Decoding the Dark Side of Productivity Proverbs
Melissa Gratias, Ph.D.
Productivity expert, speaker, author, coach, and blogger
Proverbs, adages, expressions, and sayings have provided moral guidance, inspiration, and cultural consistency for humans for as long as there have been influencers to say them aloud or chisel them on slabs of rock.
We morph the wisdom of gurus into memes, books, and wall art. We elect leaders based on their pithy slogans and make life decisions based on the advice of people who lived and died thousands of years ago. Quotes become the language of an era and the media that dominates it.
How productive is our penchant for sound bites?
Let’s analyze five popular productivity adages in the US. With each pearl of wisdom, note that there is a balance to achieve. According to Master Yoda, sometimes we “must unlearn what we have learned.”
Slow down to speed up.
The origins of this principle may be found in Tai Chi and Aikido . Even in the midst of combat, practitioners are taught to remain calm and move deliberately. Power is a result of precision and timing rather than strength and speed.
The rapid pace of information and opportunities makes us feel like we have to be constantly sprinting to keep up. The world seems to prioritize activity over productivity. “Slow down to speed up” is about pausing to assess a situation and plan your approach.
Positive takeaways:
Negative applications:
Measure twice, cut once.
An adage common in woodworking, this phrase reminds novice and experienced carpenters alike to avoid waste and costly mistakes through accurate measurement.
Quality often results from having an accurate plan, and an accurate plan can result from meticulous analysis. “Measure twice, cut once” is about saving money, time, and materials by being extra-special sure you were correct in your initial assessments.
Positive takeaways:
Negative applications:
No pain, no gain.
If this adage has evoked images of Jane Fonda, Richard Simmons, and other bodybuilders and fitness gurus of the 1980s, you are both old and correct. Although ancient Stoic philosophers emphasized the importance of hardship as a path to resilience, VHS fitness tapes likely gave this phrase the popularity it enjoys.
The underlying message of “no pain, no gain” extends beyond the VCR. Meaningful growth often necessitates perseverance in the face of setbacks. There is no such thing as overnight success, even if social media can make it look that way.
Positive takeaways:
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Negative applications:
The devil is in the details.
A task may appear straightforward, but don’t let that fool you. Don McLean may have crooned that “fire is the devil’s only friend,” but this adage reminds us that seemingly minor details can have significant impacts if overlooked.
Neglecting details such as resource allocation, communication needs, and training implications can derail a project manager . However, hyper-attention to details can derail a leader . There is a balance when you strike a deal with the devil.
Positive takeaways:
Negative applications:
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
Aristotle, Confucius, and my Nannanny all espoused the virtues of integrity, discipline, and mastery in all endeavors. Pursue excellence, adhere to moral principles, and tend your vegetable garden well. Half-hearted efforts and shortcuts are unlikely to yield successful harvests.
“Anything worth doing is worth doing well” is the war cry of the perfectionist. As a recovering perfectionist , I encourage all of us to approach this adage with a goal of balanced interpretation and application.
Positive takeaways:
Negative applications:
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Old adages can provide insight and guidance. They can also impose unproductive limits on behaviors.
Look for the wisdom in pithy quotes, but also be aware of the pitfalls.
After all, the devil is in the details…