The Myth of More: Why Working Harder Isn't the Solution

You’re working late… again. The to‑do list is longer, your focus is worse, and yet you keep telling yourself, “I just need to push harder.” Here’s the twist: research shows that past a certain point, adding more hours can quietly start subtracting from your results.

A strange thing happens when “I’ll just do a bit more” becomes your default move: your entire day quietly reorganizes around urgency instead of impact. You start treating your calendar like a suitcase—if there’s empty space, you feel compelled to stuff something else in. Meetings that should be 20 minutes swell to 45. Emails you could ignore become mini-essays. Minor tasks sneak onto center stage, while the work that actually moves your career forward keeps getting pushed to “when I finally have time.”

This is the myth of more in action: the belief that adding effort automatically adds value. But notice what’s missing from that equation: intention. The most sustainable high performers aren’t the ones who tolerate the most pressure; they’re the ones who are ruthlessly selective about what deserves their full effort in the first place. In this episode, we’ll zoom in on how “more” quietly hijacks your choices—and what to do instead.