http://www.fastcompany.com/ While on a recent trip to Chicago I had the chance to catch up with Abby Hall, a self-described "drill master" and an old classmate of mine. Abby works in politics and I used to be a little political, so we'd crossed paths more than once over the years. But, we really hadn't had the opportunity reconnect so we had a lot of catching up to do.
Since we were in Chicago, we had to find a place with good pizza. We did. Unfortunately for me, I was in trouble with her before the pizza even arrived.
Here's the story and here's why it should matter to you as you live your purpose.
Since we were in Chicago, we had to find a place with good pizza. We did. Unfortunately for me, I was in trouble with her before the pizza even arrived.
Here's the story and here's why it should matter to you as you live your purpose.
The Story
One of my favorite things to do (or at least something I'm in the habit of doing) is starting debates about whatever obscure, but potentially controversial issue that catches my attention. I'm just picking fights (in all good fun) and I had to pick one with Abby. What better way to find out who that kid you once knew eventually grew up to be?
"I am going to ask you a question and your answer is going to determine if I like you or not," I told her. According to Abby this got her attention - she appreciates questions which concrete outcomes.
Abby did well in the skirmish so I figured I would tell her a story about different, and energy consuming, debate I started. Right when I got to the good part where things started to get heated, she stopped me cold.
"Wait a sec Sterling."
I knew I was in trouble. She continued.
"You were arguing with someone over an unwinnable point? Why? Why would you do that? Have you heard of decision fatigue? You are a bright guy, so why would you waste your energy arguing with those people?"
I was called out.
Her point was that as humans our finite mental resources are drained by having complex conversations (like my debates), thinking deeply, and even making decisions. She was reminding me that I have a lot going on, and lot I should be using my finite mental resources for, and starting unnecessary fights arguments may not serve me well.
She's probably right.
Big Deal
I walked away from that conversation very interested in figuring out how big of an impact decision fatigue can have on my, and your, ability to live life purposefully. After some looking around I dug up this FastCompany.com column by Drake Baer.
Baer points to a good amount of research that indicates how much of an impact decision fatigue can have. Not only does it make you mentally beat but physically tired as well. Day after day of this kind of fatigue can quickly burn you out. When you are worn down by mental work (i.e. using willpower, solving problems, verbal fights, making decisions, etc.) then you're vulnerable to acting impulsively, having no energy to pay attention to consequences, or just not acting at all when needed, since you're too exhausted to take action.
Clearly, decision fatigue is a powerful member of the Army of the Dead and it will block you from discovering and living your purpose everyday if you don't do something about it.
An Even Bigger Deal For Us
This community has been really on my mind (and using extra finite mental energy) since Abby threw the gauntlet of decision fatigue at my feet. I think decision fatigue is not just a powerful member of the Army of the Dead; all members of that army are powerful. Decision fatigue may in fact be a top threat to what we are trying to accomplish here.
Without burning too much mental energy, consider all that we ask of ourselves.
First, you need to give yourself a quality educated guess on what your purpose is. We have explored a good number of tests and games to help you do just that (i.e. The Measurement Test, The Perfect Life Test, The Wellbeing Test, Now, Go Kill Your "Link," The Game, etc.). But all of these require a lot of mental energy to do them right and, of course, you have to make the decision to commit to them.
Second, you need to figure what actions to take to live your life purposefully. This likely to cause a lot of angst and use a lot of energy. Again, there are tools on this site to help and the Motivate (Beta) Fellowship was all about this. But all of these require a lot of commitment, problem solving and trial and error - pretty energy intensive stuff. And, then there is the potentially agonizing debate about when to quit or whether you should ever quit.
Third, it probably takes a decision to use your time to read this blog and to invest the energy to work through its content. This isn't the lightest topic on the web. And, you may already be struggling with some capacity issues.
By definition, we are doing more when we are living purposefully than when we aren't. More means more energy.
You Can Do Something About This
OK. This looks bad. But there is still hope. I'm not closing up shop and neither should you.
I offer you 2 ideas to get you started in countering decision fatigue:
These aren't magic bullets. You have to take action on these ideas and keep at it. And, unfortunately, that will take some mental energy.
Be well,
Sterling Lynk
P.S. - Thank you to Abby for holding me accountable for having a poor habit. After I initial shared this post, Abby thought I should have done better so she spent some of her finite mental energy helping me to edit this piece. I believe this piece, and thus all of us, are better we are better for it.
Finally, for those of you who are concerned about this like I am, Abby's given us some homework. Click here to check out an excellent piece on this subject from the New York Times and click here for a nice TED Talk given by Barry Schwartz on the cost of making decisions. Before you dive in though, please do not forget the 3 rules. Without using the rules, you're just wasting your finite mental energy.
