Trying Not to Try

Trying Not to Try Plot Summary

Introduction

The paradox of wu-wei—how to try not to try—represents one of the most profound philosophical insights from ancient Chinese thought that continues to resonate in contemporary life. This seemingly contradictory concept describes a state of effortless action where individuals achieve perfect harmony between intention and execution, moving through the world with supernatural ease while radiating a magnetic charisma that draws others toward them. The paradox emerges from a fundamental tension: how can one deliberately cultivate spontaneity? This question appears whenever we find ourselves trying too hard to relax, perform well under pressure, or appear authentic in social situations. Modern neuroscience and cognitive psychology have begun to illuminate the mechanisms behind this ancient wisdom, revealing that wu-wei involves a distinctive neural configuration where self-monitoring regions step back while embodied knowledge takes the lead. The concept challenges Western philosophical traditions that privilege rationality and conscious control, offering instead a vision of human excellence that integrates mind and body, effort and spontaneity. By exploring four distinct approaches to this paradox developed by early Chinese thinkers, we gain practical strategies for navigating the tension between deliberate cultivation and natural spontaneity in domains ranging from artistic performance to moral development to social trust.

Chapter 1: The Concept of Wu-Wei: Effortless Action and Charismatic Power

Wu-wei literally means "non-action" or "non-doing," yet it doesn't imply passivity or inertia. Rather, it describes a state of perfect efficacy where action flows naturally without conscious striving or deliberation. When in wu-wei, a person experiences complete absorption in the activity at hand, moving with supernatural ease and precision. This state transcends mere technical skill, representing instead a kind of embodied wisdom where mind and body function as a seamless whole. The concept appears throughout early Chinese philosophical traditions, though each school approached it differently. Closely linked to wu-wei is the concept of de, often translated as "virtue" or "charismatic power." When someone achieves the state of wu-wei, they naturally emanate de, which manifests as a magnetic attraction that draws others toward them. This charismatic power was particularly valued in ancient China, where it was seen as essential for effective leadership. A ruler who possessed de could govern without resorting to force or explicit commands; their very presence would inspire others to follow the right path. The relationship between wu-wei and de reveals something fundamental about human social dynamics—we intuitively trust and are attracted to those who exhibit genuine spontaneity because such behavior is difficult to fake. These concepts emerged during the Warring States period (475-221 BCE), a time of intense political turmoil and philosophical innovation in China. As competing states fought for dominance, thinkers from various schools sought ways to restore social harmony and effective governance. The ideal of the sage who acts through wu-wei and influences others through de offered a compelling vision of how order might be restored without resorting to coercion or violence. This vision is illustrated through numerous stories in early Chinese texts, such as the tale of Butcher Ding, whose perfect mastery of his craft allows him to carve oxen with supernatural precision. What makes these concepts particularly fascinating is their paradoxical nature. Wu-wei literally means "non-action" or "non-doing," yet it doesn't imply passivity. Similarly, de is not something one can directly pursue or acquire through deliberate effort. It emerges naturally when one achieves the state of wu-wei. This creates what might be called "the paradox of wu-wei": how can one try not to try? How can one deliberately cultivate spontaneity? This paradox would become a central preoccupation for Chinese philosophers across different schools of thought, each offering distinct strategies for resolving this tension between effort and effortlessness. Archaeological evidence suggests that this paradox emerged alongside the development of large-scale, complex societies. In small hunter-gatherer bands, cooperation is relatively straightforward, based on kinship and reciprocity. But as societies grew larger and more complex, humans needed to develop ways to cooperate with strangers. This required internalizing cultural values to such a degree that they became second nature. The paradox of wu-wei thus reflects a fundamental challenge of civilization: how to transform culturally specific values into spontaneous dispositions that feel natural and sincere.

