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focus and being indistractable - Coggle Diagram
focus and being indistractable
the most essential skill of our century
we do things without conscious thought
blow away magical moments
simply a distracted jerk
living the life we want requires
doing the right things
more importantly not doing things that take us off track
meaning
striving to do what you say you will do
being honest with both yourself and others
ability to get out of your own way
what matters = doing what you know you need to do
an ideal, rather a destination
something you continually become; not something you are
inborn tendencies always ensure we struggle with distraction
distraction comes from within
distractions make us feel that is what we should be doing
we regret later
wisdom to know the difference
the deal
higher productivity
increased mental and physical strength
qualitative rest
fulfilling relationships
why do we lie to ourselves
distraction is not a new phenomenon
mobile phones are just the latest; potential hindrances
tv, arcade, telephone, pinball , comic books, radio, even writing
today's distractions different
volume & velocity; world more distracting
distraction seeker; easier to feed yourself with options
Wealth of information = Dearth and Poverty of Attention
old phenomenon; Tantalus was perpetually distracted
tantalizing = desirable, but just out of reach
3 characteristics of distractability
we are marginal thinkers
like a squirrel hunting for acorns
most vulnerable to distractions when hopping between 2 goals
switch not when food is depleted
when resource is depleted enough to no longer be as interesting
humans behave same in their hunt for information
humans switch b/w distractions like email
constantly looking for next
information reward
very easy to feed
media diet
with a click or a tap
more likely to switch back and forth
we are creatures of habit
we don't do what we know we should; that too is a habit
the thoughtful intentional mind is easily derailed
we have present bias
hyberbolic discounting
tendency to choose smaller immediate rewards
influenced by certainty of the reward
not sure about promised reward
less likely to put needed effort today
short-term thinking is fine when future looks murky
if planning for long-term, present bias can sabotage future plans
we lie to ourselves
society has laws to enforce honesty
daily interactions not governed by laws and regulations
bad things happen when we don't keep our word
strict about promises to others
break commitments to ourselves
greek word Akrasia = acting against our better judgment
Tantalus' real curse
was already in hell; did not need the fruits and water
we can step back and do something about our
incessant desires
curse of Tantalus = obliviousness to the greater folly of his actions
curse of Tantalus = blindness to fact he did not need those things
our curse = compelled to reach for things we supposedly, not really need
root cause of our behavior
behavior driven by rewards/punishments; carrots/sticks
reality simpler; really we seek freedom from pain
= drive to relieve discomfort :key:
everything else a proximal cause
proximate causes vs root causes
tough to distinguish in real life
passed over for promotion
blame the cunning coworker
reflecting on our own lack of qualifications and initiative
fight with spouse on left-over toilet seat
blame the conflict on the tiny incident
acknowledging years of unresolved issues
world's troubles
scapegoat political and ideological opponents
seeking to understand the systemic problems
proximate causes help us
deflect
responsibility elsewhere
distractions result of proximate causes
we need to address root causes :explode:
cellphone, cigarettes, media all are proximate causes
why we do what we do
services and products exist to modulate our behavior
feeling something different is the driving force behind :explode:
homeostatic response
innate desire; keep internal states stable
snails
2 neuron systems
sensing presence of food
hungry or not
finding food
checking the external world
confirming it with internal state
our brains
not computers; more like thermostats
when body can't regulate itself
brain makes us do something to fix the problem
pleasurability of a thing ∝ effectiveness in restoring homeostasis
food tastes better when hungry
drinks more satisfying when thirsty
relief of pain can itself feel pleasurable
masochistic acts
eating hotpepper
riding roller coasters
watching horror movies
we invite discomfort to experience pleasurable effects of relieving it
story of Dr Chance
taught executives at Yale; how to change consumer behavior
true motivation for extreme behavior
addiction to Strive coincided with a stressful period in her life
heading to job market; rookie marketing manager
going on job market; rookie marketing professor
grueling month-long procedure; involving uncertainty
confession reveals she herself was not immune to manipulation
smart pedometer Strive
uses behavior design tactics
compels users to be more physically active
branded as personal trainer in your pocket
reality = Satan in your pocket; tempting you to walk
signed up to be the first guinea pig
exhilarated its application of manipulation techniques