Categories
discipline motivation

Willpower as an Emotion

Guy on desert island: Three days earlier, Gary asked God to eliminate from his life all temptation.

Guy on desert island: Three days earlier, Gary asked God to eliminate from his life all temptation.

The other day, I read an excellent article from Inc.com on what we get wrong about willpower. In it, Nir Eyal debunks the ego-depletion theory. We’ve all heard and believed that willpower is a limited resource. He explains why this is not a good idea.

Holding on to the idea that willpower is a limited resource can actually be bad for you, making you more likely to lose control and act against your better judgment.

What You’re Getting Wrong About Willpower @ Inc.com

If we believe we will sooner or later run out of willpower, we set ourselves up for failure. There are times when I’ve actually looked forward to the time I would run out of the will to resist a dessert temptation. When I’m at that point, I might as well help myself to a second or third cheesecake, right?

Wrong! The article cites research that shows willpower ebbs and flows more like an emotion instead of fatigue. Sure, we let our emotions get raw when we’re tired. But that doesn’t mean we can’t manage our emotions and make a wise choice when necessary.

I don’t have to exile myself to a desert island in order to stay away from desserts. We have more power to eliminate bad habits and introduce new ones than we give ourselves credit for.

The article is based on Eyal’s book, Indistractible. I’m going to check it out!

Categories
motivation Running

Observations on a Snowy, Morning Run

snowy, nighttime trail in Ohio
Wolf Creek Recreational Trail, Brookville Ohio 12/16/19

This morning, I grabbed my ice cleats and went for my run. The scenery was quite different than the same route on Saturday. There were a few tracks on the sidewalk. Some human, some four-legged. Otherwise, there wasn’t much activity on a Monday morning.

snowy, nighttime trail in Ohio
Wolf Creek Recreational Trail, Brookville Ohio, 12/16/19

There were a few things I observed as I jogged down the trail.

  • Environments change quickly. Be prepared when you make a journey.
    • If it’s cold, take a coat.
    • If it’s slippery, wear the right gear to keep you safe.
  • Even in the common, everyday places, there is something new to discover.
  • Some of the best moments are when you are the first to venture out.
    • Embrace the morning.
    • Be a trailblazer.
    • Give yourself time to think.
  • Talk yourself into something instead of out of it.
    • The journey is worth it.
    • It’s rarely as bad as our imagination makes it out to be.

May you have a great day. And whatever your journey this morning, embrace it and look for beauty in unexpected places.

Categories
Christmas holiday

The Creepy Side of Christmas

Cartoon of a girl and someone with a bag over their head. The girl says, "I know what you mean. 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town' gives me the creeps too."

Cartoon of a girl and someone with a bag over their head. The girl says, "I know what you mean. 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town' gives me the creeps too."

Some of our American Christmas traditions can be creepy. Elf on the Shelf comes immediately to mind. It was creepy enough for me when I thought Santa Claus was watching my every move as a child. I didn’t need a visual reminder in my house reporting back to the big guy. I was tempted to put a bag over my head and hope the whole espionage thing would blow over!

There is a strong German influence in southwest Ohio. Since coming here, I’ve heard about Krampus, a half-goat, a half-demon Bavarian character that would punish children during the Christmas season. And I thought Santa was a strict dude!

Ich habe Angst vor Krampus!

It is so antithetical to the original Christmas story. The son of God is born in a manger among barn animals. He already knew we messed up. He came to give hope, joy, and peace.

Today is the third Sunday of Advent. If you are walking by a mall Santa or an Elf on the Shelf today. Relax! There’s no need to put a bag over your head and hope the yuletide espionage passes over!

Categories
Exercise motivation Running

No One Wants to be Just a Number… or do They?

Man running into a sunrise

Man running into a sunrise

This morning, I did something I know most guys my age don’t do. I ran eight miles. I don’t say this to brag, because I don’t consider myself an athlete. I didn’t run in high school or college. I only picked it up in my thirties when my weight was creeping up on me and my father-in-law poked my doughboy’s belly!

I say it because it is possible to be active in your fifties and beyond. This came to my mind when I read this Runner’s World article the other day:

5 Runners who Prove Age is Just a Number

In this article, it quotes a study that claims people felt they were too old to start exercising after they turned forty-one years old. Yet the article had five runners who began to run between the ages of fifty and eighty-four. Let that sink in! An eighty-four-year-old decided it was time to start running!

We put too many limits on ourselves. We’d like to start something but we make all kinds of excuses like:

  • I’m too old
  • I’m too young
  • I don’t have the money
  • I don’t have the time
  • I don’t have any talent
  • I don’t know anybody
  • The timing isn’t right

We claim we don’t want to be a number, yet do we allow numbers to limit ourselves? Do we give in to society’s expectations that are neither correct nor fulfilling?

Check with your doctor. If he or she gives you the okay, I encourage you to start exercising. It’s made a big difference in my life since I began this good habit.

Categories
Business motivation

Know Your Customer/Audience

Cartoon of two kids looking at a present. The boy says, "What do you think? Did Mom get me that table saw for Christmas?"

Christmas is less than two weeks away. Have you got that special gift yet? It can drive us crazy searching for the one gift that will light up a loved one’s face. It can be even more difficult to find one that is age appropriate. One year, my eight-year old nephew wanted an axe. While he would have enjoyed it, and all he wanted to do was chop wood, his parents agreed with us he was too young for that special gift that year.

Cartoon of two kids looking at a present. The boy says, "What do you think? Did Mom get me that table saw for Christmas?"

You may not want to give a book lover a table saw. Nor would you want to give a carpenter a book if he or she doesn’t like to read. It’s common sense, but frequently in business, we try to sell a product to a customer that isn’t interested. It just may not be for them.

Gift-giving is a lot like the business of selling. You want to find the right person for the right product or service. Don’t try to force a “gift” onto a customer that just isn’t appropriate for them. They may force a smile and utter, “Just what I wanted.” But if it really isn’t for them, it will soon be cast aside and never used.

Know your customer.