What’s The Best…
Is it the apple, the banana or the orange?
Or does it really depend on the context?
I'm inundated on Quora by questions that start with, “What’s the Best…”
And many of the popular rephrasing approaches to this question…
“What’s the most efficient way….”
“What’s the most effective way…”
“What’s better…”
“Is this the best way to…”
It’s a popular lead into any question.
It’s the wrong question.
It’s not a stupid question, just the wrong one.
We've confused ourselves with our obsession over efficiency, perfectionism and using the ‘best methods.’
In western culture, we've completely lost sight of the better question.
“Does it work for you?”
No one can tell you if it will for certain. They can only guess that you might find success as others have with the recommended method.
You have to try it out.
The best method is the one that works for you.
The most effective method is the one that allows you to reach the objective.
The most efficient method, is the one that allows you to reach your objectives with the least amount of waste through the process.
Pure efficiency is never the best method for changing.
Mistakes can lead to better learning.
For so many change journeys, waste leads to the details that what works for you and what doesn’t.
Without doubt, you will bounce back and forth on a few methods before something sticks.
All change feels unnatural, at first.
It’s easy to get bogged down by details and the temptation to reduce waste in the process, rather than getting started.
We'd all love to complete our goal in 27 days, rather than 28.
Is it practical?
It’s more important for you to first choose to change something, then act on it.
Kind of like a choose-your-own-adventure book.
I have my own thoughts about fat loss.
And none of it means a damn thing if you don't find a little tidbit in there that resonates with you.
Resonates to the point of trying it out and seeing how it works for you.
It’s easy to get lost in all that information.
Many read a piece of my work like that, and believe I’m making it too complicated.
Maybe…
The reality is that it’s as simple or as complicated as the reader would like to make it.
Try to apply all the recommendations at once, and you'll surely fail in a complicated mess of execution.
Take one concept, apply it to your situation and now you have something incredibly powerful, yet simple.
I’m so thorough because it’s been my experience that one element needs to be the foundation of a future element.
It’s several elements layered together over time that take you towards the objective.
Sometimes you’ll take two steps backward, or falter in an attempt.
Learn and recover.
Maybe sleep wasn't a factor for you.
Maybe you're not ready for that step.
I'm covering as many bases pre-emptively as possible, not listing any and every method that will apply to you.
Many of them won't apply to you.
Some might.
Maybe it’s just one.
Maybe it’s none.
It’s important to identify what is practical for you to pursue when taking advice.
When asked a question, people just spew what they know. I don't claim to be different.
Doesn't mean it’s relevant to everyone listening.
If eating more vegetables was the best method for losing weight and you hate eating vegetables, where does that leave you?
Maybe you have to figure out what vegetables you like first.
Maybe you just have to find the right cooking method.
Maybe you need to start elsewhere and snowball into changing your vegetable consumption.
If eating more protein was the most efficient method for losing weight but you're a vegan?
Well you might have some trouble eating the amount of protein I recommend without a supplement.
If you have ethical concerns about supplementation?
Then what is otherwise a pretty efficient method, is now useless too.
Maybe you just need to eat more rice and beans, or tempeh.
You need to meet yourself where you're at.
Sometimes you need to distill a concept down further, until it’s so simple you can’t say no.
Other times you need to layer something more complex over top of what you're currently doing.
Adaptation requires a stimulus that is just a little bit beyond your current comfort zone.
Advice is merely a guide.
The most relevant method matters more than the most efficient, effective or best method.
There is no best method.
It’s time to start asking a different question, or just get started with the process.
