Inspirant
The Law of Reversed Effort (Aldous Huxley)
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This idea changed my life (and may change yours)...
The Law of Reversed Effort:
In a Zen parable that I love, a martial arts student approaches his teacher and asks, "How long will it take me to master this craft?"
The teacher replies, "10 years."
The student, looking impatient, responds, "I want to master it faster than that. I will work harder than anyone else. I will push myself to practice for many hours every single day. I won't rest until I become a master. How long will it take then?"
The teacher considers this new information, smiles, and answers, "20 years."
This story brings to life a concept called the Law of Reversed Effort, coined by author Aldous Huxley:
"The harder we try with the conscious will to do something, the less we shall succeed."
It's easy to find examples from your own life where this concept rings true:
When you press to try to complete a creative task, you become less creative.
When you actively push to try to find the perfect partner, you rarely find that person.
When you try to force yourself to fall asleep, you stare at the ceiling awake.
Elite sprinters follow something called the 85% rule:
They try to run at 85% intensity because it keeps them loose, fluid, and effortless.
When they try to run at 100% intensity, their body tenses up and they slow down.
The lesson here is simple: When you adopt a mindset of balanced effort, you achieve greater heights.
Life is not about pushing to the max at all times—this is a recipe for burnout and bad results.
Balance your effort, learn to breathe and flow in everything you do.
If you find that headspace, you will always thrive.
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Le débunk
Some nuances needed.
The Law of Reversed Effort, coined by Aldous Huxley, suggests that the harder we consciously try to achieve something, the less likely we are to succeed.
This idea is discussed in in 'The Divine Within: Selected Writings on Enlightenment,' a collection of 26 essays Huxley wrote for 'Vedanta and the West,' a publication by the Vedanta Society of Southern California, a sect of Hinduism. https://cvc.li/ZjCUl
In Chapter 20 titled 'Knowledge and Understanding' (1956), Huxley wrote, inspired by "Wu Wei" Taoism : "There is a Law of Reversed Effort. The harder we try with the conscious will to do something, the less we shall succeed." https://cvc.li/gJDBV
This Law is not scientific, just a philosophical way of thinking.
As for the 85% rule, recently popularized by Hugh Jackman, it is an informal concept that has been relayed for its emphasis on the importance of maintaining a work-life balance but has nothing to do with sportive competitions.
https://cvc.li/EXIUL
https://cvc.li/BNngy
https://cvc.li/ljaSq
En français :
A nuancer.
La loi de l'effort inversé, inventée par Aldous Huxley, suggère que plus nous essayons consciemment d'accomplir quelque chose, moins nous avons de chances de réussir.
Cette idée est abordée dans "The Divine Within : Selected Writings on Enlightenment", un recueil de 26 essais écrits par Huxley pour "Vedanta and the West", une publication de la Vedanta Society of Southern California, une branche de l'hindouisme. https://cvc.li/ZjCUl
Dans le chapitre 20 intitulé "Connaissance et compréhension" (1956), Huxley écrit en s’inspirant du « Wu Wei » taoïste (ce qui peut être traduit par « action sans effort ») : « Il existe une loi de l'effort inversé. Plus nous essayons de faire quelque chose par notre volonté de conscience, moins nous y parviendrons. » https://cvc.li/gJDBV
Article en français sur cette philosphie inspirationelle : https://www.bbc.com/afrique/articles/c80wyqgjwg7o
Quant à la règle des 85 %, préconisée par Hugh Jackman, il s'agit d'un concept informel qui a été largement relayé parce qu'il met l'accent sur l'importance de maintenir un équilibre entre vie professionnelle et vie privée mais n'est pas utilisé en compétition sportive.
https://cvc.li/EXIUL
https://cvc.li/BNngy
https://cvc.li/ljaSq
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