Have you ever heard the expression that “The best things in life are free”?
I’m sure we all have.
And it’s kinda true.
In so far as you can’t really “buy” those things.
Friendships, relationships, love, etc.
But it kinds depends how we look at the word “free”.
Because everything has a cost.
We have to put time, energy, focus and effort into making those things happen.
They don’t happen automatically.
We just, perhaps, don’t notice that cost, because we’re more than willing to ‘pay’ it.
We notice where our time, energy, focus and effort has to go into stuff that we’re less keen on, don’t we?
Without realising it we make cost-benefit analyses all day every day.
Weighing up what is needed from us and the advantage of those actions.
And, generally speaking, we find it easier to make a choice the more ‘proximate’ a benefit is.
If it happens to us and happens immediately, that is more powerful.
You could argue that it would be better if, every time were to buy a take out coffee we, instead, put that £3 into our pension or donated it to charity.
But the proximity of the benefit of the coffee (immediate and to us) makes it much more tempting.
From my experience (10 years of doing this and 20 years in the ‘game’), one of the reasons we struggle to be “motivated” to exercise and make better food choices is that we focus primarily on the benefits that are too ‘distant’.
Being slimmer on holiday in six months sounds great.
But that slice of cake (and the benefit of fitting in and not having people say “stop being boring”) is right there in front of us.
I’m sure we accept that if were to mediate regularly, we’d feel much better in a month or a year……….
But that glass of wine will do that right now, won’t it?
Moving the costs and benefits to being more ‘proximate’ is a powerful way to change that equation.
If we choose to see the benefit of exercise or a better food choices as feeling better immediately, being in a better mood, being nicer to be around, being more productive at work, enjoying the rest of the day more, etc……….
Then we’re more likely to make it.
If we see the ‘cost’ of skipping the workout or making a less good food choice as the opposite (and, maybe, feeling worse in the morning, spending more money, etc)………..
Then it can be less tempting.
Whatever the case, it’s worth remembering that nothing in life is really “free”.
Every decision has a cost and a benefit.
And the more proximate those are the more they are likely to affect our choices and actions.
Much love,
Jon ‘Analysis’ Hall
P.S. We’re well aware our programme costs more than joining a gym. But it’s a fraction of the cost of the same level of support on a 1:1 basis. And I genuinely believe that cost-benefit ratio is unparalleled! Check www.myrise.co.uk/apply if you’re willing to invest somewhere between 50 and 100% more than the cost of a gym for about a 1,000% of the results!
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RISE in Macclesfield was established in 2012 and specialise in Group Personal Training weight loss programmes for those that don’t like the gym and find diets boring and restrictive!
