I was helping a friend chainsaw a large eucalypt that had fallen across a path.
The chainsaw got jammed.
No matter how much we tried to pry the cut apart, it wouldnโt budge.
In frustration, my friend walked to the far end of the limb โ about two metres from the cut โ and lifted it.
Pop.
The chainsaw came free.
It struck me how often this is what happens when weโre trying to create change.
We assume more pressure will help.
So we push harder. Dig deeper. Apply more force.
But more often, we get resistance.
Reactance. Obstinance.
Because no one likes being forced.
So next time youโre in a jam, try this instead:
Remove pressure.
Create space.
And let the gravity of the situation do the work for you.
P.S. Thanks for being a subscriber. I'll share ideas about behavioural science with you every Monday, Wednesday and Friday ๐.
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