Newtons Disciplined Obsession Habits of a Scientific Revolutionary
Periodic Table of Habits
Filters & Legend
Impact:
Effort:
Category:
Impact
High
Medium
Low
Effort
High
Medium
Low
Categories
Low Effort
Medium Effort
High Effort
High Impact
No low effort habits
4
Tb
Targeted book annotation
9
Mi
Mathematical immersion
12
Si
Sabbatical isolation
16
Ar
Academic rebellion
1
1h
16-18 hour workdays
5
Ds
Dawn-to-dusk studying
6
Er
Experimental risk-taking
14
Pi
Precision instrument crafting
Medium Impact
7
Cj
Cryptic journaling
11
Sc
Selective collaboration
15
Cp
Controlled publication timing
3
Ss
Selective social isolation
19
Cm
Controlled mentorship
8
Sf
Selective fasting
10
Ae
Alchemical experimentation
Low Impact
17
Ei
Esoteric indexing
18
Fl
Financial lending
2
Si
Sin inventory tracking
13
Tc
Theological cataloging
20
Ls
Legal strategizing
No high effort habits
16-18 hour workdays
Impact:
Effort:
#Productivity
Maintained intense daily study sessions lasting up to 18 hours, often continuing past midnight. Worked in candlelit isolation with minimal breaks, frequently skipping meals to maintain focus.
Sin inventory tracking
Impact:
Effort:
#Growth
Maintained detailed lists of moral transgressions ranging from Sabbath violations to violent thoughts. Categorized 57 offenses with specific dates and contexts for self-accountability.
Selective social isolation
Impact:
Effort:
#Productivity
Avoided nearly all recreational activities and personal relationships. Declined marriage prospects and limited interactions to academic collaborations or professional necessities.
Targeted book annotation
Impact:
Effort:
#Productivity
Created elaborate marginalia systems with page-specific dog-ears pointing to key passages. Developed alphabetical indexes and cross-references in personal book collection.
Dawn-to-dusk studying
Impact:
Effort:
#Productivity
Began academic work at sunrise, continuing through night with candlelight. Maintained this schedule 7 days weekly, averaging 4-5 hours sleep.
Experimental risk-taking
Impact:
Effort:
#Growth
Conducted dangerous self-experiments including solar observation and eye trauma tests. Pushed bodily limits to understand light perception and physiological responses.
Cryptic journaling
Impact:
Effort:
#Resources
Used shorthand and symbolic codes for sensitive thoughts in personal notebooks. Recorded controversial alchemical and theological ideas in disguised formats.
Selective fasting
Impact:
Effort:
#Health
Frequently forgot meals during intense work phases, subsisting on minimal sustenance. When reminded to eat, consumed food absently while continuing research.
Mathematical immersion
Impact:
Effort:
#Productivity
Dedicated years to solitary math development without publishing results. Withheld calculus discoveries for decades while refining methods privately.
Alchemical experimentation
Impact:
Effort:
#Productivity
Conducted weekly lab sessions with precise equipment for metallurgical tests. Documented chemical processes in coded notebooks over three decades.
Selective collaboration
Impact:
Effort:
#Connections
Shared discoveries only with trusted colleagues through private correspondence. Publicly released work only after exhaustive verification and political calculation.
Sabbatical isolation
Impact:
Effort:
#Productivity
Retreated to rural family home for two years during plague outbreak. Converted estate into private research lab with custom-built experimental apparatus.
Theological cataloging
Impact:
Effort:
#Growth
Compiled exhaustive biblical chronologies and doctrinal analyses. Cross-referenced scripture with historical records to calculate creation dates.
Precision instrument crafting
Impact:
Effort:
#Resources
Hand-built telescopes, prisms, and lab equipment with exacting specifications. Developed novel tools like reflecting telescopes through iterative prototypes.
Controlled publication timing
Impact:
Effort:
#Resources
Delayed releasing major works for decades until strategic moments. Coordinated Principia publication with Royal Society political support.
Academic rebellion
Impact:
Effort:
#Growth
Replaced standard curriculum with self-directed study of advanced texts. Focused on Descartes and modern philosophers over Aristotle.
Esoteric indexing
Impact:
Effort:
#Productivity
Created thematic indexes with pejorative terms for people and concepts. Added personal commentary to standard reference lists.
Financial lending
Impact:
Effort:
#Resources
Operated informal banking service for Cambridge students. Tracked loans through meticulous ledgers with repayment schedules.
Controlled mentorship
Impact:
Effort:
#Connections
Trained select students through intense 1:1 tutorials. Demanded absolute dedication while sharing unpublished research methods.
Legal strategizing
Impact:
Effort:
#Resources
Pursued adversaries through systematic litigation and reputation attacks. Documented conflicts extensively for potential legal use.
