Everyone must have heard of the saying, "Dont let the mind play games with you". I think it is very much true. In almost every task that we do, when we try to extend our capabilities, there is a portion of mind which keeps telling you to relax yourself. Most of us are victim to this portion of mind. Whenever I go to a restaurant with a grand intention of eating something very light and healthy, there is this portion of my mind which keeps asking me, "Why today? You always eat a fairly healthy diet. This is just one day. Its not going to do anything...". And, I listen...:)
Its not just with the restaurants. In workplace, I often start with something with an intention of completing it by the end of the day. As the day progresses, multitude of these convenience factors advice me to not be so ambitious. Most of the times, the arguments are so convincing and logical that I will have to abide by it. I am a very reasonable person who listen to what others have to say...I am sure, a lot of us must have made use of the convenience factors to our favor one time or the other. Atleast, I hope so. Infact, if everyone uses convenience factors, there is no wrong in using those convenience factors for ourselves, isnt it..;)
I think, one way to get away from being manipulated by our mind is to use constraint driven optimisation. For example, some people dont buy TV to optimise the time spent on other activities. If there is not TV, obviously, no time is going to be spent on it. Some folks try to commit to very tough goals for themselves. Once there is a tough goal, there is less room for leniency. I have seen some people who adamantly go against the mind, no matter what. All that said, I am not a huge fan of leading a strict constraint driven life. Life is like a delicious dish. It needs to be savored with every passing moment. Dont u agree?
Anyway, though there is some humanness in using up these convenience factors, it is also the major factor that hinders growth. If I am not doing something today, I am not going to do it tomorrow. Before I know it, I wudnt have done it for a month. And soon, months become years. If you notice, if you force yourself into doing something for a week, that one week will be noticed. But, after the first week or two, it becomes a habit. Well, I have decided. I am going to cultivate the habit of making less use of convenience factors starting today. Hmm...its already 9:00PM... What good does it serve to start making any vows at 9 in the night. I am going to be hardly awake for another couple of hours. I have an entire life at hand. Tomorrow is the best day to start....Yes, tomorrow it is....
Friday, August 04, 2006
Convenience Factor
Posted by Suresh Sankaralingam at 8:30 PM
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8 comments:
I can see the clock showing 10:00PM.Hmmm..Almost my sleep time..Well, my mind says its best to wait for tomorrow and give a detailed and lucid comment on convenience factor.Yes , tomorrow it is..:-)
Point very well taken....almost everyday in my life, I suppose?!
I wonder what would happen if every being in the world used the convenience factor. Maybe we would not have this blog, maybe not even electricity...On the other hand, maybe we would not have wars, plots, fanaticsm?
I got to take care of the very highly inconvenient chore of folding clothes. .. and this blog helped me get off the couch and moving in the right direction.
....I have returned. Wanted to add that future potential for convenience could alter our immediate need for convenience. So, my comment from earlier is only partially true. Many marvels and technological advancements must have been fueled by inspirations from the potential convenience of an invention. For instance, I am willing to bet there was some amount of laziness in the person who invented the washing machine or for that matter a grinder.
In the end it boils down to the borrower/saver theory in economics. Do you want future good or do you want to use up all good today?
There are 2 kind of people, first kind who acknowledge that they use this convience factor and feel frustrated about it. And the second kind, not even aware they are using it.
In otherwords, humans always use this factor at different degrees and different purpose. If you like to do something then convience factor goes away..
@survivor: Couple of tomorrows have passed by...just like the blog says...
@bumblebee: Glad to hear that my blog moves people..:).. Its an interesting point to view inventions as an outcome of convenience factor. It could also be that, some people wanted bridge the gap between reasons to use convenience factors and the real work by making it more attractive and easier...
@brainwaves: I think most people are aware of the fact that they make use of the convenience factor, though they may not admit it.
As u and bumblebee rightly said, it is a trade-off problem... How much and how soon do you want to do is the real question...
Good post! And thanks man -- Monday morning, you crank me up with this post - now, I got to work!
@mindframes,
Sometimes, tomorrow never comes...:-)
For the comments to this blog, tomorrow is here anyway..:-)
I think the convenience factor is one's own form of setting priorities. If my priority is good health, maybe I will curtail my temptations when walking into a restaurant.If I am interested and am passionate, my mind will tell me to do it. If I am not, I can conveniently forget it with lot of excuses & reasons.If you are seperating your mind and you....where is the line? How do you define you & how do you define your mind? I think your convenience depends on what you want & what you need.
@Brainwaves,
On reading ur comment, a phrase came to my mind. "There are two types of people. One who categorize people into two types and others who dont" :-)
Within the other (new) blogs, this one got burried in between conveniently.
Well, no more blogs today. Im going to work.
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