Monthly Archives: January 2020

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Consequences

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Managing behavior based on consequences is a widely used approach.  The concept relies on fear as a motivator.  That is, behave accordingly or suffer.

Intuitively we believe fear has urgency and can drive behavioral change.   In some cases this true but often through the process of rationalization, we mitigate the fear and thus are not motivated to alter our behavior.

Rationalization

When advised, “stop smoking, it will kill you” many people consider and develop a fear defense by focusing on the positive.  Smoking might kill others but it won’t kill me.

A number of psychology studies conducted on cigarette package warnings (fear tactic) are all conclusive that these warnings have no impact on smokers’ behavior.

It is human nature to focus on the positive, that is things that make us feel good and avoid scary and unpleasant things as much as possible.

For Example

A neat example of this is investor behavior.  A recent analytic study compared investment account log-ins over a five year period with reported market highs and lows (based on the S&P 500 index).

High markets corresponded with high log-ins and low markets with a low volume of balance checking.  Basically, when the news is bad we just don’t want to know, classic avoidance.

Motivating Change

The bottom line, positive behavior changes are best motivated by instant reward, fact-based analysis, comparison and competitive incentive (others are doing it so I should too) NOT consequences.

When you want to make a change, or you would like to help someone else change, remember to focus on the positive, reward them (or yourself) at the moment and consider the fact-based analysis and what others are doing.

 

 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Taking Charge

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Within the social context of life, all of us have the opportunity to assume control or responsibility for events and actions both internal and external to us.

We can take charge of a group, an event or activity or simply accept full personal control of our own actions.  Taking control removes the ability to blame other people or things.  Nothing made you act beyond your own volition.

Guiding the Result

In a group situation, in the interests of efficiency, it is often helpful if one person acts as a facilitator.  The guidance provided by the recognized authority enables all to act consistently and effectively.

Consider a security guard or first responder providing direction to others in an emergency situation.  Without them, panic could reign and chaos would result.

Sometimes the appointed leader or person in charge is not always obvious.  These cases represent an opportunity for us to step up and exercise leadership, even though we have not been granted the privilege.

For the Greater Good

Being granted authority to take charge (or not) shouldn’t be a limiting factor relative to your decision to step forward and help.  Think of the greater good.

When there is a leadership vacuum the groups’ ability to perform is greatly diminished.  This is not to denigrate the value of collaborative functioning as a whole, that is the hallmark of a high performing team.

However, there are times when group action requires a queue.   Often people are wondering, should I act, what will others think, who is going first, should it be me?

These are great opportunities for you to take charge.  You can influence the result for the betterment of everyone.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Stretch Yourself

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Reaching outside your comfort zone, that is stretching your skills and capabilities beyond the norm can be uncomfortable.  Also though, it could be very rewarding.

Living within your boundaries is an option.  You are likely to meet all your basic needs with minimal stress and effort.  You probably won’t exceed expectations, both your own and others but you should be comfortable.

Motivation

For those that stretch themselves and drive for the exceptional there must be some motivation.  Gold medal winning athletes stretch for the top pushing themselves to exceed,

This drive to break out of the mundane starts with self motivation.  Without being able to create and internal desire to excel, given the effort required, it is unlikely you will take on the challenge.

The key to personal success is determining why you want it, how much it is worth for you and then turn that into mental motivation.   Typically in your mind the objective becomes something you must have. That is where your motivation begins.

Confidence

Desire though powerful is not enough alone to get you focused on a stretch goal.  You must believe you can do it.  Also you need a foundational belief that constantly raising the bar is the best approach.

That is, don’t sit on your laurels.  The question to ask yourself is what is the next big thing?  How can I continue to push beyond the limits?

You may believe you are happy in your comfort zone but as soon as you begin to push out of the zone you will wonder why you were every squatting there in the first place.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

New Decade?

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Does popular belief determine truth or is it factually based?  I have always loved mathematics as it is indisputably factually.  Two plus two equals four.

Or does it.  Is the rule of math a human creation or a thing that is intrinsically true?  (In case you are wondering about this post it will be my new years first stab at deep philosophy, or is it the new decade?)

Therein Lies the Rub

Is the year twenty-twenty the first of a new decade or the last of a retiring decade?  I have read articles in the press welcoming the new decade.

Alternatively an internet search muddies the waters with definitive explanations of how 2020 is the first year of the decade and the last year of the decade.

There are references to the common calendar, the Julian and Georgian calendars and other perspectives as well.

Just Count It

For me, this is a mathematical problem which is entirely based on counting.  The issue arises relative to the rules associated with counting.

Simply put, if the number of things cannot include zero (a latter day concept invented by Greek mathematicians) than a decade starts with one and ends with ten.

By this logic, twenty-twenty is the tenth year and so the end, not the start of a decade.  (This logic of course presupposes full agreement that a decade consists of a count of ten, although I am sure someone will argue this)

On the Other Hand

If zero is a counting place holder, that is year zero counts than a decade runs from zero to nine and twenty-twenty is year zero and so the start of a decade.

So when does the new decade begin?  You can decide.  It seems it is a personal choice.