Have you ever felt that no matter how hard you try, you just can't progress with your goals? You feel stuck, trying your hardest to make it happen, but you just can't seem to get the results you want.
Well, the answer could be a lot simpler than you think. In fact, the answer could even be the reverse of what you imagined. Let's talk about the law of reversed effort.
What is the Law of Reversed Effort?
The concept of the law of reversed effort was defined by writer and philosopher Aldous Huxley. Having written over 50 books in his lifetime, Huxley was no stranger to hard work. He could take an idea from its first stages to completion with what looked like relative ease.
However, it was while working on his many books and projects throughout his lifetime that Huxley found a pattern emerging. The more he would want to work on a project, the more difficult the work was to complete.
Huxley explained, "The harder we try with the conscious will to do something, the less we shall succeed." Effort becomes a paradox, and only when we can combine activity with relaxation can we strike a balance that helps us reach the goals set by ourselves and by others.
The Paradox of Effort
This paradox of effort is like swimming against the current in a river. We can swim upstream, trying to reach a place to rest with all our might, using all our efforts to fight the rushing water, and still not get close to where we need to be.
Or, we can let the current take us downstream and find a different spot to get out of the water. We've not had to fight our way against the current but instead let the flow take us somewhere else, with a similar outcome.
The law of reversed effort uses principles from the ancient Chinese philosophy of Wu Wei, which emphasizes non-doing or effortless action. Wu Wei is about surrendering to what is meant for you, like a stick riding the current, surrendering to what is, and giving it time, patience, and space to just be.
If you want to learn more about the concept of Wu Wei, we have a whole other video on this for you to enjoy.
Practical Examples of the Law of Reversed Effort
Let's look at another example: insomnia. You can lay awake for hours trying to get some rest, but sleep doesn't come to you.
It's only when you put your attention on something else, like counting sheep or reading, that you can finally enjoy a good night's rest.
This is a near-perfect example of reversed effort and surrender. We can't force our way to falling asleep. Trying to control this just doesn't work.
The mounting pressure of a situation often causes this inability to act or work on the outcome.
This pressure stops us from doing things with ease, and it's only when we find ways to reduce this pressure that things will begin to become easier for us.
The pressure from a task or situation creates a counter-pressure that we feel we need to perform in order to meet the demands of that pressure.
However, this only increases the initial pressure in a vicious cycle and causes a freeze response.
Paradoxical Intention: A Form of Reverse Psychology
That's where paradoxical intention comes in. Paradoxical intention is a form of reverse psychology where you do the opposite of what you set out to do.
Traditionally, this concept is used in tackling fears and exposing a person to the fear in order to overcome it. We can also see how this paradoxical intention is involved in the law of reversed effort.
In deciding to care less and give ourselves mental space from our goal or task, we make it easier to achieve.
Let's apply this to learning how to ride a bike as a child. We have the pressure to think about all the different things we need to do in order to ride a bike successfully, like pedaling, balancing, steering, and not falling off.
Our parents might hold us steady while we pedal, and the pressure is lifted while we trust they are helping. When they let go without us knowing, we're able to successfully ride the bike on our own due to the reduction of pressure and no longer overthinking the situation.
Applying the Law of Reversed Effort in High-Pressure Situations
We can also apply the law of reverse effort to high-performing athletes in high-pressure moments too. It's no secret that high-pressure moments, like shooting the winning hoop of a basketball game, can cause athletes to choke under pressure.
Unless the athlete learns to control their nerves, these moments can be their downfall. Using the law of reversed effort through affirmation and grounding techniques to take the pressure off of high-stakes moments can turn a game or competition around.
In fact, in one study, researchers studied what goes through a handball athlete's head in these moments.
The players were asked what they were thinking during crucial moments in a game, as well as why they made decisions.
The players answered that they didn't know. The athletes had gotten in a flow state, moving and playing the game, and as a result, they had less pressure to perform.
This gives us valuable insight into how the law of reversed effort can get us into a flow state just by simply letting go of the pressure that overthinking a situation can cause.
Incorporating the Law of Reversed Effort into Daily Life
So, how can we incorporate the law of reversed effort into our daily routines? The one main rule of this effort is that we can't force it.
You can only achieve this mental rest by letting go. The most obvious way of helping it along is by taking breaks often to mentally get some distance from what you're doing.
You could go on a walk, see a friend, take a trip away, or change your environment.
Another way we can kickstart the law of reversed effort is through grounding techniques. In fact, sports psychologists give grounding techniques to athletes who deal with highly pressurized situations.
This could be breath work, meditation, exercise, mindfulness, or any other grounding technique you can think of.
The Importance of Mindfulness
That brings us to the importance of mindfulness and how this practice can change the game for us. In fact, in a study published in 2019, American researchers found that mindfulness training helped boost productivity levels in workers.
The skills they learned in mindfulness allowed them to let go and be in the present moment, caring less about their tasks and, in return, feeling more motivated and productive than ever before.
The law of reversed effort is a powerful concept if we can use it to our advantage.
By letting go and embracing the flow, you might find yourself effortlessly drifting toward your goals. After all, sometimes the best way to get ahead is to simply take a step back and relax.
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