Ep. 376: The Lincoln Protocol

Cal Newport discusses the "Lincoln Protocol," a method for escaping digital distractions and achieving meaningful goals, inspired by Abraham Lincoln's life. He argues that Lincoln faced similar challenges of distraction, danger, and darkness in his time and overcame them through purposeful reading and a focus on useful projects. The protocol involves picking an ambitious but tractable project, learning what's needed to succeed through reading, and reflecting on the outcome to loop back to a new, more ambitious project. Newport also answers listener questions on topics such as balancing long-form articles with book reading, improving focus, maintaining a deep reading habit, and the role of technology, like Apple Watches, in managing distractions. Additionally, he shares a case study of someone who successfully used time blocking and reduced digital distractions to achieve personal and professional goals, and reads comments from a 2008 blog post about digital distraction, reflecting on how concerns have evolved.