## Why is it important? Many people struggle to differentiate between the two, and the smallest confusion between these two categories is a deeply rooted cause of many personal productivity problems. ## Difference - Project - Has a **goal** to be achieved. - A discrete event will happen that checks it off a list. - This goal takes place by a **specific moment in time** (deadline). - Area of Responsibility - Has a **standard** to be maintained. - No end date or final outcome. - Standard **continues indefinitely** and requires a certain level of attention at all times. - Projects always fall into Areas ## What happens when you mix the two? There are three absolutely critical things you cannot do unless you break out your areas of responsibility into clearly articulated projects. 1. You can't truly know the extent of your commitments. - Example: - Areas: Hiring; Research; Events. (commitment unknown) - Projects: Hire for position A; Experiment B; Workshop C. (commitment known) - What you're committed to should not be a collection of vague responsibilities, but a short list of tangible outcomes. In other words, projects. 2. You can't connect your current efforts to your long-term goals. - Imagine the psychological effect of waking up to the same list day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. Areas of Responsibility rarely if ever change. No matter how hard you work, how many years of service you put in, the list of never-changing obligations only gets heavier and longer. - I couldn't design a better method of killing personal motivation if I tried. - Breaking responsibilities into bite-sized projects ensures that your list changes nearly every week, which creates a rhythm and momentum to maintain motivation. The constant novelty is essential for satisfaction. 3. You can't know if you're making progress towards your goals. - Breaking areas down into projects provide you with a catalog of outcomes you've reached for review later. - You'd have much more than a list. You'd have separate folders for each completed project, with tangible notes, assets, and learnings you've produced for each. ## Difference in approach - Projects - Requires **laser-focus** to ruthlessly drive toward an outcome, to smash through or circumvent obstacles, to **ignore distractions** (i.e. people). - Areas - Requires **mindfulness**, balance, flow, and human connection. This is the realm of habits, routines, rituals, and intentional communities. - Requires **introspection** and self-awareness, because determining whether or not you are meeting your standard is an **intuitive** exercise, not an analytical one. - Hobbies and Dreams - A project without a corresponding goal (area) is known as a "hobby". - A goal (area) without a corresponding project is called a "dream". - There's nothing wrong with hobbies and dreams, since they give life meaning and purpose, but **please don't confuse them with projects and goals**.