Wise Effort

How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most

By: Diana Hill PhD, Rick Hanson PhD - foreword

Narrated by: Diana Hill PhD

Stop spinning your wheels, reconnect with your genius, and shift your most precious resource—your energy—to what matters most

“A practical, compassionate guide for high achievers ready to work smarter, not harder.”—Nedra Glover Tawwab, New York Times bestselling author of Set Boundaries, Find Peace

Many of us misdirect our energy. We do too much, but we feel like it’s not enough. We feel burned out and uninspired, but simply telling us to rest doesn’t help. Clinical psychologist Dr. Diana Hill offers hope through Wise Effort—a method that helps bring your greatest gifts in alignment with your deepest values to reclaim your energy and recharge your relationships, health, work, and community.

Dr. Hill invites us to get curious, especially about our “genius energy”—our unique and inherent strengths that show up in our talents and gifts. Our genius energy can propel us forward, but surprisingly it can also be the thing that holds us back, like the super-helper who supports everyone else but doesn’t help themself, or the high achiever at work whose patterns backfire in relationships. The book helps you identify your specific areas of genius and explore how they’re both helping and hurting you. Dr. Hill also helps you pinpoint your core values. Drawing on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, neuroscience, and contemplative practice, Wise Effort:

• Helps you identify your unique geniuses and focus them wisely

• Offers practices, assessments, and wisdom-building questions to open up your energy blocks

• Shares a fresh perspective for anyone who has been told they “care too much”

• Applies the Wise Effort Method to relationships, heath, work, creativity, and community

With the Wise Effort Method, the genius at the root of your problems becomes your solution to feeling connected, brave, and authentic. As Hill writes, “Wise effort is about feeling alive; being engaged; asking bigger questions; and making decisions from your body, head, and heart. It’s about getting to know who you are and contributing what you have to offer the world with passion and generosity. And it will change your life.”

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2025 Diana Hill (P)2025 Sounds True

Critic reviews

“Wise Effort is a transformative guide to living with heart and integ­rity. Diana Hill invites us to turn inward—with curiosity, compassion, and courage—and align our lives with what truly matters. Drawing from both contemplative practice and psychological insight, this book offers a pathway home to presence, purpose, and the quiet joy of living true to our hearts.”—Tara Brach, author of Radical Acceptance and Radical Compassion

“Wise Effort helps you use your energy more intentionally. This approach encourages us to do what matters without burning out. Blending insights from Buddhism, psychology, and neuroscience, psychologist Diana Hill offers a practical, compassionate guide for high achievers ready to work smarter, not harder.”—Nedra Glover Tawwab, LCSW, New York Times bestselling author of Set Boundaries, Find Peace

“When we learn how our brains work, we open ourselves up to so many possibilities for changing habits, channeling our energy where it mat­ters most, and living fulfilling and impactful lives. Diana Hill’s book is the perfect blend of neuroscience and daily practices that will help you leverage your strengths and set you on a path toward wise effort.”—Judson Brewer, MD, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Unwinding Anxiety

Excellent guidance

Just what I needed in the next step on my journey of healing and enlightenment! It was so good that I bought the actual book for further study!

The missing Piece

This was like the missing piece to my puzzle. I have lots of knowledge of what I should do to have a life I want but I lacked this missing concept of wisdom which is the bridge to that place. 🌉 I value wisdom but did not have a blueprint that incorporated it into action. I started the wise effort journal and am downloading the PDFs today. Thank you Dr. Hill for helping us find wise direction. ⬇️ ⬆️