When Trying Harder Doesn't Work | Episode #044 Artwork

Truly a Masterpiece Podcast

Truly a Masterpiece podcast is based on the Scripture that teaches, you are God's unique work of art, his masterpiece. This podcast is for those who are tired of wasting their potential and putting their dreams on hold while they struggle with the paralysis of self-doubt. My name is Craig, I'm your host. In 2014 I won the war over self-doubt. Looking back I can't believe how easy the war was to win. In each episode, you'll meet others who have won the war over self-doubt. They will share the dark side of doubt and how they overcame that "not enough" feeling to live the life they were born to love.

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Truly a Masterpiece Podcast

When Trying Harder Doesn't Work | Episode #044

March 10, 2026 • Craig Walker

0:00 | 6:47

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Many people believe change happens by trying harder—more discipline, more effort, more determination. But what if real change happens a different way?

In this episode, Craig shares a surprising discovery from his own life. After struggling with distracted work and feeling stuck in unproductive patterns, he began practicing something simple but often overlooked.

Craig noticed something remarkable. His thinking began to change. His focus sharpened. His work habits shifted—without forcing himself to “try harder.”

In this episode you’ll learn:
• What simple practice Craig used
• Why it will reshape your thinking
• How it will produce deeper and faster change than willpower alone

If you’ve ever felt stuck and dissatisfied with your lack of progress, this conversation will encourage you.

Connect with Craig @CraigWalkerCaoching

Get a copy of Craig's Book SHAMELESS The Life You Were Born to Love https://amzn.to/44vldsQ

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Sign up for the Truly a Masterpiece Workshop: https://craigwalkercoaching.com/resources (click on the block: Why Self-Doubt Keeps Returning — and How to Finally Break Free)

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-walker-1816367/
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@craigwalker9197

Get a copy of Craig's Book SHAMELESS The Life You Were Born to Love https://amzn.to/44vldsQ

Join the Masterpiece Brotherhood Men's Group: https://craigwalkercoaching.com/brotherhood

Get a copy of Craig's Book SHAMELESS The Life You Were Born to Love https://amzn.to/44vldsQ

Join the Masterpiece Brotherhood Men's Group: https://craigwalkercoaching.com/brotherhood

Connect with Craig @CraigWalkerCaoching

Free eBook: 5 Lies Christian Men Believe That Keep Them Stuck https://craigwalkercoaching.com/5lies

Get a copy of Craig's Book SHAMELESS The Life You Were Born to Love https://amzn.to/44vldsQ

Sign up for the Safe Husband Three-Day Free Workshop: Secure Men Make Safe Homes https://craigwalkercoaching.com/resources

Join the Masterpiece Brotherhood Men's Group: https://craigwalkercoaching.com/brotherhood

