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Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most
A science-backed approach to shift your most precious resource—your energy—to stop feeling depleted and reconnect with your inherent genius.
Many of us misdirect our energy—doing too much and feeling like it is not enough. Clinical psychologist Dr. Diana Hill offers a method to reclaim your energy and revitalize your relationships, health, work, and community.
Instead of more productivity tips, Dr. Hill invites us to use Wise Effort to connect with our “genius energy”: our unique and inherent strengths that show up in our talents and gifts. It propels you forward when used in the right amount and toward your values.
When we misdirect this energy, our very genius becomes our problem. Think of the super-helper who supports everyone else but doesn’t help themself, or the high achiever at work whose patterns backfire in relationships. Misguiding your energy burns you out and leaves you depleted. Understanding and working wisely with your genius energy empowers you to reclaim it as a life-giving force.
Integrating science-backed practices from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with contemplative and body-based wisdom, you will learn how to guide your genius energy wisely in multiple areas of your life. You will get curious about what's keeping you stuck, open up to the difficult thoughts and feelings that limit you, and focus your energy where it matters most. With the Wise Effort method, the genius at the root of your problems becomes your solution to feeling connected, brave, and truly alive.
Many of us misdirect our energy—doing too much and feeling like it is not enough. Clinical psychologist Dr. Diana Hill offers a method to reclaim your energy and revitalize your relationships, health, work, and community.
Instead of more productivity tips, Dr. Hill invites us to use Wise Effort to connect with our “genius energy”: our unique and inherent strengths that show up in our talents and gifts. It propels you forward when used in the right amount and toward your values.
When we misdirect this energy, our very genius becomes our problem. Think of the super-helper who supports everyone else but doesn’t help themself, or the high achiever at work whose patterns backfire in relationships. Misguiding your energy burns you out and leaves you depleted. Understanding and working wisely with your genius energy empowers you to reclaim it as a life-giving force.
Integrating science-backed practices from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with contemplative and body-based wisdom, you will learn how to guide your genius energy wisely in multiple areas of your life. You will get curious about what's keeping you stuck, open up to the difficult thoughts and feelings that limit you, and focus your energy where it matters most. With the Wise Effort method, the genius at the root of your problems becomes your solution to feeling connected, brave, and truly alive.
Audible Audio
Published September 23, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 25, 2025
⭐️⭐️ — “Wise Effort” by Diana Hill (Audiobook Review)
I genuinely wanted to love this, because the message is thoughtful and the author clearly knows her stuff. But as an audiobook? This just didn’t land for me.
“Wise Effort” feels like it needs to be a companion to a physical or e-book. It’s the kind of material you have to read slowly, pause over, and journal through to get the full effect. That’s totally fine for some readers, but it made the audio format feel impractical and hard to follow.
As a neurodivergent listener, the techniques and pacing didn’t align with how I absorb information. The structure isn’t exactly ND-friendly, and that made the experience more frustrating than grounding. Not every book has to cater to every neurotype, so that’s not a “fault,” just an honest mismatch for me.
What really didn’t help was the repeated mention of an “accompanying PDF,” which NetGalley did not provide. Since the book refers to it a lot, I felt like I was missing half the tools I was supposed to have.
I don’t doubt this book will be helpful to plenty of people — it just wasn’t a good fit for the audiobook format or for my neurodivergent reading style.
I genuinely wanted to love this, because the message is thoughtful and the author clearly knows her stuff. But as an audiobook? This just didn’t land for me.
“Wise Effort” feels like it needs to be a companion to a physical or e-book. It’s the kind of material you have to read slowly, pause over, and journal through to get the full effect. That’s totally fine for some readers, but it made the audio format feel impractical and hard to follow.
As a neurodivergent listener, the techniques and pacing didn’t align with how I absorb information. The structure isn’t exactly ND-friendly, and that made the experience more frustrating than grounding. Not every book has to cater to every neurotype, so that’s not a “fault,” just an honest mismatch for me.
What really didn’t help was the repeated mention of an “accompanying PDF,” which NetGalley did not provide. Since the book refers to it a lot, I felt like I was missing half the tools I was supposed to have.
I don’t doubt this book will be helpful to plenty of people — it just wasn’t a good fit for the audiobook format or for my neurodivergent reading style.
June 8, 2025
If you've ever felt burned out, overextended, or stuck in a loop of doing too much without feeling like you're doing enough, Wise Effort by Dr. Diana Hill is a powerful and compassionate guide to help you recalibrate. Dr. Hill blends clinical insight with genuine warmth. Instead of offering a quick fix or another call to “just rest,” she introduces the Wise Effort Method—a thoughtful framework that invites you to redirect your energy in a way that feels aligned with who you really are. Drawing on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, neuroscience, and contemplative practice, she gently encourages us to explore our “genius energy”—the parts of us that shine brightest but can also trip us up when left unchecked.
Wise Effort is a must-read for anyone who feels like they care too much, try too hard, or wonder whether there’s a better way to show up in the world without losing themselves. Dr. Hill doesn’t promise perfection—she promises something better: a path to authenticity, clarity, and connection.
Wise Effort is a must-read for anyone who feels like they care too much, try too hard, or wonder whether there’s a better way to show up in the world without losing themselves. Dr. Hill doesn’t promise perfection—she promises something better: a path to authenticity, clarity, and connection.
September 4, 2025
The book is about making a wise effort, not avoiding effort, but making a wise effort.
The author has mini chapters on maxi issues, e.g. she writes about our predispositions, but describes each one succinctly. Too succinctly, in my opinion, to understand.
There are lots of questions under the chapters, and sometimes I felt that this book asks more questions than it answers.
It's definitely not rocket science.
In my opinion, this book is particularly recommended for beginners in personal development.
The author has mini chapters on maxi issues, e.g. she writes about our predispositions, but describes each one succinctly. Too succinctly, in my opinion, to understand.
There are lots of questions under the chapters, and sometimes I felt that this book asks more questions than it answers.
It's definitely not rocket science.
In my opinion, this book is particularly recommended for beginners in personal development.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews