Pushing through is (not) a strategy

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 08:24:12 +0200

I never really understood the Just do it¹ mantra.² If it was so easy, it would already have been done. Just suggest it is easy, implying the person doing is the problem. Just do it can be perceived as not very motivating and even can feel a bit condesending, if said to someone who’s failing at something in the very moment.

It’s similar to the idea that success is a matter of mindset. Success is a matter of mindset, amongst other things: circumstances, privileges, like a (financial) safety net, education, etc. Mindset however is something which comes from within according to Wikipedia: “[M]indset is the cognitive process activated in response to a given task”. In other words the term mindset ignores all other factors of success. Mindset can be important, but stating you need the right mindset to be successful, also implies that not being successful means you have the wrong mindset.³ It’s essentially blaming the person rather than providing an approach to achieve a goal.

Strategy on /prəˈtruːd/

Pushing through is (not) a strategy