Wise Words: Casey Neistat
on Productivity

Casey Neistat is a modern renaissance man. He's a filmmaker, an influencer and a professional rule-breaker. And with millions of YouTube subscribers (and multiple million-dollar contracts under his belt), it's fair to say he's a success. But that doesn't mean he isn't still hungry. Neistat is a guy who, every morning, when he gets into his New York studio, turns on a neon sign above the door that reads Work Harder. He's got the same two words tattooed on his wrist, "just in case I forget," he says. So how does he do it? How does he cram all that ambition, motivation and endurance into his days? Herewith, a few hacks and life lessons from the man himself.

Boredom Is the Enemy of Progress

"You know those selfies of people who caption it, like, 'bored'? How are there this many people with this much time with no way to occupy it? You could build a city with all the free time that people spend sitting around being bored."

Your Goal Is to Stand Out

"If you're doing what everyone else is doing, you're doing it wrong. Honestly, the most dangerous thing you can do in life is play it safe."

Hunker Down Through the Difficulties

"When you look back at your life ... It's always the hardest times that made you who you are."

Don't Sit on Good Ideas

"You don't want to dwell on ideas. You either act on ideas or you set them free."

Ideas Are Good. Action Is Better

"Ideas are cheap. Ideas are easy and common. Everybody has ideas. Ideas are highly, highly overvalued. Execution is all that matters."

Don't Have the Time? Get Up Early

"Four in the morning to seven in the morning are my most productive hours."

Optimize Your Sleep and Exercise

"This is just a theory of mine, but I genuinely believe that you can supplement sleep with exercise. If you typically sleep eight hours a night, if you took two of those hours and spent them exercising (and only slept six hours), you'd be less tired and feel better."