When progress stalls, most people push harder. But a stuck car with the parking brake on won't move no matter how much you accelerate. Find the invisible barrier first, then remove it.
We all do it. When we need to convince someone, we push. We double down, we push harder. Your pitch was rejected? Push again. Your product's not selling? Slash the prices. But what if the solution isn't more force, but removing the invisible barriers? This past weekend, I loaded up the car, turned it on, and hit the gas, but we didn't move. So what did I do next? I pushed. I hit the gas again, but even harder this time, and still still didn't move. Then I realized the parking brake was on. I released it and got going. Instead of escalating effort, pause and identify the blocker. Remove the brake, then watch progress happen. Now it's your turn. Where can you stop pushing and start removing obstacles?
The Franklin Effect: Turn Your Biggest Critic Into Your Strongest Supporter (Psychology Explained)