Chapter 2: Four Philosophical Approaches to Cultivating Spontaneity

Early Chinese thinkers developed four distinct strategies for achieving wu-wei, each reflecting different assumptions about human nature and the path to perfection. The first approach, associated with Confucius and his follower Xunzi, might be called "carving and polishing." This strategy views human nature as raw material that must be shaped through rigorous training and cultural refinement. Just as a craftsman transforms a rough piece of jade into a beautiful ornament through careful carving and polishing, so too must humans transform their natural tendencies through ritual practice, study of the classics, and moral education. This approach acknowledges that wu-wei requires effort and transformation, but promises that eventually the effort will fall away, leaving only natural grace. The second approach, associated with Laozi and the Daoist tradition, takes the opposite view. Instead of adding cultural refinement, one should strip away artificial desires and social conditioning to recover one's original, uncorrupted nature. This strategy, which might be called "embracing the uncarved block," sees wu-wei as our natural state before society distorted it. By forgetting conventional knowledge, abandoning striving, and returning to simplicity, one can rediscover the spontaneous harmony with the Dao (Way) that is our birthright. Through practices like meditation and breathing exercises, one gradually sheds cultural conditioning and recovers natural spontaneity. Mencius, another Confucian thinker, offers a third approach that attempts to bridge these opposing views. He argues that humans possess innate moral "sprouts" that naturally incline us toward goodness. These sprouts—including compassion, shame, courtesy, and a sense of right and wrong—need cultivation but not radical transformation. Through proper nourishment and protection, these natural tendencies can grow into full-fledged virtues. This "cultivating the sprouts" strategy acknowledges both our natural goodness and the need for careful cultivation. Using the metaphor of agriculture, Mencius suggests that moral cultivation involves identifying these nascent tendencies toward compassion and righteousness, then strengthening them through reflection and practice. The fourth approach, associated with the philosopher Zhuangzi, might be called "forgetting and letting go." Zhuangzi sees the problem not as inadequate training or social corruption but as excessive self-consciousness and cognitive rigidity. By forgetting conventional distinctions between right and wrong, beautiful and ugly, self and other, one can achieve a state of mental emptiness that allows for perfect responsiveness to the world. This approach emphasizes cognitive flexibility, spontaneous adaptation, and freedom from fixed perspectives. Through stories, paradoxes, and humor, Zhuangzi sought to shock readers out of conventional thinking patterns, helping them transcend the distinction between effort and non-effort altogether. Despite their differences, all four approaches share a common goal: achieving a state of effortless action where virtue flows naturally without conscious striving. They all recognize that true excellence cannot be reduced to following rules or performing calculations. Instead, it requires a kind of embodied wisdom that transcends deliberate control and manifests as spontaneous responsiveness to the world. Each approach offers a distinct solution to the paradox of wu-wei, providing guidance for different temperaments and circumstances. The diversity of these approaches suggests that there may be no single path to spontaneity, but rather multiple strategies suited to different individuals and contexts.

Chapter 3: The Paradox of Trying Not to Try: A Cognitive Analysis

The paradox of wu-wei emerges from a fundamental tension in human cognition: how can one deliberately cultivate spontaneity? This paradox appears throughout early Chinese philosophy and continues to resonate in contemporary life. We encounter it whenever we find ourselves trying too hard to relax, sleep, or perform well under pressure. The more consciously we strive for spontaneity, the more it eludes us. This creates a circular dilemma: we need conscious control to decide when to let go of conscious control. Modern cognitive science illuminates this paradox through the distinction between two systems of thought: a fast, automatic, unconscious system (hot cognition) and a slow, deliberate, conscious system (cold cognition). Wu-wei involves allowing the hot system to operate without interference from the cold system. When we experience wu-wei, these two systems achieve perfect integration. Brain imaging studies of jazz musicians improvising show a distinctive neural signature: widespread deactivation of the lateral prefrontal cortex (responsible for self-monitoring and conscious control) coupled with increased activity in sensorimotor systems and the medial prefrontal cortex. The experience of wu-wei involves a subjective sense of split selves. We feel a gap between "I" (the conscious self) and various forces—spiritual desires, bodily wisdom, intuitive knowledge—that take over when we enter this state. This split-self experience reflects the functional division between our conscious mind and the much larger unconscious processes that guide most of our behavior. Evolution has off-loaded the vast majority of our decision-making onto automatic systems because they are fast, computationally efficient, and reliable in familiar environments. Paradoxically, the conscious mind's confidence that it knows best often interferes with optimal performance. Studies on "choking" demonstrate that external pressures cause people to consciously focus on activities that should be handled unconsciously, resulting in diminished performance. The more you consciously try to control processes that have been automated through practice, the worse you perform. This explains why athletes in the "zone" report that thinking about their performance immediately disrupts it, and why musicians describe their best improvisations as flowing from a body freed from conscious thought. This paradox becomes particularly acute in the moral domain. The early Chinese thinkers were primarily concerned with moral wu-wei—the ability to act virtuously without calculation or effort. They recognized that true virtue cannot be reduced to following rules or performing cost-benefit analyses. A genuinely compassionate person doesn't need to deliberate about whether to help someone in need; they respond spontaneously with appropriate care. Yet how does one become such a person? The paradox intensifies when we consider that moral spontaneity seems to require both sincere commitment and the absence of deliberate striving. The persistence of this paradox across different philosophical traditions and historical periods suggests that it reflects something fundamental about human nature and social life. It is not merely a quirk of Chinese thought but a universal tension that arises whenever humans attempt to cultivate spontaneity or authenticity. The early Chinese thinkers recognized this tension and developed sophisticated strategies for navigating it, offering insights that remain relevant today for understanding the limits of conscious control and the power of embodied wisdom.

