Jon and Jess start by touching on proactively dealing with procrastination. Then they discuss their years in review and explain their plans for the coming months. They debate the ins and outs of developing complex creative skills and whether copying other peoples’ work should be a part of this process. They then go into their reasons and inspiration for the NTL podcast in the context of the kinds of media they consume. They close by analyzing the progressive changes in the broader media landscape, how much more narrowly niched educational content is being made these days, and some warnings about the dangers of niching down too far.

Listen to this Episode and Learn:

How the hosts have put together their goals for the coming year

The role that copying has in the process of developing new skills

The differences between technique and creativity

How the content and medium of content can complement one another

Mentioned in the Episode:

Tree app: stay focused, be present. Don’t kill your forest

Rescuetime - time and productivity tracker, can block websites for you

Chris guillebeau - how to review and plan a year

Pat flynn - smart passive income

Leonard Cohen: hallelujah, and Dance me to the end of love

Pardon the interruption - ESPN Sports commentary

The Daily Show - started shift toward “infotainment”

Aziz Ansari: master of none

7 Habits of Highly Effective People - some good ideas, way too long

Asian Efficiency - The Productivity Podcast