R3ciprocity.com - Prof David Maslach: Innovation; Research Life; Striving Towards Happiness

Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as a perfect choice. You can strategize, analyze, and try to predict the future, but the reality is that most big decisions—whether it’s starting a PhD, switching careers, or taking on a major project—are leaps of faith.

You will never have enough information. You will always feel like you might be making the wrong move. And sometimes? You will make the wrong move.

But here’s the thing: once you make a choice, the only thing left to do is commit to it. You learn, you adapt, and you deal with the outcomes as they come. The worst thing you can do is stay stuck, waiting for certainty that will never come.

The truth is, most successful people don’t have a perfect plan—they just keep moving forward, even when they’re unsure.

In a world that feels increasingly polarized and chaotic, it’s easy to believe that things are falling apart. But is this really new, or are we just more aware of it? This reflection challenges the idea that innovation is dying or that society is uniquely divided today. Instead, it argues that we’re simply witnessing long-standing tensions more clearly in the digital age. Looking at history, we see that past generations faced immense hardship, yet people rebuilt, forgave, and moved forward. So maybe, as Taylor Swift reminds us, we need to “calm down” and listen more—both to others and to history.

Most of life is pretty boring. And that’s the problem. We chase distractions, looking for the next exciting thing, while ignoring the slow, unglamorous work that actually gets us somewhere.

I’m here to tell you the truth no one wants to hear: success isn’t about making a ton of money overnight. It’s about making small, painful decisions every single day—decisions that most people won’t make. Like saving before spending. Like planning 30 years ahead when everyone else is living paycheck to paycheck.

And here’s the kicker: even when you do everything right, you’ll feel guilty when you finally get there. That’s the paradox of success.

I don’t believe a lot of research now that I understand how it’s actually made. When you realize when you get into it is how challenging it actually is and how uncertain and frustrating it actually is. You’ll also realize that there’s no right answers.

You will tun into many people at all walks of life that will not want to learn from you. The only thing that you can do is say, bless your heart and move on.

People think going back to school later in life should be about learning something practical or current. But that’s missing the point. The real value of education isn’t in learning what’s trendy or immediately useful—it’s in learning things that seem irrelevant, abstract, and even useless at first.

Why? Because that’s what expands your thinking. It forces you to see the world from different perspectives, to engage with ideas you never considered, and to challenge your assumptions. Learning something “irrelevant” isn’t a waste of time—it’s a way to grow, to build empathy, and to train your mind to approach problems from new angles.

If you’re thinking about going back to school but worry it won’t be practical enough, remember this: the most valuable lessons often come from the things that don’t seem to matter—until they do.

I teach entrepreneurship and innovation, but here’s the truth: I wouldn’t recommend jumping in full-time. It’s extraordinarily risky, and you will inevitably get burned. Most startups fail, and even the ones that succeed take years of struggle.

There are only two approaches I’d ever recommend. The first? Take the tried-and-true path—get a solid education, build real expertise, and develop skills that no one wants to learn because they’re hard and messy. The second? If you must do something entrepreneurial, build your career first and work on your venture on the side. It will take longer, you will make countless mistakes, and people will tell you it’s a waste of time. But at least you’ll have a foundation to fall back on.

Everyone glorifies entrepreneurship—but few talk about the cost. So before you leap, make sure you know what you’re getting into.

So often, I find myself walking the line between rational thinking and sounding like a conspiracy theorist when I talk about how people strategize to get ahead. But the truth is, people are actually very predictable—we follow systems and social expectations almost without thinking. Look at how we drive; we don’t randomly swerve into the other lane, even though technically, nothing is stopping us.

And yet, so many of us hold back from doing things that could move us forward—not because others are actually thinking about us, but because we believe they are. That fear of judgment is one of the most powerful forces that stop people from being productive, taking risks, and doing innovative things. We spend so much time worrying about how others will perceive us that we don’t actually take action.

But here’s the truth: people are deeply preoccupied with themselves. No one is thinking about you as much as you think they are. And yet, that fear is so strong that it can keep you from doing anything that matters. The irony? Not taking action is still a choice. So why not choose to do something that moves you forward? If you’re feeling stuck, it’s probably not because you lack ideas or ability—it’s because you’re afraid of what people might think. But what if you stopped caring? What if you just did the thing? You’d be surprised at how much you can accomplish when you stop holding yourself back.

Productivity is overrated. The more you chase it, the more you burn out, stress out, and feel like you’re never doing enough. But here’s the irony: the less you focus on productivity, the more productive you actually become.

Instead of asking, “How do I get more done?” ask:

1️⃣ How do I create certainty? People work best when they feel secure and grounded.

2️⃣ How do I build belonging? A sense of community makes work meaningful and sustainable.

3️⃣ How do I cultivate love for the work? Productivity naturally follows when work feels purposeful and fulfilling.

When people feel valued, connected, and emotionally secure, they naturally become more engaged, creative, and effective. Real productivity isn’t about doing more—it’s about feeling like you belong.

What you perceive are disadvantages are gifts.