Chapter 4: Wu-Wei as Embodied Cognition and Trust Signaling

The concept of wu-wei anticipates modern scientific understanding of embodied cognition—the idea that thinking is not just an abstract mental process but is deeply rooted in bodily experience. When in a state of wu-wei, a person's actions flow directly from embodied knowledge rather than conscious deliberation. This aligns with contemporary research showing that expert performance in many domains relies on embodied skills that operate largely outside conscious awareness. The body knows what to do before the conscious mind has time to deliberate, allowing for faster and more fluid responses to complex situations. Neuroscientific studies reveal that when experts enter flow states similar to wu-wei, activity decreases in brain regions associated with self-monitoring and cognitive control, particularly the lateral prefrontal cortex. Meanwhile, regions involved in automatic processing become more active. This neural configuration corresponds subjectively to a state of relaxed vigilance—the cognitive control regions step back while background situational awareness remains active. Jazz musicians improvising, athletes "in the zone," and craftspeople absorbed in their work all exhibit this characteristic shift from deliberate control to embodied spontaneity. The concept of de—the charismatic power that emanates from someone in wu-wei—can be understood as a form of trust signaling. In any cooperative society, people need reliable ways to identify trustworthy partners. Since conscious deception is always possible, we look for signs of sincerity that are difficult to fake. Wu-wei provides such a signal because it involves the downregulation of cognitive control regions that enable strategic deception. When someone acts spontaneously, without calculation or self-consciousness, they demonstrate genuine commitment to shared values rather than mere compliance with social expectations. This explains why we find wu-wei so attractive in others. We intuitively recognize that someone who effortlessly embodies virtue is more trustworthy than someone who follows rules through conscious effort. The former has internalized social values to such a degree that they no longer need to think about them; the latter might abandon those values when no one is watching or when incentives change. This distinction is crucial for social cooperation, which depends on genuine commitment rather than mere compliance. Economist Robert Frank has demonstrated that emotions like righteous indignation, which appear irrational in the short term, actually serve rational long-term functions by making our commitments credible. Modern research on "thin-slicing" confirms that humans can make remarkably accurate judgments about others based on brief observations of spontaneous behavior. We pick up subtle cues in body language, facial expressions, and vocal tone that reveal underlying character traits and intentions. These judgments rely on the fact that spontaneous behavior is more revealing than deliberate self-presentation. The ancient Chinese insight that wu-wei reveals one's true character thus finds support in contemporary social psychology, which shows that we trust spontaneous signals more than calculated ones precisely because they are harder to fake. The connection between wu-wei and trust explains why spontaneity is socially valued across cultures. Spontaneous behavior serves as a reliable indicator of genuine commitment precisely because it cannot be easily faked. When we observe someone acting without self-consciousness, we infer that their values and emotions are authentic rather than strategic. This authenticity forms the foundation of trust, allowing cooperation to flourish even in the absence of external enforcement mechanisms. The paradox of wu-wei thus serves an important social function by ensuring that the signal remains reliable.

