The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
This well-known quote, often attributed to Albert Einstein, cautions us from repeating ineffective actions or continue down paths likely to lead to disappointing outcomes.
Only, Albert Einstein never said it. The Ultimate Quotable Einstein, the self-described ‘most comprehensive collection of Einstein quotations ever published,’ lists the quote in a section called “Misattributed to Einstein.” Going further, the online Quote Investigator researched and concluded: “based on current evidence the saying originated in one of the twelve-step communities [like Alcoholics Anonymous].”
Of course, the actual definition of insanity is “a severely disordered state of the mind usually occurring as a specific disorder.”
More importantly, the underlying premise of the quote isn’t necessarily true. It is possible to do the same thing over and over again but get a different outcome. For example, the Stonecutter’s Credo encourages us to keep hammering the rock and eventually it will crack. In that case, persistence is the key to success.
Similarly, the conflicting saying “practice makes perfect” reminds us that doing the same thing over and over again provides an opportunity to learn and eventually master a task. High-end athletes consistently rely on extended practice sessions to perfect their sport so that actions become muscle memory during games. In his book Outlier, Malcom Gladwell even popularized the 10,000 hour rule as a method to becoming an expert in almost anything. (Note: There’s not much scientific evidence to back up Gladwell’s claim.)
The path to success is usually long and rarely a straight line. It’s doing the same thing over and over again. It getting different results than expected and learning from it. It’s a delicate balance of persistence AND experimentation.
Like many pithy quotes, the definition of insanity isn’t really that useful.
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