The Cure for Reluctance: Increase Your Taste and Tolerance for Mischief
We live in an age that often assumes every problem must be traced to its deepest root before meaningful progress can occur.
Sometimes that’s true, and helpful. But many problems are more responsive to practical workarounds than profound insight.
I have found that true of reluctance.
Most people think reluctance comes from fear.
Sometimes it does.
But I think there is another culprit hiding in plain sight: an insufficient tolerance for mischief.
That may sound odd, but stay with me.
Many of us spend our lives trying to avoid mistakes, embarrassment, awkwardness, criticism, controversy, misunderstandings, raised eyebrows, and moments that might make us look foolish.
We become highly skilled at staying within the lines. We learn to be careful, proper, sensible, and predictable.
Unfortunately, reluctance thrives in exactly that environment.
Reluctance is often not asking, not speaking, not trying, not volunteering, not expressing, not approaching, not risking, and not acting. It is the pause before the action. It is the hesitation that quietly talks us out of opportunities.
What if the answer is not to become fearless?
What if the answer is to become just a little more mischievous?
When I use the word mischief, I don’t mean causing harm, being dishonest, creating trouble for others. And certainly not impish or silly.
I mean developing a playful willingness to color outside the lines occasionally. I mean becoming comfortable with harmless experimentation.
People with a healthy tolerance for mischief often seem less burdened by reluctance. They are willing to ask the question. They are willing to tell the joke.
They are willing to wear the unusual hat, strike up the conversation, suggest the idea, raise their hand, or try something new.
Why?
Because they are not constantly seeking permission from the world.
They have made peace with the possibility that something might be awkward, imperfect, or unexpected.
Think about the opportunities reluctance steals.
A compliment never given.
A friendship never started.
A dream never pursued.
An idea never shared.
A song never sung.
A business never launched.
A life never fully lived.
Now imagine approaching those same situations with a little more mischief.
Instead of asking, “What if this doesn’t work?”
You might ask, “What if this becomes a good story?”
Instead of asking, “What if people think I’m foolish?”
You might ask, “What if being a little foolish is part of the fun?”
Instead of asking, “What if I fail?”
You might ask, “What harmless adventure am I missing by staying put?”
Life is serious business, but living was never meant to become tedious. Joy, fun, pleasure, relationships – and the occasional act of conscientious, well-orchestrated mischief – are essential ingredients of a Life Well-Lived.
Mischief has an interesting relationship with self-image. People who see themselves as careful, cautious, and perpetually proper often become prisoners of those identities. Every action is filtered through a concern of violating the role.
By contrast, people who allow themselves a little mischief grant themselves permission to be human.
They expect occasional mistakes. They anticipate awkward moments. They understand that not every experiment will succeed. And because they expect these things, they are less reluctant to act.
The goal is not recklessness.
The goal is freedom.
A little mischief can help you break the invisible rules that have no business controlling your life in the first place.
It can help you challenge assumptions, test possibilities, be more spontaneous and discover that many of your fears are far less dangerous than they appeared from a distance.
So if you want to reduce reluctance, consider an unconventional prescription.
Increase your tolerance for mischief.
Try something.
Say something.
Ask something.
Start something.
Get going!
Color slightly outside the lines today.
You may discover that reluctance loses much of its power when it realizes you are no longer trying to be perfectly behaved.
Aspire.
Be Less Reluctant.
Come Upwards with Us™
