In his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey talks about the “Law of Reversed Effort.” This law essentially states that the more you try to do something, the less likely you are to succeed. He gives the example of a rubber band; the more you stretch it, the more likely it is to snap. The same is true of people. The more you try to control them, the less likely they are to listen. So, how can you use this information to your advantage? Let’s take a look.
How to Use the Law of Reversed Effort to Your Advantage
There are two key ways that you can use the Law of Reversed Effort to your advantage in both your personal and professional life.
First, you can use it to let go of things that are beyond your control. There are certain things in life that we simply cannot control no matter how hard we try. For example, we can’t control what other people think or say about us. Instead of wasting our energy trying to control the uncontrollable, we should focus on what we can control–our own actions and reactions.
Second, you can use the Law of Reversed Effort to build relationships with others. Remember, the more you try to control someone, the less likely they are to listen. So, if you want to build strong relationships with others, it’s important that you let go of trying to control them and instead focus on building trust and mutual respect. Only then will you be able to truly create lasting relationships with others.
The Law of Reversed Effort is a powerful tool that can be used in both your personal and professional life. By letting go of things that are beyond your control and focusing on building trust-based relationships with others, you can use this law to your advantage in order to create a more successful and fulfilling life.
You may also be interested in:
- The power of habit: how to create good ones and break bad ones
- How The Stoics Handled Anxiety
- 30 Habits for Happiness
