the path of least resistance

Imagine being productive without feeling like you’re wading through a swamp of tasks, each more daunting than the last.

Here’s the kicker: it’s not just a fantasy.

By strategically choosing tasks that require the least effort while maintaining output efficiency, you can indeed boost your productivity.

You’ve probably heard of the phrase, ‘work smarter not harder.’

I never understood this by the way, I still often do think that hard work beats everything at the end of the day.

But, I came to understand that only the truly successful actually work smarter than harder. That’s the only reason why they became successful in the first place.

As I dived into understanding more about these people and their stories, I observed two main differentiators almost everyone shared/followed:

1. The Principle of Least Effort

2. Reducing the friction between thinking and doing.

Let’s go deeper into these two factors that answer the question:

How does the top 1% stay in the top 1% ?

The Principle of Least Effort

The principle of least effort is rooted in the idea that people will naturally gravitate towards the path that requires the least amount of work to achieve a desired outcome.

This doesn’t mean being lazy; it means being smart about how you allocate your energy and resources.

Think about it—why climb a mountain when you can take a well-paved path that leads to the same summit?

The thing that you’re doing? There is ALWAYS a better way to do it.

Of course, no one expects you to do it right, and more importantly, no one expects you to do it the best way on the first try.

This could be tackling a project, a new essay, or any task in general right?

If this task is something you know you will do again in the future (almost every task), just go ahead and start.

Most people have trouble starting.

‘I’m not ready yet.’

‘I’m waiting for the right time.’

‘I don’t know if I would do it right.’

You will only know if you’re doing it right, after multiple ways of doing it wrong.

You won’t know until you start.

So just, start.

You’ll figure it out.

It’s an iterative process. A feedback loop.

You learn as you go.

You don’t start right.

You start. Then, you set it right. Course-correct.

You do it enough times until you find the best and fastest way to do it while maintaining/increasing output efficiency.

This is why the rich stay rich, and become richer, even though they put in fewer hours every week.

Because they have done it enough times and found a million ways to do it wrong.

Until they found the one and best way, of doing it right.

The principle of least effort.

Reducing Friction between ‘Think’ and ‘Do’

Adopting a minimalist approach to your tasks can also help you stay on the path of least resistance.

Minimalism isn’t about doing less; it’s about doing what matters most.

Focus on the essential tasks that drive the most value.

Steve Jobs wore the same style of black turtleneck and jeans every day so he can eliminate the trivial decision of what to wear, he freed up mental space for more important decisions.

I know this sounds borderline cuckoo, but hey, it clearly worked for him. 🤷‍♂️

We take so much time in thinking we want to do something, and actually doing it.

You become more productive as you decrease the time taken between ‘think’ and ‘do’.

You simply get more shit done.

I sometimes decide what I’m going to wear the night before. Before going out for dinner, I clean my desk so I’ll be all set when I come back home at night to work.

It’s all about reducing the friction.

If I see that my desk is empty and all the books I need are still in my bag, I have no motivation to study.

Eliminate that friction.

Reduce time between ‘think’ and ‘do’.

The shorter the time, the more you get done. Simple.

Here’s three pointers you can use:

1. Prioritize High-Impact, Low-Effort Tasks:
   
   Use the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize tasks based on their urgency and importance.
   
   Focus on tasks that are both important and easy to complete. These tasks often yield the highest return on investment in terms of time and effort.
   

2. Leverage Tools and Technology:
   
   Automation is your best friend. Use tools that can handle repetitive tasks for you. For instance, email templates, essays, and even AI writing assistants can significantly reduce the time you spend on mundane tasks.

3. Delegate Wisely:
   
   If a task is low-resistance but not necessarily within your skill set, delegate it.
    
   Delegation isn’t about offloading work; it’s about ensuring tasks are handled by the person best suited for them.

The path of least resistance isn’t about cutting corners or shirking responsibilities.

It’s about finding the sweet spot where effort and efficiency intersect.

Remember, productivity isn’t about how much you do; it’s about how much you achieve.

Nex time ask yourself: is there a path of least resistance that leads to the same summit?

This takes time to learn, but you’ll be on your way.

To working smarter, not harder.