Why Trying Harder Keeps You Stuck

In this episode of the Free From Porn Podcast, Richard Young unpacks one of the most counterintuitive truths about freedom — that trying harder often makes things worse. Drawing from psychology and Scripture, Richard explains the “law of reversed effort,” showing how willpower alone can reinforce the very habits you’re trying to break.

You’ll learn why striving, white-knuckling, and obsessing over sin only deepen the struggle — and how true transformation happens when you relax into grace.

If you’ve ever felt frustrated that your best efforts still lead to failure, this episode will help you understand why. You’ll see that freedom isn’t found in more effort — it’s found in changing the picture you hold of yourself.

Key themes:

• Why trying harder reinforces bad habits
• The law of reversed effort and imagination vs. will
• How identity in Christ rewires your behavior from the inside out
• The power of relaxing into grace instead of striving for freedom

Listen now to discover how to stop fighting for freedom and start living from it.