The first step to learning how to make better choices is understanding why you make choices in the first place.

Convenience plays a big part in our decision making these days. And it makes sense. You can get anything you want with a touch of your phone. As a result, we have conditioned ourselves into convenience. That’s why most goals and dreams don’t pan out. We have created a habit through “instant gratification”. When tasks or actions take longer than “normal” or the effort required is heavy, it is viewed as a problem. And we don’t like problems. Problems are a pain point. 

We start associating pain to our long term goals vs the pleasure we gain from abandoning them. 

⚖️ Eat and live a healthy lifestyle vs eat pounds of chocolate to curve your cravings

⚖️ Sticking to your plan and fighting through the fear vs. Purchasing yet another product that’s promising you your dreams

⚖️ Learning how to budget and save money for your future vs. Being caught in shiny purchase syndrome.

⚖️ Having deep, intimate and uncomfortable conversations that will leave you open and vulnerable for your partner to see you as you truly are vs. Being pleasant and agreeable

⚖️ Putting time into learning and developing yourself vs. Netflix and chill.

Your life is made of choices. And every choice you make is based on how to avoid pain and how to gain pleasure.

IT’S THAT SIMPLE. 

The complication is how we define pain vs. pleasure. Would getting optimal health be pleasurable? Absolutely. But that work would be hard… and why do that when you can have chocolate NOW. 

I’m not saying you shouldn’t watch TV or eat chocolate. But what I am saying, is that if you’ve had some trouble reaching your goals in the past – there is a good chance that it is because of some of the beliefs you have about what you need to do in order to achieve them.  

Take the time to see what your brain associates to pain and what it associates to pleasure. You might find a clue as to where you are self sabotaging your goals. 

If you want success, fulfillment and joy in anything you do, you need to be mindful of the stories you tell yourself – and learn how to play the long game.