#167 · 75 Looms. No Results. What Gives?
I use a platform called Godspeed as a simple to‑do list and project manager, and ClickUp for agency work. I try to keep the number of platforms low to reduce complexity and avoid getting screwed over by too many tools.
Managing everything can get chaotic. I don’t have a fancy CRM; I’m pretty disorganized. My Google Drive is filled with countless files with little naming conventions. I’m good at taking ideas from conception to a minimum viable product quickly, but after that it often becomes a mess. For example, a couple of hours ago I responded to 92 DMs for Maker School without any system—I just opened the DMs tab and worked through them top‑to‑bottom, which I do every few days. Most people at my level would have a proper CRM, support tickets, a refund person, etc., but I don’t. Realistically I probably have around 50 Google Sheets and 100 notes. To keep track, I use a note‑taking app called Godspeed. I write a line like “respond to school DMs,” and it creates a giant to‑do list that I see each morning. You can use any tool you like—Apple Notes, Google Docs, etc.
I use a mix of tools. While many people rely on Apple Notes, I’ve found that the truly powerful setups involve Readwise, Obsidian, Notion, Anki, Quizlet, Adobe Acrobat, and Google Drive for knowledge management. For task and project tracking I use Linear, which feels like a super‑charged version of Apple Notes with AI tagging capabilities. The point is you can use whatever works for you – the system is less important than consistently capturing and organizing information.
I’m not naturally organized and often let tasks slip through the cracks—I’ll forget things for weeks and have to reshuffle my to‑do list constantly. Even with more money and the ability to delegate, I still struggle to stay on top of daily work. I try to improve my systems, but at the end of the day I’m just figuring it out like anyone else.
Your to‑do list should be a capture‑and‑filter system, not a calendar. First, capture every idea or task using any tool (pen‑and‑paper, Godspeed, Bear, Evernote, etc.). Then, regularly review the list top‑to‑bottom. For each item, ask: Is it actionable? If no, trash it. If yes, ask: Can I do it in two minutes or less? If yes, do it immediately. If not, delegate it, put it in ‘next actions’, or file it under a relevant project folder. This is a slight tweak on Getting Things Done—capture, clarify, then act on quick wins, defer or delegate the rest. You can add layers like projects, waiting lists, etc., as needed.