You might be solving it wrong without even knowing it

Carl Jacobi, a nineteenth-century mathematician, discovered that some problems are solved most easily by looking at them upside down. He called this approach “inversion.” Instead of asking, “How can I work harder to tackle this report?,” he asked, “What if writing this report could be effortless?”

This simple shift in perspective often reveals steps you never considered. Imagine you have to organize a cluttered garage. Your gut tells you to spend hours sorting boxes, but inversion might reveal you only need to place one label on each bin or call a neighbor to take a pile of old magazines off your hands. Suddenly, the seemingly Herculean task takes minutes.

Inversion works because our brains are wired to follow the path of least effort. By flipping assumptions, you align with that natural tendency rather than fighting it. You uncover solutions you’d never see by pounding away with brute force.

Once you practice inversion, it becomes a tool you can pull out whenever you feel stuck. Like a lens that removes glare, it lets you clearly spot the fish beneath the surface. It’s not magic—just a reliable, repeatable way to make hard things easy.

When you face something that feels overwhelming, start by listing exactly what you’re up against. Then note every reason you think it’s hard, and flip those reasons on their head—almost like a mental dare. With that fresh question in mind, pick the simplest reversal and try it immediately. Notice how a tiny experiment can unlock an easier path. Give it a try tonight.