Tim Urban

Principles are our summary of their public statements.

• Beware of Unearned Leisure

  Productivity

  Avoid spending time in activities that feel like fun but are actually fueled by guilt because they happen when work should be getting done.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Why Procrastinators Procrastinate, 2013  (opens in a new tab)

• Value Precision Over Subjectivity

  Mindset

  One should appreciate numbers for their precision and clarity compared to the often vague and subjective nature of words.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source From 1 To 1000000, 2014  (opens in a new tab)

• Empower Decentralized Organization

  Leadership

  Provide the infrastructure and communication channels for users to organize their own local events when the core team cannot be present.

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Wait But Hi Sunday Event, 2016  (opens in a new tab)

• Low Barrier Entry Points

  Brand

  Create open, informal gatherings alongside exclusive curated events to include as many community members as possible.

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Wait But Hi Sunday Event, 2016  (opens in a new tab)

• Prioritize Nuance Over Speed

  Content

  Complex topics require deep thought, rigorous outlining, and careful wording to avoid misinterpretation and incomplete pictures.

  Supporting quotes

  • “A long post created over a bunch of days allows for me to paint a complete picture of what I think and work through a topic with all the nuance it warrants.”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Avoid Generalizing Your Audience

  Customers

  People often support a choice or product despite disagreeing with some of its aspects; do not assume one action defines their entire worldview.

  Supporting quotes

  • “A long post created over a bunch of days allows for me to paint a complete picture of what I think and work through a topic with all the nuance it warrants.”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Complement Audio with Visuals

  Product

  When creating audio content based on visual work, provide a separate way for users to access the essential imagery.

  1 more supporting quote is in the member records.

  Source Audio, 2023  (opens in a new tab)

• Use humor to drive conversion

  Marketing

  A self-deprecating call to action can be more effective than a formal one for creative businesses.

  Supporting quotes

  • “Give us your email and we'll let you know the next time I do something embarrassing.”

• Identify Productive Procrastination

  Focus

  Recognize when tasks like excessive research are actually forms of procrastination used to avoid the harder work of structuring and shipping.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Cant Post On Time, 2014  (opens in a new tab)

• Recognize the Future's Proximity

  Strategy

  The future arrives faster than anticipated, so long-term planning should account for the rapid acceleration of time.

  1 more supporting quote is in the member records.

  Source 2015 Youre Future  (opens in a new tab)

• Value technical detail in storytelling

  Creativity

  He prefers narratives that explore technical problem-solving and inner thought processes over simplified versions that lose the 'thought experiment' aspect.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Mailbag 1, 2016  (opens in a new tab)

• Respect physical limits and thresholds

  Learning

  Every system has a hard maximum and minimum based on its physical properties, such as the 194 dB limit for sound on Earth.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Sound, 2016  (opens in a new tab)

• Practice Downward Gratitude

  Life

  One should spend time reflecting on how much they once desired the things they currently possess to increase present happiness.

  Supporting quotes

  • “Jack's error is brushing off his mundane Wednesday and focusing entirely on the big picture, when in fact the mundane Wednesday is the experience of his actual life”

    “Jack doesn't live in the picture's broad strokes, he lives at all times in a single pixel of the image - a single Today.”

  1 more supporting quote is in the member records.

• Focus on the Hardest Constraint

  Marketing

  If the market exists but the product is unaffordable, solving the cost problem will naturally expand the customer base.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Spacexs Big Fking Rocket The Full Story, 2016  (opens in a new tab)

• The Die Progress Unit

  Learning

  Measure progress by the amount of change required to completely shock someone from a previous era to the point of disbelief.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source Artificial Intelligence Revolution 1, 2015  (opens in a new tab)

• Prioritize by conscious choice

  Focus

  Ensure that life priorities are set by conscious decision rather than letting unconscious inertia dictate who receives time.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source The Tail End, 2015  (opens in a new tab)

• Look for Leapfrog Opportunities

  Technology

  New technologies can bypass old infrastructure entirely, especially in developing markets where the old systems never existed.

  Supporting quotes

  • “To conquer #2, we'll need to pour money and innovation into sustainable energy production the same way we've poured ourselves into coming up with creative new ways to extract fossil fuels.”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Avoid the perfection trap

  Mindset

  Setting superhuman standards for a partner or a situation often leads to paralysis and loneliness because reality cannot compete with an idealized fantasy.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source 10 Types Of 30 Year Old Single Guys, 2013  (opens in a new tab)

• Leverage the us versus them structure

  Brand

  Creating a collective identity allows people to feel a sense of belonging and shared triumph that is often missing in modern life.

  Supporting quotes

  • “When something is both odd and universal, there's gotta be something deeper going on.”

    “Humans have a fascination with freakish greatness, no matter what the skill is.”

  1 more supporting quote is in the member records.

• Separate Design from Execution

  Productivity

  The most critical and difficult phase of any complex project is the design and outlining phase where structural decisions are made. Once the structure is solid, the actual execution becomes much more manageable.

  1 more supporting quote is in the member records.

  Source The Spacex Post Progress Meter, 2015  (opens in a new tab)