AC Podcast: The Perils of ‘Trying Harder’

When the ideas aren’t flowing the way you’d like, there can be a strong temptation to “knuckle down” and simply try harder on a project. While diligence and urgency are critical to doing excellent work, there are times when additional effort alone will be ineffective.

“One of the best books of the year. Passionate, practical and powerful, Todd will help you do more and do it better, starting right now.”
– Seth Godin, author of The Icarus Deception

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Todd Henry

Positioning himself as an “arms dealer for the creative revolution”, Todd Henry teaches leaders and organizations how to establish practices that lead to everyday brilliance. He is the author of five books (The Accidental Creative, Die Empty, Louder Than Words, Herding Tigers, The Motivation Code) which have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and he speaks and consults across dozens of industries on creativity, leadership, and passion for work.

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3 Comments

Norah Shannon Medlin on November 10, 2013 at 10:21 pm

I am constantly at fault for wearing myself thin, not taking breaks, not eating. I am obsessive and perfectionist. I have been known to beat a problem to a pulp so badly that the original premise is often lost in the mess. In order to allow my body and mind to rest, I have developed a few methods of my own.

Being a software engineer, I must consistently develop creative solutions to a never-ending stream of problems. Using Agile project management techniques, I schedule blocks, form and monitor progress towards goals and assign and manage priorities. This way, I always have a figurative pause button handy as this system frees me from being worried about where I am or what thought work I have completed. Effectively, this allows me the freedom to take frequent breaks in concentrated effort.

I agree that doing a mindless activity is essential to any break and these types of activities are numerous in our lives. I will usually take this time to do errands or chores. Although, I would agree that mixing things up with a few hobbies is also very satisfying. I enjoy crafting, cooking and gaming in my spare time.
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Matt Steen on November 10, 2013 at 11:17 pm

It’s not what you know, it’s what you do.

Needed to be reminded of this today.
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Laura Rollins on November 13, 2013 at 11:36 pm

Thanks for the reminder to take breaks! It can be hard to value breaks when it seems nothing good comes from them…. that is when it is good to remember that while I may be ‘on-break’, my sub-conscious is not. My ‘on-break’ time is the best time for my sub-conscious to be hard at work!
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