One of my favorite things to do (or at least something I'm in the habit of doing) is starting debates about whatever obscure, but potentially controversial issue that catches my attention. I'm just picking fights (in all good fun) and I had to pick one with Abby. What better way to find out who that kid you once knew eventually grew up to be?
"I am going to ask you a question and your answer is going to determine if I like you or not," I told her. According to Abby this got her attention - she appreciates questions which concrete outcomes.
Abby did well in the skirmish so I figured I would tell her a story about different, and energy consuming, debate I started. Right when I got to the good part where things started to get heated, she stopped me cold.
"Wait a sec Sterling."
I knew I was in trouble. She continued.
"You were arguing with someone over an unwinnable point? Why? Why would you do that? Have you heard of decision fatigue? You are a bright guy, so why would you waste your energy arguing with those people?"
I was called out.
Her point was that as humans our finite mental resources are drained by having complex conversations (like my debates), thinking deeply, and even making decisions. She was reminding me that I have a lot going on, and lot I should be using my finite mental resources for, and starting unnecessary fights arguments may not serve me well.
She's probably right.
Big Deal
I walked away from that conversation very interested in figuring out how big of an impact decision fatigue can have on my, and your, ability to live life purposefully. After some looking around I dug up this FastCompany.com column by Drake Baer.
Baer points to a good amount of research that indicates how much of an impact decision fatigue can have. Not only does it make you mentally beat but physically tired as well. Day after day of this kind of fatigue can quickly burn you out. When you are worn down by mental work (i.e. using willpower, solving problems, verbal fights, making decisions, etc.) then you're vulnerable to acting impulsively, having no energy to pay attention to consequences, or just not acting at all when needed, since you're too exhausted to take action.
Clearly, decision fatigue is a powerful member of the Army of the Dead and it will block you from discovering and living your purpose everyday if you don't do something about it.
An Even Bigger Deal For Us
This community has been really on my mind (and using extra finite mental energy) since Abby threw the gauntlet of decision fatigue at my feet. I think decision fatigue is not just a powerful member of the Army of the Dead; all members of that army are powerful. Decision fatigue may in fact be a top threat to what we are trying to accomplish here.
Without burning too much mental energy, consider all that we ask of ourselves.
First, you need to give yourself a quality educated guess on what your purpose is. We have explored a good number of tests and games to help you do just that (i.e. The Measurement Test, The Perfect Life Test, The Wellbeing Test, Now, Go Kill Your "Link," The Game, etc.). But all of these require a lot of mental energy to do them right and, of course, you have to make the decision to commit to them.
Second, you need to figure what actions to take to live your life purposefully. This likely to cause a lot of angst and use a lot of energy. Again, there are tools on this site to help and the Motivate (Beta) Fellowship was all about this. But all of these require a lot of commitment, problem solving and trial and error - pretty energy intensive stuff. And, then there is the potentially agonizing debate about when to quit or whether you should ever quit.
Third, it probably takes a decision to use your time to read this blog and to invest the energy to work through its content. This isn't the lightest topic on the web. And, you may already be struggling with some capacity issues.
By definition, we are doing more when we are living purposefully than when we aren't. More means more energy.
You Can Do Something About This
OK. This looks bad. But there is still hope. I'm not closing up shop and neither should you.
I offer you 2 ideas to get you started in countering decision fatigue:
- Healthy Habits: In his column, Baer points out the power of creating healthy habits for yourself. Build routines in your life that serve you and eliminate those that don't (like purposeless academic debates). If it is good for you, then stop taking the time to think about it and just do it. A great way to get started here is to focus on the idea of sharpening your saw. This alone can probably defeat decision fatigue - as long you invest the energy to build habits inspired by it.
- Act From Your Natural Strengths: Fight fatigue by recharging your batteries. Author Marcus Buckingham has repeatedly pointed out that your strengths are things that give you energy when you do them. In case you missed them, here are a few excellent tools to help you discover the things that give you energy. Imagine how easily you can shrug off decision fatigue if you are leveraging your strengths more often.
These aren't magic bullets. You have to take action on these ideas and keep at it. And, unfortunately, that will take some mental energy.
Be well,
Sterling Lynk
P.S. - Thank you to Abby for holding me accountable for having a poor habit. After I initial shared this post, Abby thought I should have done better so she spent some of her finite mental energy helping me to edit this piece. I believe this piece, and thus all of us, are better we are better for it.
Finally, for those of you who are concerned about this like I am, Abby's given us some homework. Click here to check out an excellent piece on this subject from the New York Times and click here for a nice TED Talk given by Barry Schwartz on the cost of making decisions. Before you dive in though, please do not forget the 3 rules. Without using the rules, you're just wasting your finite mental energy.
[Image: www.fastcompany.com]