The French Art of Not Trying Too Hard

Tired of striving? Had enough of grit? Daunted by the 10,000-hour rule? Relax: As the French know, it's the best way to be better at everything.

Whether it's the Protestant work ethic or the capitalist need for productivity, most of us in the English-speaking world believe that in order to achieve anything worthwhile, we must first expend huge amounts of effort and energy. In fact, just the opposite is true, as French philosopher Ollivier Pourriol shows in The French Art of Not Trying Too Hard.

Since Montaigne, philosophers have suggested that a certain je ne sais quoi is the key to a more creative, fulfilling, and productive life. We can see it in the laissez-faire parenting of the French, and their chic style, haute cuisine, and enviable home cooking: They barely seem to be trying, yet the results are world-famous. Drawing lessons from French legends like Descartes, Stendhal, Rodin, Cyrano de Bergerac, and Françoise Sagan, Ollivier Pourriol explores how to be efficient à la française, and how to effortlessly reap the rewards.

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