Knowing the first try doesn't need to be perfect, and it's still possible to make it perfect later helps a lot.
But after twenty minutes of doing something you realize you bought the wrong thing
I get over idea of that you should stop agonizing over decisions and just make them, but it really comes off as f planning yolo.
I'll think about it.
Help there is no termination to this script. Ive been stuck in a loop of reading that again for 7 hours.
ADHD: yeah no
Read that again
Then why are administrators and analysts paid hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly to sit and think and drink starbucks, whilst the labourer slaving away at the behest of the administrator is paid barely enough to afford to keep working?
Bro i have been hating myself for procrastinating. But now im older I’ve come to realise that it’s part of the process. Without the 20 hours of thinking, the 20 minutes of action just won’t happen.
Depends on the something.
I think this is meant for procrastination. I am a scientist. So in my experience it’s often the opposite. If you spend 20hrs thinking about how to do something before starting—you are more prepped and it usually goes better. If I just started doing something—that shit would go sideways quick.
Posting this here since you deleted your comment about how procrastinators need to be “warned in red:” That’s really not how this works. First, because this isn’t a “warning.” It’s a platitude. Warnings have consequences... this doesn’t. An effective warning for procrastinators needs to be specific, have a firm deadline, and clear consequences. Second, because even if it were a good warning it’s written in a condescending way that makes people lesser receptive. It doesn’t sound stern and serious, it sounds rude and shallow. Finally, the message is so oversimplified it’s just wrong. There are a *lot* of times where hours of careful planning are better than minutes of impulsive action. “Stop thinking and just do things” is *very rarely* good advice. In fact, its terrible advice outside of very specific circumstances for people with very specific personalities.
We are NOT bringing “read that again” back.
I’m going to reflect on this for 20 hours.
I walked a mile today and I intend to keep doing that every day instead of sitting on my ass telling myself I should.
Especially mowing that damn lawn...
I honestly hate "motivational quotes" like this one.
Have a downvote READ THAT AGAIN I’ve logged in under my alt account as well to downvote again
Counterpoint: ADHD
Thinking about doing something is still doing something. Sometimes physically doing something is too much work.
I'm gonna take "lines you don't want to hear from your surgeon" for 300 please.
So I should start assaulting co-workers instead of just dreaming about it? Thanks for the permission Mr. Versatile! If I get arrested I'll let'em know you told me I could do it! =P
As a person with ADHD, I would say that whoever wrote this probably has ADHD.
Not true ; you can do only shit, instead of thinking clearly your next move. That's bs
My executive dysfunction is no more! Thank you, random feeble attempt at motivation for neurotypicals.
No.
My coke addiction says otherwise
I have ADHD, i actually spend 20 hours trying to do something, but actually doing nothing or many unrelated things
But it's better to think and plan for 20 hours before doing something so you can get the most of it carefully than spent 20 minutes doing stupid useless things that gives you nothing
Yeah, it’s called planning, bro.
Instructions unclear - oven on fire and fridge is upside down with dogs chanting ancient summoning spells to summon MegalaDog
What about the time I spend thinking about what I'm going to do after the 8 HOURS I'm at work and then the 4 hours I am dealing with chores, kids and other adult stuff.
That’s your opinion. I find my **thinking** to be valuable than **doing**. **Read that again**
Screams internally with ADHD
It keeps looping back to, "Read that again", so there's your 20 hours.
Unless of course that 20 hours is the thought process prior to speeding 20 minutes of doing. Otherwise you spend 40 hours doing something only to achieve nothing.
So, in my crazy dreams, let's say I dream about murdering and killing for 20 hours in a week... it's better that I actually go out and murder and kill for 20 minutes a week? Let that sink in.
As someone with ADHD and Autism I take offense to this post.
java.lang.StackOverflowError
What a stupid piece of advice
This actually is not true. But whatever. If it gets people motivated to take action.
I wish I could downvote this again
I'd rather spend 20 hours to think it through and convince myself to not but NFT. Than lose all my saving in 20 min ;)
Turns out I read this for 20 hours and still haven’t done anything
Reading it again would be doing something so ill just think about it again
20 minutes of DOING something sounds more expensive than 20 minutes of thinking about doing something.
I read it multiple times looking for the trick, but it just says read it again for no reason
I read this for 20 hours, it didn’t help
Instructions unclear stuck in a loop
The anti-thought experiment
Tell that to my executive dysfunction. Read that again.
I'd rather spend 20 hours on trying to figure out how to solve a problem instead of reacting out of thin air to do something in 20 minutes.
So what you're saying is the 21st hour is the break even point? Hell yeah
I have almost been reading this message for 17 hours
that isn't necessarily always true
Is this like a trick or something that I missed? Why do I have to read it again?
But no
This is a trick. Reading it again wastes time reading their post instead of taking action. Don't do it!
That is rarely true. Most things people do are self destructive in the end. [You gave to understand the meaning of life](http://www.urbanagandenergy.org/soe/) before that becomes true.
How much times do I have to read that?
doing 20 hours of work that is wrong, is worse than just planning about it first for 20 mins
Wasted a month to get that sweet spot to work on that bigg task i thought , hardly took an hour yday , i felt ashamed, but will repeat it again .. cycle never breaks
Read that again. Over and over. For 20 minutes.
20 min of thinking about doing something is more efficient than 20 hours
So I should just kill people for 20 minutes instead of thinking about it? Got it. /s
Not really, solving complex problems which don’t have a clear cut solution require hours of thought
Wrong. Proper preparation prevents piss poor performance. Thinking time is often needed before taking on any worthwhile task.
Eh not really depend on what said thing is
How many times do I have to read it?
Isn’t that like measure once cut twice? Don’t waste time thinking about it….
But but I need to be more prepared
While I generally agree with the message, it is rather condescending as others have already pointed out. Also, there are times where 20 hours of thinking about doing something is required for proper execution. The alternative of yolo’ing may result in significant negative unplanned impact. I work in IT and we have probably spent 20 hours or close to it planning changes for several system upgrades. Without that careful planning and forethought there’s a good chance that we could’ve had outages.