Turn Your Desired Behaviors Into Your Default Behavior ✅
Issue #77: Automatic Rules. Lesson on Atom. Curiosity → Action.
💡 Here are 3-tips to help you learn, grow, and be inspired this week!
🎓 Learn
I want to introduce you to a method I learned while listening to Shane Parrish on the Tim Ferris Podcast.
Shane Parrish is the author of books like “Clear Thinking” and “The Great Mental Models", is also the host of "The Knowledge Project" podcast.
This method, called the Automatic Rule, which can help:
Make decisions easier and faster.
Help you make decisions in your favor.
Turn your desired behavior into default behavior.
Automatic rules are decisions you make in advance, so you don’t have to decide at the moment. They reduce cognitive load, eliminate decision fatigue, and increase efficiency in decision-making.
We already use this method in our daily decisions. For example:
I’ll drink coffee as soon as I wake up.
I’ll brush my teeth before going to bed.
But Shane suggests extending automatic rules further for personal growth and better decision-making.
Here are a few examples of how I use this method in my life:
No dinner meetings if I can’t be back before 10 pm: Late-night meetings disrupt my energy, focus, sleep routine, morning routine, and mood. If I can't be back home before 10 pm, I set this automatic rule and decline meeting requests to maintain my well-being.
Wait two weeks before acting on big ideas: I tend to get excited about new ideas, but many turn out to be distractions. To avoid acting impulsively, I've set a rule to wait two weeks before taking action on big ideas. This allows me to assess their true potential and avoid the shiny object syndrome.
Complete all my growth habits before 8 am: Previously, I lacked consistency in my morning routine. I didn’t have any set time to do my growth habits. So, I found myself negotiating every morning that I’d do it later in the evening. A few times, I did, but for several days I didn’t. To address this, I prioritize these habits before 8 am daily. This simple rule has helped me maintain consistency for the past 114 days.
Here are a few other automatic rules:
Don’t read new books in December; reread old books.
Do yoga and meditation every day.
Get out of the bed when the alarm goes off.
Don’t work with jerks.
Don’t say yes to anything over the phone.
For things less than $50, don’t spend too much time in research. Just buy it, try it, and return it if you don’t like it.
Eat meat only in November.
Don’t think twice about buying a book.
Always carry AirPods.
Don’t watch Netflix alone.
No dinner or meeting if I have to drive 30+ minutes.
If you have a good idea or creative solution while walking, stop and write it down.
Wait for 24 hours before sending a strongly worded message.
Opt for Loom instead of Zoom if real-time response isn't necessary.
If you're not enjoying a party or event within 30 mins, feel free to leave, life is short!
Avoid skipping a habit two days in a row.
Designate one place for storing everything.
Share kind words promptly with someone when they cross your mind.
When feeling unmotivated to complete a habit, stick to the schedule but reduce the scope.
Key Takeaway:
For automatic rules, three things are very important:
Precise: Every day. Always. Two weeks.
Condition: Within 30 mins. Alone. Before 10pm.
Desired Behavior: Buying books. No meetings. No Netflix.
The big reason automatic rules are so effective is because:
We are the worst negotiator with ourselves when it comes to favoring long-term benefits against instant gratification.
🚀 Growth Tip
Since last few months, I’ve been reading a lot of books and content on science and spiritualty. One principle of spirituality talks about how the Atom has 90% of void (space), so I was looking for a simple YouTube video that would help me understand this concept. I found this one, and I love the channel so wanted to share it with you.
🤩 Inspiration
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May the Peaceful Growth be with you! 🪴