3 Ways to Trick Your Brain Into Doing Hard Work

This video offers three strategies to overcome creative blocks and tackle challenging tasks by “tricking” your brain into working. The core idea revolves around easing into the task instead of confronting it head-on, fostering a “flow state” of focused productivity. The strategies involve starting small, embracing imperfection, and working in unconventional settings.

Highlights

🧠 Start Incredibly Small: Break down overwhelming tasks into minuscule, manageable steps. The speaker uses the example of writing a book, initially planned as a small PDF, that eventually grew into a full-length work.
📝 Embrace “Garbage” Work: Allow yourself to create imperfect drafts without immediate editing. The initial output doesn’t have to be perfect; the goal is simply to start and build momentum.
💡 Jot in Non-Ideal Places: Work in unexpected environments (shower, car, etc.) that are less intimidating than a designated workspace. This reduces the pressure associated with the task and location.
🎧 Non-Newtonian Fluid Analogy: The speaker uses the analogy of a non-Newtonian fluid to illustrate how approaching a task gradually, rather than forcefully, allows for smoother engagement and avoids feeling overwhelmed.
🎶 Personal Example: The speaker uses his music production as an example, explaining how starting with simple jamming sessions on guitar or piano makes the process less daunting than immediately aiming for a fully-produced track.