The Anti-Strategy

Send Carla a message!

For when you find yourself trapped in a spiral of overthinking, making pro and con lists, and wanting to force an outcome? It's the "anti-strategy"– a counterintuitive response.

This episode isn't about abandoning responsibility or ignoring deadlines. Rather, it's an invitation to recognize when forcing clarity through sheer willpower has diminishing returns. Sometimes the most powerful action is doing nothing.

Learn more about Carla:
Website: https:/www.carlareeves.com/
Connect on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reevescarla/
Connect on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@differentlythepodcast

Go to https://carlareeves.com/freeclass to get The Class schedule, sign up, and/or pass it on to a friend. Each month is a new topic. Come hang out and learn with us for FREE!

Get your copy of 5 Ways to Manage Your Mind

Book a Complimentary Strategy Call with Carla: https://bookme.name/carlareeves/strategycall

• If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to share it with a friend.
• A free way to support our show is by leaving a five-star rating and review on your favorite podcast player. It’s a chance to tell us what you love about the show and it helps others discover it, too.

Thank you for listening!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
I'm Carla Reeves, and this is Differently.
Whether you feel stuck insurvival, navigating a change,
or seeking more for your life,may this podcast be your weekly
nudge to take a risk to build alife that is uniquely bold,
authentic and in alignment withyour deepest values.
What if you worried less aboutthe bumps in the road and

(00:23):
instead got equipped for thejourney?
Get ready to rethink what'spossible.
Hey, there, it's Carla.
Today I want to talk aboutsomething that I'm calling the
anti-strategy, because sometimesthe best strategy is having no
strategy at all.
As someone whose brain is instrategy mode, a lot strategy is

(00:50):
actually my topCliftonStrengths.
If you're familiar with theCliftonStrengths, I've been
learning lately that sometimesthe harder we try to figure
things out, the more tangled upwe get.
Maybe you've been here too.
You know those moments whenyou're overthinking every
possible scenario or mapping outall kinds of visions, but

(01:10):
nothing seems to stick, makingendless pro and con lists,
asking everyone for theiropinion or trying to force
clarity through sheer willpowerand you know what it's
exhausting.
And, more importantly,willpower and you know what it's
exhausting and, moreimportantly, it doesn't really
work.
Do you remember those Chinesefinger traps?

(01:33):
They're like these bamboo tubesthat catch your fingers, and
while your brain wants to thinkthat you need to pull your
fingers out to get out of thelittle trap, the tighter it
actually becomes, and thesolution is actually to push
your fingers in towards eachother and that sets you free.
It's completelycounterintuitive, and so is this
idea, but that's exactly whatthis anti-strategy approach is

(01:57):
about.
When everything in you wants topush harder, plan more, think
deeper, what if, instead, yougot out of your head, stepped
away from your desk, closed yourlaptop to just be still or get
yourself involved in somethingentirely different?

(02:17):
I know you might be thinking,but, carla, I have so much to do
and I have plans to make anddecisions to make and deadlines
and responsibilities.
I hear you, and I'm notsuggesting that we abandon all
planning and strategy forever.
What I am suggesting is thatsometimes the best way forward

(02:39):
is to stop forcing things, andif you find yourself in this
spot today, you might just trythis on.
Here's what I want to leave youwith today.
If you're stuck in a cycle ofoverthinking and
over-strategizing, try theanti-strategy approach, even if
it's just for a day.
Give yourself permission to nothave all the answers right now.

(03:02):
Let the waters settle.
Trust that clarity will come.
Sometimes the most powerfulthing we can do is nothing at
all, and sometimes the pathforward becomes clear when we
stop trying so hard to find it.
Thank you for tuning in to thisepisode of Differently.

(03:24):
It's been an honor to sharethis conversation with you.
You know, one of the keys toliving fully is to take action
when you're inspired to do so.
I hope you found that spark ofinspiration today and would you
help us spread the word?
Did someone you know come tomind while you were listening?
If this episode could impactsomeone you know, please share

(03:46):
it and pass it along.
New episodes drop weekly, sotap that subscribe button and
join us next time as we continueto challenge the status quo and
get equipped to live lifedifferently.