Doing Less to Achieve More

In January 2010, Novak Djokovic was playing in the Australian Open quarterfinals when he nearly collapsed on the court.

A rising star in the tennis world, Djokovic seemed to always struggle in the big matches.

He had shown flashes of genius. But he also had epic meltdowns.

Commentators speculated as to the cause—was it asthma? Hypochondria? Was he just a joker trying to distract from the game?

A nutritionist and fellow Serb, Dr. Igor Cetojevic, watching from the other side of the world, knew it was something else.

He suspected Djokovic’s breathing issues were due to a buildup of toxins in his gut.

Cetojevic contacted Djokovic and convinced him to try out a new diet.

For two weeks, Djokovic went gluten-free, which was remarkably difficult to someone who had grown up on pizza and pasta.

But he did it. And when he was done it was like he was a new man.

He was ten pounds lighter, was no longer bloated, and no longer had a brain fog every morning.

More importantly, he performed on court. 

He was stronger, more agile, and no longer had his breathing issues in the middle of matches. 

He started to win, reaching the US Open final later that year. 

The next year, he dominated the tour, winning ten tournaments, three Grand Slams, and 43 consecutive matches in what commentators called the single best year in tennis history.

– – –

In sports, as it is in every realm of our lives, there is an effort bias.

We tend to think we can overcome challenges simply by doing more, putting in more effort.

As Gen. Stanley McChrystal put it, “When we realized that [Al-Qaeda in Iraq] was outrunning us, we did what most large organizations do when they find themselves falling behind the competition: we worked harder.” 

But there is a limit to the amount we can do using the same old method.

Sometimes, we need to do less to achieve our goals.

One of the first things that Steve Jobs did when he returned to Apple in 1997 was to simplify the product line.

From a sprawling list of dozens of offerings, he wanted Apple to offer only four products: a desktop and portable device for professionals and consumers.

By streamlining their products, Jobs turned a $1 billion loss into a $300 million profit in just one year, saving the company.

– – –

When Djokovic was struggling, he assumed that he could push through it. 

He lifted weights and practiced more. 

But, as he found, more wouldn’t do it. He had to simplify to excel.

Once he did, nothing could stand in his way. 

Djokovic vies for his 24th Grand Slam championship this weekend at the US Open, which would tie Margaret Court’s record.