Ready For Anything: 52 productivity principles for work and life by David Allen
Summary
Ready for Anything is a companion volume to David Allen’s more famous work, Getting Things Done (GTD). It collects 52 short essays, each expanding on a principle or mindset from the GTD method. The book’s tone is reflective and reinforces the key habits that underpin a focused and productive life.
Unfortunately, I made the mistake of reading this before reading Getting Things Done, and I think that was a misstep. Ready for Anything works best as a supplement, not a standalone introduction.
Key Insights
Action reduces stress – If you’re unsure what to do next, complete a small task. The act of doing, even something minor, creates momentum.
Clarity reduces anxiety – Know what you’re not doing. Unkept internal commitments generate stress.
Write it down – The brain is not for holding ideas; it’s for having them. Free your mind by externalising tasks.
Maintain a full and current task inventory – Review and update regularly.
Self-honesty is crucial – Ask yourself honestly: Do I need to do this? And what am I putting off that won’t magically disappear?
Visualise long-term goals – Where do I want to be in five years? What’s the next physical action?
Work on self-acceptance – Seeking external approval is a bottomless pit. What we need is internal approval—esteem, forgiveness, acceptance.
Treat your mind well – Don’t use self-degrading talk. Even trivial self-criticism chips away at confidence.
Use the environment to your advantage – Leave things by the door; design friction-reducing habits.
Identity is formed by action – If I want to be courageous, generous, or confident, act as if I already am.
Be process-focused, not perfection-focused – Do your best, not be the best.
Big change is made by small, consistent acts – Like exercise, it’s the repetition that matters, not the intensity of a single effort.
Creativity is a decision, not a gift – Don’t wait for an idea. Sit down and have one.
Strengths
The short-chapter format makes it easy to dip in and out.
Much of the advice is genuinely timeless—not bound to a productivity fad.
Several passages (e.g. Plutarch’s “mind is a fire to kindle”) are quite inspiring.
A strong emphasis on self-management as the basis for productivity.
Weaknesses
Repetitive if you’re already familiar with GTD principles.
At times, the tone can feel vague or platitudinous, especially without the structural clarity of Getting Things Done.
Some chapters are more meditative than practical, which may frustrate readers expecting a hands-on guide.
Occasionally, it drifts into the territory of self-help cliché.
Reflections
Ready for Anything is a solid but supplementary work. It presupposes that the reader already understands the GTD system and wants to deepen their mindset. As someone who read this before Getting Things Done, I found it ungrounded; principles floated past me without context. But this was my lookout.
That said, there are some memorable lines and fresh perspectives. I was struck by the idea that stress comes from unkept agreements with myself, not just external deadlines. I also liked the reminder that habitual self-degrading talk, no matter how casual, is corrosive over time. The problem is, many times I have read this, and agreed with it, the problem is doing it.
David Allen’s advice often centres on a kind of radical responsibility: notice what you’re not doing, decide consciously what you will do, and then write it down and act on it. It’s a quiet, durable philosophy.
But to benefit fully, I now see that this book needs to be read after the main event—after you’ve understood what GTD actually is. In that light, Ready for Anything becomes what it was always meant to be: a refresher, a reminder, a companion.
Conclusion
Ready for Anything is a useful collection of productivity meditations, but it is not the place to begin. Read Getting Things Done first. Then return to this book when you’re looking for reinforcement or reflection. Its real power lies not in teaching the system, but in helping you return to it.
Book Details
Title: Ready For Anything: 52 productivity principles for work and life
Author: David Allen
Publication Year: 2011
Genre: Management Skills, Time Management