Overused Phases to Retire
The Contrarian post
It’s popular to share quotes and phrases that inspire people, but let’s flip the script. What about those overused phrases that just don’t sit right? This is my contrarian post, let’s dive into some of these clichés and why they need a rethink.
“The Definition of Insanity”
People love to say, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." Let’s clear something up, this is not the actual definition of insanity. According to the dictionary:
Insanity: the state of being seriously mentally ill; madness.
Yes, it may be a bit pedantic to point out the specific definition, but hey it’s one of the reason it bugs me.
The phrase sounds catchy but breaks down under scrutiny. If Michael Jordan had quit basketball after not making his high school varsity team in his sophomore year, would that have been sane? What if he didn’t get a duk the first time he tried? Or if Thomas Edison had stopped trying after a few (thousands) failed attempts at inventing the light bulb, would history have branded him a genius?
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” - Thomas Edision
Greatness often requires persistence, learning from failure, and, yes, a little stubbornness. So instead of reducing perseverance to "insanity," let’s acknowledge it as resilience. Sometimes, the road to success does look a bit “insane” to outsiders, but that’s exactly why it works.
“Do What You Love, and You’ll Never Work a Day in Your Life”
This one’s a doozy. It suggests that if you love what you do, it’s no longer “work.” Sorry, but that’s nonsense. This phrase diminishes the value of work itself. Work, even work you love, still takes effort, discipline, and grind.
LeBron James didn’t become a legend by avoiding hard work. Kobe Bryant famously arrived at the gym before anyone else, putting in hours of extra practice because he loved basketball so much. Loving your work doesn’t mean it stops being work; it means you’re willing to pour yourself into it.
The phrase should really be:
“Find what you love, and take pleasure in doing that work every day.”
Because work isn’t a bad word, it’s the vehicle for turning passion into results.
“Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes”
Let’s be honest: this phrase is way overused. Beyond that, it oversimplifies failure by framing it as a moral judgment, as if people deserve bad outcomes for taking risks. It dismisses the complexity of decisions, risks, and consequences.
Experimentation is at the heart of innovation. If no one ever “played a stupid game,” how would we discover breakthroughs? Dismissing missteps as “stupid prizes” ignores the value of calculated risks and learning from failure.
Life isn’t about avoiding “stupid games”, it’s about knowing which games are worth the risk.
“Get 1% Better Every Day”
This phrase is built on the theory of compounding improvement. The idea is that improving by only 1% daily leads to exponential growth, you’ll be 37x better in a year. Sounds great, but here’s the problem: how do you measure a 1% improvement? Is it even realistic?
Take weightlifting as an example. If your goal is to bench press 300 pounds in six months, you don’t just add 1% to the bar every day. Strength training involves cycles: progressive overload, plateaus, deload weeks, and rebuilding. Growth isn’t linear, it’s messy, with peaks, valleys, and setbacks.
And what happens when you improve in one area but regress in another? Did you really get better that day? The sentiment behind “small improvements compound over time” is valid, but putting a rigid number like 1% on it sets up unrealistic expectations. Instead, focus on consistent effort over time without obsessing over daily metrics.
“Live Every Day Like It’s Your Last”
If this was really your last day to live, you’d make way riskier decisions. You wouldn’t worry about your diet or show up to work. Living like it’s your last day basically means ignoring the future, and that’s not sustainable advice.
Instead, consider practicing gratitude and reflecting on the positives in your life. Jason Isbell’s song “If We Were Vampires” captures this beautifully: what makes life so sweet is that it ends. If you knew you were going to live forever, would you take the time to sit on the beach and watch the sunset with your loved one? Probably not. There will always be a future sunset.
The Stoics had a term for this: Memento Mori, which in Latin means “remember you must die.” It’s a reminder to make the most of today, not because it’s your last, but because one day it will be. Live like you’re going to die someday, but not like it’s happening tomorrow, unless it is, in which case, eat whatever you want and do what makes you happiest. You’ve earned it.
Great read