And They're Off

The main diagnosis I make in people is poor decision-making.

It is the root of so many of our poor results.

A scientist might need better information, more science, to make better decisions.

But the day-to-day business of "lifestyle stuff" you know already. By and large, you already know what the good decisions are.

It's the 'not-choosing-them' that you've added.

You know you shouldn't smoke. 

You know it's a good idea to do a bit of exercise. 

You know you shouldn't be unkind to people.

You know you shouldn't raise your voice.

And you even know why you know these things.

Largely because your mother pointed it out to you.

Not all of you. Some of you may not have known your mothers. Some of your fathers may have beaten it into you and failed to practice what they preach without a sense of irony.

But for one reason or another, you know these things.

It's the 'ignoring it' that you've added.

So why is it so difficult to do what you should?

Well maybe it is not sexy, or even attractive. 

It might well be boring, endless even. 

It's probably not original (and you think you are). 

It's probably not unique or quirky or maybe not  fun. 

Maybe you think life is too short to do the boring stuff.

So you make your bad decisions.

You probably don't even make them. 

You let Mr or LIttle Miss Lazy make them for you.

I meet endless numbers of people who take endless quantities of Valium.

And they almost persuade me everytime it's a good thing to do because it makes them feel good.

So I give them Valium. Theoretically to prevent a fit from not having Valium.

They pick me up on not giving them "enough" or as much as they would like to make them feel as good as they would like to feel. 

It sounds simplistic but I want them to feel good. 

But I want them to feel challenge as well. 

Ying. Yang. Basic principles.

They can have it but not before they've listened to my, well... what they frequently unkindly referred to as a 'lecture'.

(If it is it's a lecture I'll tell you it's a bloody good one because I've been to loads). 

But the fact is they want to feel good and they have found something that does it for them PDQ. It's pretty compelling. Have you done that? I'm not sure I have.

Sometimes I have difficulty articulating my objections because it makes them feel good and apparently nothing else I can deliver quickly will.

But they are right.

I'm going to challenge them. Lecture them if you must.

Some people walk out. They don't like it.

Some people can't get enough of it. So when I'm done with both barrels, I reload.

Here I am.....swanning in.... giving them more bad news about how turning things around may take some work, how they'll feel better in the long run, why it is the right thing to do etc. The boring stuff. Sure it's performed like an Academy award winner. But still the real implications of some of the content.... are not appealing.

What they needed is strategy.

Tricks. I'm not above asking them to make their mother proud. I don't care if they're in the 70s or if she is in a different realm.

We are as far as we are aware that most extraordinary thing the universe has ever created.

What we need are tricks to harness our power.

Shortcuts to strength.

We can't all spend 20 years up a mountain meditating about peace.

Good god... imagine the sort of people that you'd meet. And I can't imagine the food be anything more than basic. 

For someone who can't carry off pink, an orange cassock is going to be a tough sell. I wouldn't be beyond a tailored number in burnt umber, but I just don't think that sort of people will be focussing on that sort of detail.

No, we need results now.

So we have to try something else on for size.

We need to hack.

We need to fool our subconscious.

We need to trick our minds to flex our choices.

We need to exert ourselves to exert ourselves.

If it's not fun we have to make it fun.

If it doesn't feel good, we have to pretend it does until it does. And then lie to ourselves if necessary. Until the good things are true.

If you want originality, find an original way to the same result. One that suits your personality.

If you're quirky, make it quirky.

If you're sexy, make it sexy.

If you can't bear things that seem never-ending, make it end. But start again. And keep starting.

Until you stop... until you finally stop.. 

Keep Starting.