You Can Just Do Things

Extraordinary results don't require genius or grit – they require agency, and anyone can build it

You’ve been taught success comes from careful planning, learning the ropes, and earning one promotion at a time. But what about the people who seem to skip all that?

We all know a few rare individuals who never stop moving, taking wild risks, and collecting public failures, yet somehow always seem to land on top.

Why don’t the rules apply to them? What if they don’t apply to you either?

In You Can Just Do Things, Cate Hall argues that the so-called “rules” of success aren’t rules at all — they’re productivity guidelines for low-agency people. Hall shows readers how to live with agency and take control of your future:
Increase your surface area for luckTake every shortcut availableBuild 'forcing functions' that ensure commitmentUse your deepest insecurities as fuel for growth
High-agency people act on the world, rather than the world acting on them. If you want to claim ownership of your life, regardless of how small or large the change is or where you’re starting from, more agency is the key to making it happen. this book provides a guide on how to take full control and navigate towards a life that satisfies you completely and benefits everyone around you.

An uncomfortable psychological journey and a toolkit for bold living, You Can Just Do Things reveals how to stop waiting and start building the life you want.

About the author

Cate Hall is a former Supreme Court lawyer, world-ranked poker player, and recovering addict turned CEO of the $3 billion Astera Institute, where she funds visionary science and technology projects. Her viral Substack essay on agency, How to Be More Agentic, has been praised by thought-leaders like James Clear and Nate Silver, and inspired her upcoming TED Talk.