Try something different
I’m sitting in a quiet room, in a peaceful little hotel hidden
back among the pine trees. It's just past noon, late July,
and I am listening to the desperate sounds of a life-or-
death struggle going on 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 whining 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.
The harder the fly tries, the more exhausted it becomes. It's 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. Finally, the fly is doomed. It dies there on the
windowsill.
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.
If the fly doesn't get it so locked in on the idea that this particular route and
tries another way, it will seek the breakthrough possibly.
Trying harder isn't always 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.
- Price Pritchett
