From the GTD Corner: Getting GTD onto cruise control

April 19, 2011

by marcus

In David Allen’s last recent newsletter he is talking about four methods of getting GTD® onto cruise Control.

Starting with GTD® is not always a smooth process from the beginning and can have his hickups; also when you are well in the process actually. Therefore it “consistently requires some re-grooving of your behavioral patterns.”, David says. Here is an extract of the last newsletter for you:

Getting GTD onto cruise control
Invariably when I connect back in with someone after they’ve been educated about GTD, they have a serious mea culpa—”you know, I really haven’t implemented as much of this as I should…” It’s double deadly because what we have taught them is so simple, basic, and common-sense grounded that it seems pretty silly that they haven’t fully done it yet.
Here are the stages of acquiring new skills, and how they relate to learning Getting Things Done^®:
1. Unconscious incompetence. I don’t know what I don’t know about what I don’t know that I could know. Or, I know something is wrong, but I’m not sure what it is, and what I’m doing or not doing that’s causing it. 98% of the people I relate with feel somewhat embarrassed about their “productivity” skills and systems, but they don’t know what exactly to change or how to change it.
2. Conscious incompetence. I know exactly what I should be doing, but I’m not doing it. I know that I need to externalize and capture and clarify and review my commitments, but I haven’t changed my habits yet of keeping them in psychic RAM and continually avoiding next action decisions.
3. Conscious competence. I know what to do and I’m doing it, but I’m really needing to stay focused and “get” myself to do it regularly. I am still thinking about the process so that I do the process.
4. Unconscious competence. I’m free to be on to bigger things. I’m just using the process to focus, but no longer having to think about the process itself.
For many, it’s a monumental change in itself just to have the game finally defined, along with awareness of the track to get there. Knowing that there is a way and an approach that will get you in control and focused will, to some extent, create relaxation for your mind, even if you haven’t fully put that plan into practice.
But feeling better with some understanding of GTD doesn’t make it automatic, nor will it replace the true “mind like water” experience that results from its steady and consistent application. It’s practice, practice, practice. The new patterns, mentally and physically, need to be ingrained at a deeper level to really be on cruise control. People often remark to me that “GTD does take a lot of discipline!” Actually, it doesn’t, any more than taking showers and brushing your teeth require discipline, once the initial unfamiliarity has been overcome. How long does it take to get there? As long as it takes. You’ll be another day older tomorrow, no matter what. So just keep returning, when you stray. Write things down. Decide outcomes and actions. Organize and review them. And you’ll feel more and more uncomfortable when you don’t.