Human beings are rational animals. Our scientific name, Homo Sapiens, literally means “thinking man”. Being a logical thinker is part of who we are. An irrational human conveys something negative in our minds.
We think logically in order to solve problems. To make this complex world easier to understand, we label things in black or white instead of different shades of the same spectrum.
This ability to rationalize allowed us to survive as a species for hundreds of thousands of years. It has also brought immense prosperity to humanity as a whole. But on a personal level, this same ability can also be a hindrance to unlocking our full potential.
Dangerous Default
It is 7 in the morning and your alarm just went off. It is raining heavily outside. You were supposed to get up and hit the gym but there is a strong “force” preventing you from doing so. It feels like even your bed and your pillows conspire to keep you from rising.
“It’s raining anyway, and it is a hassle to get out.”
“It was a tiring day at work yesterday.”
“I deserve another hour of sleep.”
Your rational brain goes into overdrive. During heavy rains, the risk of road accidents are higher. I can just go tomorrow when the weather is fine.
Even before your day has begun, your rationality is already working against you. You can find a lot of reasons why it is a good idea to stay in bed and not work out.
The worst part is, not only can you convince yourself of this, but you can also find external sources that validate your thoughts. Searching the internet will eventually result in the thing that you are searching for. Road accident statistics. The benefits of getting good sleep. There are books written that explain why your thoughts are the correct and good thing.
Can rationalizing hinder us to grow, and can being irrational lead us to the right path?
Preparing Not To Think
When is thinking not a good thing? When it prevents you from doing what you are supposed to do.
Let’s take our previous example: you have trouble getting out of bed because of the rain. The longer you stay in bed, the better you will convince yourself that it is not a good idea to go outside. Wait long enough and you will have definitely convinced yourself.
The answer to this is to not let your logical brain dictate the entire process. On the night before you are supposed to wake up, prepare all the things you need: pack your bags, get your workout clothes near your bed, and prep your breakfast for the following morning. Do anything that makes it easier to get out of the house.
At the sound of the alarm, get up immediately. The longer you do this, the easier it becomes. The easier you make it for yourself to perform the pre-requisites to the desired action, the better. If you allow yourself time to think, this will cause you to rationalize. You will always find a million reasons why you should not do the thing you need to do. Fear. Laziness. Comfort.
So prepare yourself not to think. Do not give an inch to your rationalizing. Be irrational.
I’m not thinking about it because I know that my powers of rationalization can win. I can convince myself 48 times. You can support any crap that you want to support if you just want to rationalize with yourself. Be irrational. Shut up. Do what you’re supposed to do.
Jocko Willink