Thinking in Consequences Part 2
We’ve previously discussed how Thinking in Consequences changes the way decisions are made
Thinking beyond an action’s initial result,
To the 2nd, 3rd, 4th order consequence, and so on…
The first order consequence of a challenging activity,
Often shows up with a mask of discomfort
What we see on the surface distorts our ability to look further
Hiding positive 2nd, 3rd, and 4th order consequences
Exercise, facing conflict, eating our vegetables, studying for an exam…
The concept is worth coming back to
Habits need repetition to be engrained into lives
This is true for physical habits and habits of the mind
I recently found myself connecting the dots,
Between my previous thoughts on consequences, and what I learned in Ray Dalio’s Principles
And this excerpt from Ed Thorp’s “A Man for All Markets”
He writes,
“When I was having a disagreement with a teacher in high school, a friend’s father asked me three questions that I’ve never forgotten:
‘What do you want to get out of this situation?’
‘What do you want to happen if you do this?’
‘What do you expect to happen if you do this?’
These questions helped me to step back and think about what I was trying to achieve, and whether my actions would likely get me there.
It was a lesson in thinking through consequences that has served me well ever since.
By understanding what I wanted, what I expected, and what was likely to happen, I was better able to make decisions that were aligned with my goals and more likely to lead to a positive outcome.”
I love this simple, practical, yet effective approach to decision making
It forces us to pause, think, consider, and examine what we really want
It pushes us to refrain from the immediate impulse to react
And puts us in the proper frame of reference to respond
There are times where we want to yell, call names, and point fingers
Traffic jams, relationship disagreements, workplace conflicts, misbehaving children
There are times when we are encouraged by our peers or social messaging to act in ways that lead to short-term gratification, while pulling us away from our long-term goals
We may not even realize it, often these methods work by appealing to our weakness
The issue is that they also tend to enable our weakness
“You deserve a break today” was a famous McDonalds slogan for years…
Mastercard uses “Priceless” in their commercials to appeal to our emotions, yet their product is method of spending money…
“One more drink isn’t going to kill you” seems harmless when said by friends; in reality it is a manipulative way to influence your decision…
These examples all illustrate a common theme
The solicitation for us to focus on the immediate consequence
Turning a blind-eye to the negative effect that aren’t instantly visible
I want to add an extension to Thorp’s three question method
Add a few extra words to incorporate consequences beyond the first order
Ironically, I am borrowing the name from a brand of candy
‘What do you want to get out of this situation?’
(Now and later?)
‘What do you want to happen if you do this?’
(Now and later?)
‘What do you expect to happen if you do this?’
(Now and later)?
The goal here is not to overthink things from the perspective of worry
It is to be intentional with our decision criteria
We still need to act
And there are times, when saying no may be the correction action
Zig Ziglar said it well
“Most of the problems in life are because of two reasons, we act without thinking or we keep thinking without acting.”
Next time you catch yourself in the face of a Fight or Flight decision
Or you feel influenced by external pressure
Pause, breathe, and remember these three simple questions
‘What do you want to get out of this situation?’
‘What do you want to happen if you do this?’
‘What do you expect to happen if you do this?’
And then remember something sweet (pun-intended)
(Now and Later)
Thought of the Day: 06–11–2024
(Frameworks and Perspective)
If you found this perspective helpful, please share it with a friend…
