By Colby Kultgen
How to Be Productive, The 3 Gates Test, and What If This Is The Do-Over?
Read online / Read time: 4 minutes
Today at a Glance:
• Productivity lessons from the CEO of OpenAI
• 3-second technique to avoid regret
• A reframe you might need
• Must-read thread for overthinkers
• You think you know someone
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Say what you will about Sam Altman—the guy gets shit done.
ChatGPT has taken over the world.
OpenAI is worth $300 billion.
You can argue with the methods—but not with the results.
Personally, I'm not a huge fan of everything he does, but I think we can apply the Bruce Lee principle here:
"Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless, and add what is uniquely your own."
What’s wild is that this article was written 7 years ago. It reads almost like a productivity prophecy.
Anyway—here are my 5 biggest takeaways:
1. Focus on direction before speed: "It doesn't matter how fast you move if it's in a worthless direction. Picking the right thing to work on is the most important element of productivity and usually almost ignored."
2. Use lists religiously: "I highly recommend using lists. I make lists of what I want to accomplish each year, each month, and each day. Lists are very focusing, and they help me with multitasking because I don't have to keep as much in my head."
3. Protect your most productive hours: "The first few hours of the morning are definitely my most productive time of the day, so I don't let anyone schedule anything then. I try to do meetings in the afternoon."
4. Surround yourself with the right people: "Try to be around smart, productive, happy, and positive people that don't belittle your ambitions. I love being around people who push me and inspire me to be better."
5. Sleep matters (a lot): "Sleep seems to be the most important physical factor in productivity for me...I like a cold, dark, quiet room, and a great mattress (I resisted spending a bunch of money on a great mattress for years, which was stupid—it makes a huge difference to my sleep quality."
Agree? Disagree?
You can read the full article here.
A 3-second technique that might save you from regret
I've been known to put my foot in my mouth from time to time.
This idea has been saving me lately:
Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates:
Is it true?
Is it necessary?
Is it kind?
I've seen this idea attributed to Rumi, Socrates and Buddha—so take your pick 😂.
Regardless, it's a great tool.
Note: you don’t have to do it literally every time you speak, but if you find yourself about to overreact, overexplain, or say something you might regret...
- Stop for 3 seconds
- Run your response through these gates
- Adjust accordingly
Try it out. Let me know how it goes.
A concept that might change your life
A simple concept that's been dominating my thoughts:
What if this is the do-over?
Let me explain.
Ever wish you could go back and do it all over again?
Start fresh.
Do things right this time.
Here’s a better thought experiment:
What if you already did?
Imagine: You lived a full life. Reached 90. But looking back, there were regrets. Missed moments. Things left unsaid. And with your final breath, you made one desperate wish: to return to exactly where you are today.
And it was granted.
You're living it right now.
This moment.
This day.
But here's the catch:
Your memory was wiped.
You have no idea this is round two.
No déjà vu. No cosmic hints. Just this present moment, disguised as ordinary life.
When I started thinking this way, everything shifted.
That annoying commute? The gift my 90-year-old self begged for.
That challenging relationship? The second chance I pleaded to have.
That mundane Tuesday? The day I once couldn't get back.
I realize this sounds a bit silly.
But here's the thing—we don't need to believe it's literally true to live as if it is.
Because if this really were your second shot—how would you live it?
I'll always remember the day I discovered mindfulness.
I was an anxious 20-year-old with a summer job cutting grass and way too much time alone with my thoughts.
One day, I threw on an audiobook I had downloaded to my iPod, which happened to be The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.
It was the first time I heard someone talk seriously about “mindfulness.”
And honestly, I thought a lot of it was woo-woo nonsense.
But then something amazing happened.
Tolle was leading the reader (me) through a simple exercise to bring awareness into the body:
Feel your breath.
Feel your feet.
Step away from the constant stream of thoughts.
And for a moment—I experienced it.
The mental noise dropped.
The world got quiet.
I felt…present.
It only lasted a few seconds, but it was the first time I realized that I didn't have to live at the mercy of my mind.
If you're an overthinker, I highly recommend checking out the thread above, or better yet—read the book.
😂
If you made it this far, can you please answer this question:
Would you read this email if I sent it TWICE each week?
Here's what I'm thinking:
Monday - My five favorites (same as always)
Thursday - A deep dive into one topic, idea, or framework
Reply with a simple "yes" or "no".
Be honest. You won't hurt my feelings.
Love y'all!
—Colby
