The Holy Grail to every decision in Life!
In life, we are often faced with choices. If we remove all the complexities associated with the said choices, they can be boiled down into two broad categories —
- The short-sighted choice.
- The long-term choice.
Don’t believe me?
Eating ice-cream for instant happiness.
Vs.
Eating broccoli for long-term health benefits.
Checking Facebook notifications for instant attention.
Vs.
Checking on the people closest to you for long term bonding.
I could go on, but I’m sure you get the point. The choices we need to make in every area of lives are similar. Yet, we keep picking the wrong choice!
My track record of picking short-sighted choices over long-term choices had to end! I stumbled upon the solution where I least expected it.
I had found the holy grail!
It was a gloomy Monday morning at the PayPal Bangalore office. Instead of finishing up the last remaining bits of work, that ensured a relaxed schedule for the rest of the week, I chose to fiddle aimlessly with my mobile. The instant gratification that my mobile provided was no match for a freedom filled schedule few days down the line.
I wanted to break-free from this unhealthy instant gratification routine, so I put on my headphones and began listening to the audiobook The Productivity Project, by Chris Bailey. The tips on Productivity were extraordinary but what caught my attention was the author’s explanation of the ‘future self’.
According to the author, we view our future self like we view a complete stranger.
Things started to make sense.
Would I think twice before assigning my work to some stranger?
No.
The problem wasn’t productivity, motivation or energy! The problem was a mistaken sense of identity. I was pushing everything to my future self because I thought that my future self was some stranger.
The realization that my future self was also me, made the short-sighted choices less appealing.
If I have to do the work, I will do it now, instead of piling it all up until I have to deal with it myself with less energy, time and motivation!
**Way Forward**
I’m sure that you will have to choose between —
- The short-sighted choice.
- The long-term choice.
When you are faced with such a choice, be vary. Acknowledge that the work you avoid now will eventually have to be done by you, with lesser energy, time and motivation.
The future you is also you.
That’s the Holy Grail to every decision in Life!
