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Tiny Experiments by Anne-Laure Le Cunff

  • Writer: Abhi Gune
    Abhi Gune
  • Aug 31
  • 4 min read

Tiny Experiments - Book Summary

How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World


The Problem with Traditional Goal Setting

Why Goal Setting is Broken:

  • We crave tools that give us a perception of control (productivity tools, time management, goal frameworks)

  • Linear goals create a trap that stimulates fear and encourages toxic productivity

  • The "leaderboard" is rigged - people only show distorted versions of their lives, manufactured happiness with struggle edited out

PACT Framework: Commit to Curiosity

Between Stimulus and Response: Two Paths
Response 1: Discomfort, Fear, Helplessness

  • Cynicism - Doomscrolling and judging others (like Beast before meeting Belle)

  • Escapism - Retail therapy, binge-watching, dream planning (like Peter Pan in a responsibility-free place)

  • Perfectionism - Self-coercion, information overload, toxic productivity (treating yourself like Cinderella's stepmother)


Response 2: Delight, Calm, Curiosity

  • Choose movement over stagnation

  • Choose exploration over paralysis


Three Mental Shifts

  • Flex Your Curiosity Muscle - Transform uncertainty from something to escape into somewhere to explore

  • From Fixed Ladder to Growth Loops - Shift from linear progression to cyclical growth

  • From Outcome to Process - Success becomes an unfolding path, not a fixed target

Escaping the Tyranny of Purpose

Key Insight: "We each have within us unlimited possibilities; purpose is therefore never a singular discovery."
Cognitive Script Theory: Three Scripts We Follow

  • The Sequel Script - Following our past

  • The Crowd Pleaser Script - Following the crowd

  • The Epic Script - Following our passion


Unlearn your script through an anthropology of your life. Use Curiosity as a Compass.

Daily Practice:

  • Take notes throughout the day

  • Find trends in your observations

  • Raise questions about your observations

  • Write hypotheses for change


Turn Doubts into Experiments: The PACT (Purposeful Actionable Continuous Trackable)

Formula: "I will [Action] for [Duration]"

Core Philosophy: "Emphasize doing over planning. The most reliable way to be successful is to try, fail, learn and try again."

ACT: Practice Mindful Productivity

A Deeper Sense of Time

Two Types of Time:

  • Chronos - Quantity-focused, mechanical time

  • Kairos - Quality-focused, recognizing each moment's uniqueness


Key Shift: Structure work around natural energy cycles, not arbitrary schedules

Managing Your Three Pillars

  1. Energy Management:

    1. Track energy levels throughout the day

    2. Identify peaks and troughs

    3. Ask: "When is my magic window?"

  2. Executive Function:

    1. Sequential focus - one thing at a time

    2. Manage working memory by noting distracting thoughts

    3. Ask: "Given my current attention, what's the most sensible task right now?"

  3. Emotional Management:

    1. Move your body to relieve anxiety

    2. Focus on inner experience of movement

    3. Ask: "How can I keep the window open?"


Design a Kairos Ritual

Create small acts to help you open your energy window - something you can use whenever you need to reconnect with yourself.


Procrastination is Not the Enemy

Reframe: "Don't shoot the messenger - procrastination points to nuanced psychological roadblocks that need addressing."

The Head-Heart-Hand Check:

  • Head - Is this task appropriate? Task not appropriate → Redefine strategy

  • Heart - Is this task exciting? Task not exciting → Redesign experience

  • Hand - Is this task doable? Task not doable → Request support or training


The Power of Intentional Imperfection

Stephen Hawking Quote: "One of the basic rules of the universe is that nothing is perfect. Perfection simply doesn't exist. Without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist."

Kintsugi Philosophy: Embrace imperfections by lacquering over cracks with gold or silver

Action Steps:

  • Identify perfection patterns

  • Challenge unrealistic targets

  • Choose progress over perfection

  • Remember: constraints can unlock new possibilities

REACT: Collaborate with Uncertainty

Creating Growth Loops

Key Insight: "We don't go in circles, we grow in circles."

The Loop Components:

  • Trial - Take action with limited information

  • Error - Observe results and make adjustments


Metacognition: Plus-Minus-Next Model

( + ) Plus - Accomplishments and positive aspects

( - ) Minus - Challenges, obstacles, difficulties

( > ) Next - What you learned from both experiences

Important: "Not everything needs to be fixed; not everything needs to be solved."

The Secret to Better Decisions

Three Options:

  • Persist - Ride current momentum, prolong your pact

  • Pause - Put it on hold

  • Pivot - Change tools or tactics


Decision Framing: Consider both external signals (facts, figures, circumstances) and internal signals (emotions, motivations)


How to Dance with Disruption

Process:

  • Identify and label the emotion

  • Pinpoint direct impact of disruption

  • Map potential consequences

  • Practice detachment

Guiding Principle: "Err on the side of acceptance rather than control."

IMPACT: Grow with the World

Unlock Social Flow

Transactive Memory: A system where individuals understand who knows what, enabling them to leverage group knowledge effectively.

Community Benefits:

  • Unlock new communities of practice

  • Discover creative territories you couldn't find alone

  • Accelerate progress through collective knowledge


The Progression: Apprentice → Artisan → Architect

To Become an Architect:

  • Start scrappy

  • Be upfront

  • Don't overthink

  • Make it cozy

  • Don't hold the reins too tight


Learning in Public

The Practice:

  • Make public pledges on public platforms

  • Share real work in real time (the raw stuff, not the highlight reel)

  • Continue public practice and iterate

Benefits:

  • Get early feedback

  • Increase creativity

  • Clarify thinking

  • Build network

  • Learn faster

Key Mindset: Focus on internal metrics of success, don't let external expectations command your learning priorities

Life Beyond Legacy

Shift from Legacy to Generativity:

  • Focus on depth of connection in the here and now

  • Career is not a linear ladder but a nonlinear path of shared discovery


Five Keys to Generative Impact

Key #1: Do the Work First

  • Luck increases with network surface area

  • Share proof of work

  • Build reputation as someone who creates value

Key #2: Grow Lateral Roots

  • Expand skills laterally rather than just vertically

Key #3: Prioritize Impact Over Image

  • Embrace multipotentiality and portfolio careers

  • Contributions need not be limited to a single field

Key #4: Close the Loop to Open Doors

  • Complete cycles create new opportunities

Key #5: Play Along the Way

  • Have fun with the process


The Ultimate Question

Final Reflection: "How can I use my skills and experiences to positively impact the people around me right now?"

Key Takeaways

  • Replace goal obsession with curiosity-driven experiments
  • Use the PACT framework to turn doubts into actionable commitments
  • Practice mindful productivity by understanding your natural rhythms
  • Embrace imperfection as a pathway to growth
  • Collaborate with uncertainty through growth loops
  • Focus on generative impact over legacy building
Core Message: "The most powerful tool at your disposal is your ability to reinvent, reimagine, and reshape your career journey in ways that generate value for yourself and others, as the world around you transforms."


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