scott stonehouse

We have a limited amount of willpower. We have a limited amount of decision-making energy. Although there are things we can do to increase and improve these abilities, even at their best and strongest capacities, they will be finite and limited.

This is why we naturally tend to off-load as many decisions as possible. We want to make things easy on ourselves. We want to shift from manual transmission to automatic.

The problem is that often the shift to automatic happens when we are already tired. Our batteries are depleted. Therefore, the defaults end up being poor ones. Unhealthy and unhelpful ones. Not the ones we would choose when we are at our best.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. We can — and should — choose our defaults ahead of time. This is what thoughtful habits, routines, and rituals can do for us.

It can work with decisions:
— I am not going to do drugs.
— I won’t cheat.
— I wait 24 hours before making big purchases.
— etc.

It can work with behaviors:
— I work out in the mornings.
— I take my lunch to work.
— I go to church on Sundays.
— etc.

It can work with attitudes:
— I assume the best about others.
— I look for what I can learn from my mistakes.
— I care about people more than their perspectives.
— etc.

Once we have chosen our default, we don’t have to think about it again. We don’t have to spend emotional energy or drain our willpower batteries wrestling with the decision. We have already made it. We know what to do. We have switched from manual to automatic. We have good defaults!

What are the good defaults you have or want to have?

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