Look at what you have and how you’re going to use it. Spend some, save some, invest some and give some away to those less fortunate at the time.
If you do budget well, your wealth will grow and you’ll do well with that discipline. Train your brain to set and stick to a budget. It’s a rare but very useful skill.
Relax. A million years have passed without your input or navigation. Perhaps letting things play out would be a good idea. The idea that your very limited experience in all things in the world and ability to coordinate 8 billion lives, or even one more than yours, will be better than all those that went before you, might be a bit of a stretch.
Unless you can predict, second, third and fourth order consequences for your own life with exceptional accuracy, then it is probably time to let things play out for everyone else. Besides, you might find all that relaxing rather enjoyable.
Each time we start something we are best to finish it or cancel it. We need to close the open loop.
You see, when you start a conversation, a project, a task or even an idea in your head, you open a loop. Your mind will keep coming back to this loop until it is closed in some way – completed, cancelled, accepted.
This revisiting of these open loops can drain you of energy and decision making power. That is not good. It leaves less energy for current important things. So every time you can, Close an open loop. You’ll feel lighter and be more effective.
Many people will say different things. Hear them. Weigh their words. But what is the sense in your gut? Many people get things wrong, even if they are experts. You must question and get second or third opinions.
Once you’ve made a decision, with a clear commitment to change, you will do it. It’s easier if you have a clear target and a path to get there and beyond.
Then you no longer need to read up on it, have people help you or go on courses. Your determination will be a very powerful force.
You may still want some help to maintain your discipline but it will be help, not a crutch.
Make the decision. Commit. Win!
We tell people what is important for us about the other person. We do not describe the other person in an unbiased way. We describe them based on our bias and what we want to convey.
So when news reports come out, be sceptical about why the reporter is using those words and in that order. What picture are they painting and why?
When a friend describes another friend, where are they positioning them in your mind?
If you liked Margaret Thatcher, you might describe her as a strong woman, the Iron Lady, who rose from humble beginnings, with a common background, to the halls of power. If you were less of a fan you might just say she was anti-union and destroyed coal mining in the UK.
Both are descriptions that people could use about the same person. So we don’t simply describe the other person, we describe the characteristics that we want to highlight about the other person. So why did we choose those specific highlights?
Do you want the world to be a better place or do you simply want it to be run the way you currently feel it should be? These can be wildly different.
Wanting the world to continue to get better is next level politics. Unfortunately, most people would rather trash every opposing or slightly different (could we say diverse) viewpoint, just so they could lead and be in charge.
Most people (maybe 80%) would probably agree with great policies, if they didn’t know which side had suggested them. Unfortunately, our tribal instincts and cultures have us preferring the tribe over the policy.
This happens in global and country politics but also in garden variety conversations with neighbours, family and friends.
Find common ground and notice the nuance. Give and take a little. The world could be a much better place if we noticed that the vast majority of people, deep down, want very similar things.
Have you considered who is really helping your mind make decisions? You may think it is you. But is it?
Where did you get the information? Did you get the opposing view in an unbiased way?
Is your info coming from the radio, tv, print media, family or friends? Have you reflected on that information and given it a sensibility test?
Are people using sample sizes of one to get you to believe something is very widespread when it isn’t? Something may be terrible but if it happens just 0.001% of the time, though very unfortunate, it is not a national crisis of epic and massive proportions. Remember that.
Oftentimes we are so focused on our own view, and holding on to it, and defending it so we can be “right”, that we miss the opportunity to improve the situation.
While we stick to our perspective and search only for data to support our bias, we don’t listen to evidence being presented that may have some merit. Defending our position and being right becomes the overriding objective, not solving the problem.
Imagine the improvement in our world if we focused on really understanding the different perspectives presented, clarifying what the actual issue is and using all the data to find a better way ahead.
Try focusing on a better outcome rather than defending your position. It’ll be a game changer.
When you’re looking for answers, consider all options. Don’t only think of your usually answers, find out what others would do, or did, in your situation. Find out by going online using a search engine or ChatGPT, watch a video, read a book or speak to someone new.
Brainstorm ideas to come up with some new answers. You don’t have to use the wacky answers but at least mull them over and give it some time to reflect on them.
Then you need to take all that thinking and make a firm decision and drive forward with that best idea without looking back.
