In this post, we’ll unpack all you need to know about the Law Of Reversed Effort, defining exactly what it is, example, the science behind the concept, how to leverage it and more.
What Is The Law Of Reversed Effort?
The Law Of Reversed Effort (LORE) states that the more we try to achieve something, the less likely we are to achieve it.
Examples
There are many everyday examples of the LORE. The more we try to remember something, the less likely it is we’ll remember. Yet the moment we stop trying, we remember. The more we try to force ourselves to sleep, the less likely we are to fall asleep. Tet the moment we stop trying, we fall asleep.
The Science
Achieving a desired goal involves the interplay between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind. The conscious mind takes care of the what. The subconscious mind takes care of the how.
Thus, the challenge occurs when the conscious mind interferes with the subconscious mind. This prevents the subconscious mind from operating effectively, disrupting automatic processes and psychological flow, making desired outcomes harder to achieve.
How To Leverage The Law Of Reversed Effort
The key to leveraging The Law Of Reversed Effort is to utilise the conscious mind when determining a goal (the result) and the subconscious mind when pursuing a goal (the process).
In other words, optimal performance requires the paradoxical art of doing and non-doing, of effort and relaxation and of conscious action and subconscious response, also known as the flow state. In the flow state, our actions become fluent. The painter becomes the painting. The musician becomes the music.
It’s important to acknowledge there is a marked difference between working hard and trying hard. While working hard will enhance our success in life, trying hard will not. In short, less is more.
Summary (TL;DR)
The Law Of Reversed Effort states that the more we try to achieve a desired outcome, the less likely we are to achieve that outcome.
The essence of this law lies in the conflict that arises when the conscious mind interferes with the subconscious mind. This interference hinders its ability to operate effectively and therefore makes it harder to achieve desired outcomes.
The key to leveraging the LORE is to harness the conscious mind for identifying what your goal is and the subconscious mind for identifying how to get there.
