It's Time for a New Solution
Dear Essentialists,?
Most of us believe the solution to almost any problem is more effort.?
We've all used (or overused) this strategy at one time or another. Just give enough effort and we can push the boulder uphill.
Work longer hours. Obsess over the situation more. Drive your team harder.??
But the Law of Diminishing Returns tells us that past a certain point, additional effort yields less results. What’s worse, if we continue to double down on the “more effort approach” diminishing returns turn into negative returns.?Additional effort can actually sabotage our performance.?
Maybe it’s time for a new solution.?
Instead of forcing action, what if we were able to tap into effortless action?
Here’s what I mean:
Think about the last time you were “in the zone” or “in flow”. Every action is smooth and instinctive. You do your best work almost without thinking. You make things happen even without trying. This is effortless action.?
The goal is not to accomplish our goals by sheer determination and will. Instead, try accomplishing what matters by trying less, not more.??
领英推荐
What problem are you overthinking? How could that problem be solved easier by acting intentionally and instinctively?
“We can not solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them”
― Albert Einstein
In gratitude,?
Greg
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p.s. Don't miss?this week's episode?of the?What's Essential?podcast. Former sports agent, Molly Fletcher shares how to make sure you are at your peak level of performance when it matters most.?Listen here.
CEO at ?????????? ?????????????? ???????????????? | ? Professional Service Cleaning ? Healthcare Environmental Services ? Office Cleaning ? Industrial Cleaning ? Residential House Cleaning ? Janitorial Services
3 年Well said! Overextending ourselves without knowing the purpose won't make us efficient. We would end up doing the wrong things and making a wrong way out. It is indeed time for a new solution - not sweat the unnecessary things.
Technology Standards[Technical Director] | 3GPP Expert - 5G/6G Standards | CTO office | Chair - Autonomous AI/ML framework - NGMN Author - Mobile Evolution - Insights | Senior Member IEEE Speaker | Patents | IETF RFCs
3 年A well-defined problem reveals the solution.
Director of Retirement Sales Execution
3 年Can’t help but be reminded of the wisdom “work naturally expands to fill the time allotted to it” Greg McKeown. Thanks for your post.
Onboarding Manager at LinkedVA
3 年That's a great insight! Sometimes the problem never goes away because we do the same thing again and again. If you want different results. then explore other solutions. It's not bad to change your ways.
Global Leadership and Team Coach | Leadership Development and Strategy Consultant
3 年I'm not sure this is so much about the individual, yes, we can, and should, work to maintain boundaries and seek flow, but is it not the system that really needs a new solution? Short term delivery and profit paradigms, at the cost of people, society and climate. THIS needs to change.