Why you're feeling unproductive
2025-08-19 · Short · Ali · recording, 1:41 · watch on YouTube
Topic: Mindset, motivation and happiness · mode: Answering questions
In a Short answering a viewer who feels unproductive while painting, coding, going to the gym, travelling and studying, Ali says such people have learned to tie self-worth to achievement and set very high standards; he advises becoming non-attached to being productive or lowering the bar for what counts as productive.
What is said
The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).
00:00:00 — Why you feel unproductive and how to feel satisfied
- ★★★ Ali says people who feel unproductive while doing many things have probably been trained to see their self-worth as downstream of their achievements, perhaps from being praised for achievements as children, and set very high standards for themselves. (hedged) — 00:00:00 · choose to be satisfied
- ★★★ To stop feeling unproductive, Ali advises becoming non-attached and accepting being unproductive, or, as a stepping stone, lowering the bar so that getting out of bed or smiling at someone counts as productive. — 00:01:14 · choose to be satisfied
Threads in this video
- refine · How do you become happier? — To stop feeling unproductive, Ali advises becoming non-attached and accepting being unproductive, or, as a stepping stone, lowering the bar so that getting out of bed or smiling at someone counts as productive. (00:01:14)
Mentioned
Central: choose to be satisfied
← Previous: What is the Diderot effect doing to your wallet? · Next → What You're Really Saying With Your First Impressions