So there’s this thing about human nature that productivity gurus will never tell you in their $497 courses about “optimizing your potential” and it’s this…
We’re fundamentally hedonistic creatures pretending to be rational ones.
Stick with me here. This isn’t going where you think it’s going.
Last Tuesday, I was having one of those days. You know the type of brain fog thick as London smog, motivation flatlining like a heart monitor in a morgue, and the prospect of doing anything productive felt about as appealing as volunteering for dental surgery without Anesthesia…
But then I got a text. Mate’s birthday. Drinks at the local. And despite every fiber of my being wanting to stay home and merge permanently with the sofa, I went.
Today was that day.
Why? Because it felt good. Because I like my friend. Because birthday drinks are inherently more appealing than staring at a blank Google Doc while my cursor blinks judgmentally at my creative inadequacy.
On top of this week being an absolute shit show of epic proportions…
I chose the path of immediate pleasure over the “responsible” choice of forcing myself to work.
But here’s where it gets interesting and this is the bit that’ll make you rethink everything about motivation and goal setting.
That night out? It led to conversations about projects I’d forgotten I was excited about. Connections with people who ended up collaborating on work that actually mattered. Ideas sparked by alcohol lubricated discussions about everything from horror films to the psychology of email marketing.
Yeah it’s not even 10pm here as this email goes out, but all of the effort was made.
Plot twist… Hedonism might be the most underrated productivity hack on the planet.
Think about it. When was the last time you forced yourself to do something “good for you” and it actually stuck?
How’s that gym membership working out? That meditation app you downloaded with such optimism? The morning routine you swore would transform your life?
Now compare that to the things you do consistently without thinking about it. Checking social media. Watching Netflix. Grabbing coffee with friends. Meeting deadlines when there’s actual consequence (and thus actual motivation) attached.
We follow pleasure. Always. Even when we think we’re being disciplined and rational, we’re usually just finding ways to make the “right” choice feel rewarding enough to pursue.
So here’s the radical idea. What if instead of fighting your hedonistic nature, you weaponised it?
The Strategic Hedonism Playbook (Totally not made up lol cause I’ve drank enough Guinness to kill an elephant…)
- Make the path to your goals inherently pleasurable.
Want to write more? Don’t force yourself to write in some sterile productivity environment. Write in cafes where you enjoy the atmosphere. Write about things that genuinely fascinate you, not what you think you “should” write about.
- Attach social rewards to solo work.
That friend’s birthday that got me out of the house? It worked because humans are social creatures who derive pleasure from connection. So build social elements into your goals. Join writing groups. Find accountability partners. Make your progress visible to people whose opinions you value.
- Embrace productive procrastination
You know how you suddenly become incredibly motivated to organise your entire life when you’re avoiding one specific task? That’s not a bug. It’s a feature. Use it. When you can’t bring yourself to work on the big scary project, do smaller adjacent tasks that still move you forward.
- Follow your genuine curiosity, not your “should” list
The things that naturally capture your attention aren’t distractions. I’d hazard a guess and say that they’re breadcrumbs leading to work that won’t feel like work. That random rabbit hole about Victorian funeral photography might seem unproductive, but it could spark the creative project that changes everything.
- Make rest genuinely restful.
Stop treating downtime as something to optimise. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is absolutely nothing. But do it properly. Not scrolling-while-feeling-guilty nothing. Actual, unapologetic, restorative nothing.
The beautiful irony? When you stop trying to force yourself into someone else’s definition of productivity and start working with your actual human nature, you end up getting more done and enjoying the process.
Because here’s what the hustle culture evangelists won’t tell you and it annoys the shit out of me…
Sustainable success isn’t built on willpower and discipline. It’s built on creating systems that feel so naturally rewarding that you’d choose them even when you don’t have to.
It’s built on strategic hedonism.
So the next time someone tells you to “just power through” or “find your why” or whatever other motivational platitude is trending this week, remember this…
The most successful people aren’t the ones who’ve conquered their human nature.
They’re the ones who’ve learned to work with it.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to follow my hedonistic impulses and grab another pint with a friend. Purely for productivity purposes, you understand. It’s nearly 22:00 and well… I got shit to do.
The work will still be there tomorrow. And I’ll probably be more excited to do it.
Hoping I don’t have a massive hangover on top of it all…
Stephen Walker