It took me quite a few years to realize that overtraining can actually be a big danger, especially when it leads to a disconnect from reality.
Don’t get me wrong—training is important. It gives you tools and frameworks to solve problems.
But here’s the catch: if you rely too much on what you’ve learned and don’t take the time to understand the real-world situation in front of you, things can go sideways fast.
The problem with overtraining is that it can make you robotic.
You end up following steps and theories you’ve been taught, without pausing to think, “Wait, does this actually fit the situation I’m dealing with?”
You’re so focused on applying what you’ve learned that you might miss the fact that the context is totally different from what your training covered.
Instead of understanding the full picture, you jump straight into action, and that’s where things can go wrong.
This is especially true in fields like social sciences and business.
Think about it: in developing countries, we’ve seen economists trying to boost local economies using the “trickle-down effect.”
Sounds good in theory, right?
But over and over again, this approach just hasn’t worked. Why?
Because the economists didn’t fully understand the local conditions—the cultural, social, and even institutional barriers that stop economic benefits from reaching everyone.
They applied the theory without checking if it made sense in that particular context.
It’s the same story with sociologists who have tried to improve living standards in developing areas by building modern infrastructure.
They assume that building roads, bridges, and buildings will automatically lead to better lives.
But often, the deeper issues, like education, governance, or social norms, aren’t addressed.
So, these shiny new infrastructures don’t make much of a difference on their own.
In business, the risk of overtraining is everywhere.
Marketers, for example, often turn to cookie-cutter marketing strategies that are taught in business schools and worked somewhere else, thinking they’ll work everywhere.
But what works in one market may totally flop in another if you don’t adjust to the local audience’s needs and behavior.
The same goes for strategists who rely on popular frameworks like SWOT analysis or Porter’s Five Forces.
Sure, these tools can be useful, but they don’t always apply to every business or industry.
When professionals stick too rigidly to these frameworks without adapting to their specific situation, they end up with strategies that are ineffective.
The bottom line? Following training and theory without adjusting for reality often leads to wasted time, effort, and resources.
You can’t just follow the steps you learned in a classroom or a book and expect everything to fall into place.
The real key to solving problems is to understand the full context. What are the root causes? What’s really driving the issue?
Only when you’ve figured that out can you start crafting a solution that’ll actually work.
So, while training gives you valuable knowledge, it’s dangerous to treat that knowledge as a one-size-fits-all solution.
Theories are helpful guides, but they have to be adapted—or even thrown out the window—depending on what’s happening in the real world.
Whether you’re a business leader, an economist, or a sociologist, remember this: don’t just follow your training blindly.
Take the time to understand the problem first, and only then can you develop solutions that will actually make a difference.
留言