STOP! Trying Harder...

The week of my best-of-the-best favorites continues with this powerful, little gem...

When I first got involved with writing for network marketing, I quickly (and fortunately) met Richard Brooke. He sent me a little booklet titled you² (as in squared) by Dr. Price Pritchett. To this day it remains one of my top 10 reads of all time. (Amazon has it for $7.95).

I believe I've published this piece below at least two times a year since I first read it— and I've told the story and retold it more times than I can remember. Enjoy this powerful story from the very beginning of the booklet... And please, tell it again and again.

____________________

I’m sitting is a quiet room at the Millcroft Inn, a peaceful little place hidden back among the pine trees about an hour out of Toronto. It’s just past noon, late July, and I’m listening to the desperate sounds of a life-or-death struggle going on just a few feet away.

There’s a small fly burning out the last of its short life’s energies in a futile attempt to fly through the glass of the windowpane. The winning wings tell the poignant story of the fly’s strategy— try harder.

But it’s not working.

The frenzied effort offers no hope for survival. Ironically, the struggle is part of the trap. It is impossible for the fly to try hard enough to succeed at breaking through the glass. Nevertheless, this little insect has staked its life on reaching its goal through raw effort and determination.

This fly is doomed. It will die there on the windowsill.

Across the room, ten steps away, the door is open. Ten seconds of flying time and this small creature could reach the outside world it seeks. With only a fraction of the effort now being wasted, it could be free of this self-imposed trap. The breakthrough possibility is there. It would be so easy.

Why doesn’t the fly try another approach, something dramatically different? How did it get so locked in on the idea that this particular route, and determined effort, offer the most promise for success? What logic is there in continuing until death, to seek a breakthrough with “more of the same?”

No doubt this approach makes sense to the fly. Regrettably, it’s an idea that will kill.

“Trying harder” isn’t necessarily the solution to achieving more. It may not offer any real promise for getting what you want out of life. Sometimes, in fact, it’s a big part of the problem.

If you stake your hopes for a breakthrough on trying harder than ever, you may kill your chances for success.

From you2 (you squared)
By Price Pritchett, Ph.D.

______________________________

Please, let me know what you appreciate most about this story and what makes that special for you?

Thanks.
I appreciate you!

 

Please click to bookmark and share this post with others:

Comments

[Michael Eisbrener]

This is one of my favorites! I have watched flies buzz and pound on glass while the very next pane is free air to the outside. Just like some people I know they are so tired of pounding their head on the glass that when they move to the open pane they appear to fear more pounding and hold back, only to return to the glass, pounding, buzzing and securing their death. Maybe it's the extra heat that's the attraction but whatever it is, it's deadly.

It is tough when you are the fly recognizing it, especially if you are a work harder, hunker down and I will make this work kind of guy. Beware of your 'winning' formulas.