P2P No. 29 — On Relentless Drive
The very best don’t have to turn it on. It’s always on. They have to turn it off.—Farnam Street
We often tell ourselves we will start tomorrow. This recursively defined self-deception lures us into the feeling of control and safety. If you do not start, you cannot fail. Which is a problem, to state the obvious. But it is wrong to assume that the other extreme, the obsessive and relentless drive is a good place to be in. Though it seems unconditionally advantageous, it is not:
The very best don’t have to turn it on. It’s always on. They have to turn it off.—Farnam Street
My first encounter with this advice was in Stephen King's memoir, where he emphasizes stopping before you deplete your tank. Why would that be good? Isn't more what paves the road to success? If you love what you do, restraining yourself is an exercise of sheer willpower and self-discipline. The rationale (if that word is proper when tricking our minds) is that by finishing in a state of wanting more, it will be much easier to pick up the pen, the running shoes, or the keyboard the next time.
This might seem to be a luxurious problem: in the era of quiet quitting, you should feel to be blessed if you have relentless drive and always think about work, right? Even though sarcasm cannot tint my written words, it should be obvious (should it?) how ridiculous this sounds.
The only laughingstock I pinpoint is yours truly. Namely, I still have not learned this lesson to the desired extent. I could attribute my failure to the lack of willpower, but that (it surely plays a role) would steal the nuance I am after. So let's grab our scientific scalpel and dissect the reasons why it can be hard to turn it off (perfectionists pay more attention).
Discounting
Humans tend to discount future events way too much. This is why delayed gratification is counterintuitive and why people fail to ascertain the effect of compound interest and of consistent effort. Namely, you could think:
If consistent effort brings much, then more consistent effort could bring exponentially more, right?
Yes, if (very big IF) you can sustain it over time. It is our (my) hubris to think it is possible.
Positive feedback loop
Society considers working too much a virtue, not a vice—at least, there is no stigma attached to it, as in the case of substance abuse. But then, this can lead to a positive feedback loop: it is quite easy to convince yourself about doing good by working more. If you additionally love it, what could be better?
Just like millions of flies like things we would not touch, I would not unconditionally accept the "wisdom" of the crowd. Psychological studies have shown that the desire to conform to a group's opinion can convince people about the obviously wrong conclusion. We feel how a fragile justification for overdrive is seeking the approval of others, though we tend to do it, and then we fall prey to one of our cognitive biases, confirmation bias—i.e., we see that overwork is appreciated.
The narrative
The scientist's epitome wears a white lab coat and works all day and night. Without decades-long perseverance, the Hungarian-born biochemist Katalin Karikó could not have achieved a breakthrough in mRNA technology, which enabled the unprecedentedly quick development of the Pfizer-BionTech vaccine against COVID-19. This perseverance seems to be integral to the fabric of science, popping up constantly, as I have written about it before.
There is probably more to it than sheer perseverance, though. The story of Fields Medalist June Huh is about only (?) three hours of concentrated effort a day. I do not doubt that this is perseverance, too. My hunch is that simply working more is not enough; you need to work better. And you also need to have good reasons for your work.
Sources of drive
Apart from her perseverance, I admire two further traits in Katalin Karikó: the first is her genuine humbleness, which I believe is crucial on the journey of deciphering nature's secrets. The second is her unceasing love of her profession: she frequently mentions in her interviews that she loves to read scientific papers on the weekends. The latter clearly demonstrates that her motivation is coming from within. On the other hand, being extrinsically motivated by fame and money will not bring you far enough.
We need to ask whether intrinsic motivation can be too much. Though this seems to contradict my last statement, I believe it is not: as usual, the devil is in the details. Intrinsic motivation can stem from love or passion, but it can also be fuelled by those feelings saying you do not belong here. If you are intrinsically motivated to prove yourself, that could bring you into overdrive—thus, not all intrinsic motivations are created equal.
Focus and diversity
Diversity is key: my experience is that monotony can accelerate burnout in all walks of life. Having a plan B helps to overcome the ebbs and flows of any endeavor. On the other hand, going all in increases the risk that your identity and undertaking get entangled. Then a throwback often feels like an attack against who you are, which can lead to more efforts to prove "them" wrong, but that is also a dangerous path.
Actionable advice
My colleague, Sebastian, gives you the best advice in case you feel you cannot turn it off: