Productivity has forever been a compass and compassion of mine. I do not mean the ability to maximize output by working efficiently. I distinguish the preoccupation from making a living (though that is naturally one of the signal absorptions in the arena of productivity); rather my focus is more broadly upon creativity (though again not distinguished by remarkable artistry but instead ongoing individuality of whatever expression). The incontrovertible reality is that there’s only so much time in a day, a year or a life. I suspect I am safe to observe that each one of us has a wish to be productive in one dimension or another; that is, I consider it tautological that human nature (indeed nature by any other name or description including for example animals, insects or plants) is inherently devoted to fulfilment of some personal expression which achieves not only that goal but by extension the very purpose of our being.  As such the ambition is far from being selfish or insular but may instead be characterized as bordering altruism and universal truth (though again those traits may in many instances be pushing the envelope). Keep in mind however that many of the greatest developments of this world are no more or less fantastic than the bloom of a rose or the splitting of an atom or the composition of our favourite music).

An individual’s productivity hinges on mental energy and a sense of internal and external motivation. It often emerges naturally from work that they find inherently meaningful or valuable. And while not everything one must do each day can hold deep personal meaning, researchers find that maintaining a focus on a larger long-term goal can help activate the drive and energy to push through more tedious day-to-day tasks.

The dilemma however is the failure to realize one’s personal productivity. That’s the brick wall. We are not all farmers who have the privilege to point to a crop as the measure of their efficiency. Nor indeed is it fair or desirable when measuring productivity to compare input and output; once again efficiency is not the clinical or mathematical goal as is often commanded in a purely retail situation. This broader avenue of productivity is the one along which each of us walks independently of outcome or efficiency.

Wading in upon this delicate subject of personal expression may appear to subscribe to a muted form of ambition for the benefit of less successful achievement reminiscent perhaps of what some conservatives are wont to allay as “woke” (whatever that means apart from “unfamiliar”).

The national conservatives view today’s liberals as woke cultural warriors who pose an existential threat to the nation and its traditions.—Shadi Hamid

I on the other hand prefer to see the pursuit of productivity in a far wider context wherein the assessment of productivity isn’t its historic value or methodology rather its current enabling dimension. I think there is no better assertion of this thesis than to ask about the more current popular formulas, “So how’s that going for you?”

But the answer of course isn’t merely being open to alternative expressions but pursuing them in the first place. That’s the brick wall.  No one can adequately answer for another about how to overcome the brick wall of productivity…and a good thing for that matter.  I am however convinced that each of us recognizes his or her own allure, that nutritious elemental feature within each of us which draws us often unwittingly to the shores of our personal voyage. Staying the course is itself a manifest success! And one likely to be free from dissolving contamination of both ourselves and others. Recall that in addition to a rose vine even a modest weed can overgrow a brick wall!