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Change started for me the day I became a Christian. I left work on Friday, trusted Christ on Sunday, I went back to work on Monday, a different man. I told a friend when I came into work that I'd become a Christian over the weekend. He said, Well, what does that mean? I had to confess, I don't really know. It's too new to me. Then he asked me, he said, You want to stop at Cowboys and have a beer on the way home from work? And honestly, I replied, Well, I don't know. Can Christians drink beer? Now, if I was paying attention, I would have realized something had changed. Because I wasn't against alcohol. It's just that for the first time in my life, I genuinely wanted to know, what does God think? That thought should have woken me up that, dude, you've changed. See, before Christ, I never gave God a second thought. God changed many things in my life over the next few weeks and years, but there was one thing that He didn't change. I doubted that I was smart enough to do the things that I thought God had put in my heart to do. Whenever I struggled to reach a goal, I knew why. Well, I'm not smart enough. I'd stress out. Oh, I would try harder, but nothing changed. I never really reached the goal. In the last episode, I shared how change, how I changed without trying. And I shared with you how I had fallen into a distracted work pattern recently, busy, active, unfocused, and terribly unproductive. But using the masterpiece method, which I think is just a biblical method for change, I did those three things, confessed the right wrong thing, and often we confess the wrong, wrong thing. The problem wasn't my lack of discipline, the problem was my unbelief. Two, I declared the truth. And the truth is that we really can do everything God wants us to do through Christ who gives us strength. And I confess that I can do it too. Three, I demonstrated my faith. I actually started acting on what I knew God wanted me to do. And and changed, it it just happened. It changed me. And that's how I changed without trying. But there's something I didn't tell you that I did. There's one more thing. I left this out. This is a practice that made the change so deep and so fast that it really shocked me. I meditated on a few select scriptures. To meditate means to ponder, to ruminate, like a cow chewing a cud. A cow eats grass, stores it in its stomach, brings it back up, chews it again, slowly, digest it again. A cow can chew its cud between six and ten times a day, and it usually does this while it's resting. Well, as it turns out, that's a great model for us. Do you know that neuroscience tells us that the brain does some of its deepest integration work during rest? Meditation, it strengthens what memorization begins. So here's what I did. I chose four passages to memorize that address my specific need: perseverance, wise use of time, focus, and trust. Here they are. Let me give them to you. I'm going to walk you through what I did. Isaiah 49, 4. This is a passage I shared last week. The scripture says, But I replied, My work seems so useless. I spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose. I got that part. Yet I leave it all in the Lord's hand. I will trust him for my reward. That part's what got me. But then there was Ephesians 5, 15 through 17. This addressed the issue of wisdom, a wise use of time. So be careful how you live, Paul tells us. Don't live like fools. Fool thinks, doesn't think. He's a thoughtless one. But like those, live like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity that takes thought in these evil days, Paul said. And then he says again, this is repetition. Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. That's how you make the best use of your time. It's moment by moment. Jesus, how do you want me to live my time? How do you want me to live my day? And then Ecclesiastes 11:6, this is a great verse. Plant your seed in the morning, keep busy all afternoon. For you don't know if profit will come from one activity or another, or maybe both. That's a great verse. I was looking forward to the maybe both. Psalm 31, 23 and 24. This attacked the issue of trust. Love the Lord, all you godly ones. For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him, but he harshly punishes the arrogant. And this spoke directly to me. So, Craig, be strong and courageous, you who put your hope in the Lord. Now, periodically, this is exactly what I did. Periodically, I reviewed the verses throughout the day. Sometimes one, sometimes two, sometimes all of them. But I think this was the most important part. This was the game changer. These verses were the last thing on my mind when I went to bed at night before going to sleep. Debbie and I have a habit of watching TV. So we go to bed, I watch a little TV, set the timer, roll over after a little while, and start reviewing my passages as I drifted off to sleep. And something happened. I'd wake up the next day, I began narrowing my focus to work on the things that truly mattered. I began assigning focus blocks of time. I stopped bouncing between tasks, taking calls, emails, shuffling the paper clips on my desk, and I stayed riveted to what I had to do. Months later, here's a surprise. Focus, it now draws me into my work. I'm not forcing discipline. Guys, I'm not even trying harder. I'm just trusting God more deeply. And the change, it surprised me. And I understand. No wonder the psalmist said, I meditate on your word day and night. Men, let's stop trying harder. This is my challenge to you right now. Let's start trusting God more deeply. Let God's word rewire your brain and make you into the person that you always wanted to be. That's how change happens so fast that it will surprise you. Let the word of God dwell in you long enough to rewire you, to change you without trying, trusting without stressing. Guys, I hope this helps you. If if you know another guy that could use this talk, please share it with them. Subscribe to my my podcast so you don't miss an upcoming episode. And if you haven't downloaded it already, download my uh free ebook, Five Lies That Christian Men Believe That Keep Them Stuck. You'll find all the links in my show notes down below. And again, as always, thank you so much for listening. Thank you for trusting me with your time. May the Lord help you to live that life that you were born to love.