Chapter 5: Practical Strategies for Navigating the Paradox in Modern Life

The paradox of wu-wei cannot be definitively solved, but it can be navigated through practical strategies adapted to different situations and personality types. Rather than seeking a universal solution, we might consider which approach—carving and polishing, embracing the uncarved block, cultivating the sprouts, or forgetting and letting go—best fits our current circumstances and natural inclinations. Each offers valuable guidance for specific contexts and challenges in modern life. For activities requiring technical mastery, the Confucian strategy of carving and polishing often works best. Whether learning a musical instrument, mastering a sport, or developing professional skills, deliberate practice and cultural immersion can eventually lead to effortless performance. The key insight is that conscious effort, while initially necessary, should gradually give way to embodied knowledge. As skills become internalized through repetition and feedback, they eventually operate without conscious supervision, allowing for the spontaneity of wu-wei. This approach acknowledges that the initial stages will feel unnatural and effortful, but trusts that with sufficient practice, spontaneity will emerge. In contrast, when facing creative blocks or overthinking problems, the Daoist approach of embracing the uncarved block may prove more effective. Sometimes the best strategy is to step back, simplify, and allow solutions to emerge naturally. Research on creativity confirms that periods of incubation—where one temporarily stops consciously working on a problem—often lead to breakthrough insights. Similarly, acceptance-based approaches to managing unwanted thoughts or emotions often work better than deliberate suppression strategies. Practices like meditation, time in nature, or periodic digital detox may allow natural spontaneity to reemerge by reducing external stimulation and creating space for solitude. For moral development, Mencius's strategy of cultivating the sprouts offers valuable guidance. Rather than imposing external rules or trying to reshape human nature completely, this approach focuses on identifying and nurturing innate moral tendencies. Modern research supports the existence of such tendencies, from empathy and fairness to disgust at moral violations. By creating environments that support these natural inclinations and providing opportunities for guided reflection, we can help these moral sprouts grow into robust virtues. This strategy acknowledges individual differences—what brings one person into wu-wei may leave another cold—and focuses on discovering and cultivating our unique path rather than conforming to external standards. In social situations where self-consciousness interferes with natural interaction, Zhuangzi's strategy of forgetting and letting go may be most appropriate. Practices that temporarily downregulate cognitive control—from meditation to physical exercise to moderate alcohol consumption—can help overcome excessive self-monitoring and allow for more spontaneous engagement with others. The key is shifting attention away from oneself and toward the social environment, allowing for responsive participation rather than calculated performance. This might involve setting aside our plans and following unexpected opportunities, or engaging in activities with no purpose beyond the experience itself. These strategies need not be mutually exclusive. Different phases of life and different domains of activity may call for different approaches to the paradox of wu-wei. The common thread across these approaches is the recognition that human excellence cannot be reduced to conscious control or rational calculation. True mastery, whether in art, ethics, or social life, involves a kind of embodied wisdom that transcends deliberate effort. By acknowledging this paradox rather than denying it, we can develop more nuanced approaches to skill development, moral growth, and social interaction—approaches that honor both the necessity of effort and the ultimate goal of effortlessness.

