GTD method is applicable at ALL horizons
cornell;51769 said:
> I also have yet to understand the 10,000, 20,000, 50,000+ feet...
This is often mentioned as a GTD weakness - some contrast it as doing things right vs. doing the right thing. The following essay made some relevant points, I think:
The Essential Missing Half of Getting Things Done. However, I still believe strongly that an initial "bottom up" approach like Allen's is necessary to free up space for the higher-level strategic thinking.
I'm not sure why this kind of comment comes up so often about GTD being good only at the low levels, other than the fact that DA's books do not explicitly spend a lot of time on the higher levels or give examples about what a successful GTD system looks like at the higher levels.
But I don't think it is a stretch to see that the basics of GTD, including the workflow process and habits, and especially the 2-pronged "What's the successful outcome?" and "What's the next action?" are very powerful tools to create and manage your system successfully all the way up and down the horizons of focus. At the higher levels, the second question may be substituted by a "What's the Next Project?" or "What's the next productive time frame to Review this horizon?", "What stage of the Natural Planning model do I need to engage with here?" or something along these lines. If a Weekly Review seems to be good for the 10,000 level, then perhaps a monthly or quarterely review for 20,000? At any rate, it should be done at a time frame to keep stuff from "crawling back into your head", and STUFF is not just the low level "Call Mary about setting the PTA meeting", but can be
anything up and down the horizons that may grab your attention if it is left un-clarified or un-reviewed for too long (or un-captured, un-processed, un-organized, etc.). Whether this is your list of roles and responsibilities, your 1 to 3 to 5 year plan, or your life purpose, "If its on your mind, its probably not getting done" - ie, there is still a GTD-process that you need to apply at that level.
DA does talk about this in terms of the axis of Control Vs. Perspective - but the same tools, in principle, can be applied at all levels. For every GTD user, it does take some creativity and elbow grease to construct whatever review habits and processes that are needed to "get it all out of your head" at these horizons, too. But the higher that anyone goes into these levels, the higher into your own individuality and uniqueness you are climbing, and the more varied the details of implementation will be from one person to the next.
GTD is a system based on the premise or principle that "the head is a great place for having ideas, but not for holding them", or that maximum focus, engangement, enjoyment, and productive action are achieved with a clear head. Clear of anything at
any horizon of focus, not just clear of anything at the runway level.
If the fundamental GTD principle is correct at one level, then it is correct at all levels.
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