I watched a very interesting video today that has got me thinking. It's an address by Srikumar Rao, titled "Plug into your hard-wired happiness." You can find it here on ted.com. He makes quite a few points that basically show that we spend so much time thinking about the future and our outcomes that we seldom look at the here and now or the process. By focusing so much on the outcome, we don't enjoy the journey. Or worse yet, we don't take the journey at all.
I thought of many applications. Let me give one related to fitness or weight loss. We are overweight. We set a goal to lose X number of pounds. We set a goal to lose the weight by Y date. We write it down. We buy books to motivate us. We buy recipe books to help us. We imagine how it will be to lose the weight. We might even buy a new pair of jeans that will fit perfectly when the goal is met. Then a week later, we have read a lot and thought a lot, but not much has happened in the mirror. We continue looking toward that goal and a week later, not much has changed. We get frustrated. We buy some more books. We spend more time searching for recipes online. Maybe we consider the newest "magic cleanse" to get us going. Maybe we try the newest fad diet to no avail. Maybe we even consider purchasing the latest 'magic pill'.
Now we're three weeks out and don't see a huge difference in the mirror. We are spending all out time thinking about the future outcome and very little time focusing on the process. To clarify, we look in the mirror and expect to see after one, two or three weeks the image or outcome we were shooting for in two months time or maybe 12 months time. When we don't see it, we think there is something wrong. So we change things, still shooting for that goal.
Let me propose another approach. My experience has taught me that those people that keep a clear end in mind, a clear goal, but focus more on the day-to-day process of weight loss and proper nutrition are more successful in the end. They focus on what they're eating for breakfast. Then the morning snack. Then the lunch. They focus more on the mundane process of eating every few hours. Of starting each day with a good workout. Of drinking water regularly throughout the day. They do this over and over and over and over again until it becomes habit. Until they are no longer 'tempted' to stop by the quickie mart or the fast food joint to grab a little something on the way to work or on the way home. They don't have that 'urge' because they have been regularly feeding their bodies what they need. Sure they may not see results in one week. Maybe not even in one month. But three months down the line when they have committed to change, they will look back and realize they have had a lifestyle change. They are no longer going to the restaurants they used to. They are no longer eating the processed foods they used to. Sure they may have a treat here and there, but they realize they feel better and have more constant energy throughout the day when they eat regular meals and fuel their bodies with natural foods.
Many weight-loss advocates recommend weighing once a month. Maybe once a week at the most. The reason for this is that our weight fluctuates a lot from one day to the next depending on the sodium and carbohydrate intake from the previous day. (They both attribute to water retention. But in the case of carbs, it's good thing if you're exercising hard.) When people weight themselves daily it can become frustrating. So don't do it! Focus on other things. How are your jeans fitting? Is your belt becoming looser? Are you less winded when walking up stairs? Can you skip steps now where before you couldn't have dreamed of doing so? Can you sleep better? Do you feel more rested in the morning even though you didn't get 8 hours of sleep? Are you energy levels more constant?
By focusing on the process (day-to-day) more than the outcome (3 month goal), you are focusing on the daily actions required to achieve that outcome. But does that mean you should forget your goal? No! You should still read your goal before you go to bed and take the time to imagine yourself in the new pair of jeans or that picture of that swimsuit you have clipped and tucked in your night stand. The difference is that your focus throughout the day is on short-term action, on objectives, on the little actions repeated continually that will result in monumental changes when given enough time.
This 'focus on the present process' can be applied to our productivity goals, to our relationships, to our finances. Really to any aspect of our lives. Set the goal. Make it clear in your mind. Determine the day-to-day actions that will be required to achieve that goal. Then focus daily on the those daily actions. By doing this day after day your goals will come into sight from over the horizon, then they'll get closer and become clearer in focus and then ultimately you will achieve them. You'll be wearing those clothes you wanted to wear. You'll achieve the income you were shooting towards. You will love and feel loved in the relationship you have been working on. You will be out of debt, with a steady stream of passive income with savings and money set aside for retirement.
So what are you going to do today? And tomorrow? And day after tomorrow?
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