Chapter 6: Beyond Rationality: The Wisdom of Spontaneous Action

The paradox of wu-wei challenges the Western philosophical tradition's emphasis on rationality and conscious control. Since Plato and Aristotle, Western thought has often privileged reason over emotion, mind over body, and deliberate choice over spontaneous action. The concept of wu-wei offers a corrective to this one-sided view, highlighting the limitations of rationality and the power of embodied spontaneity. It suggests that true wisdom involves not just knowing what to do but embodying that knowledge so completely that action flows naturally without deliberation. Cognitive science increasingly confirms that conscious reasoning plays a much smaller role in human behavior than traditionally assumed. Our decisions and actions are shaped primarily by unconscious processes that operate faster and more efficiently than conscious deliberation. These processes integrate emotional responses, bodily sensations, and implicit knowledge acquired through experience. When we rely exclusively on explicit reasoning, we often make worse decisions than when we allow these embodied processes to guide us. This doesn't mean that rationality has no value, but rather that it functions best when integrated with embodied knowledge in a seamless whole. The power of spontaneity extends beyond individual performance to social interaction and moral development. Research on moral psychology suggests that ethical behavior depends more on cultivated dispositions than on abstract principles or utilitarian calculations. People who deliberate too much about whether to help others often end up helping less than those who respond spontaneously. Similarly, those who consciously monitor their prejudices sometimes exhibit more bias than those who have developed spontaneous egalitarian responses. These findings support the early Chinese insight that virtue cannot be reduced to following rules but must become second nature. This has implications for how we approach education and social policy. Rather than focusing exclusively on explicit rules and rational persuasion, we might pay more attention to the environments and practices that shape spontaneous responses. The early Chinese insight that ritual, music, and aesthetic surroundings can cultivate virtue without conscious effort finds support in modern research on environmental influences on behavior. Small changes in our physical and social environment can have profound effects on how we act, often without our awareness. This suggests that creating contexts that support virtuous behavior may be more effective than relying on willpower or rational argument. The paradox of wu-wei also offers insight into contemporary challenges like environmental sustainability and social cooperation. Rational arguments alone rarely change behavior, especially when they conflict with embodied habits and social norms. Effective change requires cultivating new dispositions that make sustainable or cooperative behavior feel natural rather than forced. This cultivation process inevitably encounters the paradox of wu-wei: how to deliberately shape spontaneous inclinations without undermining their spontaneity. By embracing this paradox rather than trying to eliminate it, we can develop more nuanced approaches to personal development and social change. The wisdom of spontaneous action lies in recognizing that human excellence cannot be reduced to conscious control or rational calculation. True mastery, whether in art, ethics, or social life, involves a kind of embodied wisdom that transcends deliberate effort. The ancient Chinese insight that the most profound changes often occur not through frontal assault but through indirect cultivation—not by trying harder but by learning when and how to try differently, or sometimes, not to try at all—offers a valuable corrective to modern cultures that often equate effort with virtue and control with success. By recovering this wisdom, we might find more effective ways to navigate the complexities of modern life while remaining true to our deepest values.

Summary

The paradox of wu-wei—how to try not to try—reveals a fundamental tension in human experience that transcends cultural and historical boundaries. This tension emerges whenever we seek to cultivate spontaneity, whether in artistic performance, moral action, or social interaction. The early Chinese philosophers developed sophisticated strategies for navigating this paradox, each reflecting different assumptions about human nature and the path to perfection. These strategies—carving and polishing, embracing the uncarved block, cultivating the sprouts, and forgetting and letting go—continue to offer practical wisdom for contemporary challenges, from mastering skills to developing moral character to building social trust. What makes the paradox of wu-wei particularly significant is its connection to social trust and cooperation. The charismatic power (de) that emanates from someone in wu-wei serves as a reliable signal of genuine commitment to shared values. In a world where strategic deception is always possible, the spontaneous virtue of wu-wei provides evidence of trustworthiness that is difficult to fake. This explains why we find effortless excellence so attractive and why the paradox persists across different cultures and historical periods. By recognizing the embodied nature of human cognition and the limits of conscious control, we can develop more effective approaches to skill development, moral growth, and social harmony—approaches that honor both the necessity of effort and the ultimate goal of effortlessness. The ancient wisdom of wu-wei reminds us that true mastery involves not just knowing what to do but embodying that knowledge so completely that action flows naturally without deliberation.

About Author

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Edward Slingerland

I'm Distinguished University Scholar and Professor of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia. I work in a lot of academic areas, including early Chinese thought, comparative religion, cognitive science of religion, virtue ethics, cognitive linguistics and science-humanities integration. My first trade book, Trying Not to Try, was published by Crown/Random House in March 2014. My new book, Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization, is forthcoming from Little, Brown Spark on June 1, 2021. I have also published many academic books, translations, articles and book chapters. For information about my books, articles, teaching and research, please see my personal website: edwardslingerland.com

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Drunk

Edward Slingerland

How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization

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