Why do we do the things we do? Is it because we are rational creatures that know what is best for ourselves? Is it because our blind intuition enables us to act in ways that make us feel good?
Unfortunately neither of those sound very reasonable…
Lately these days I am falling deep into a pit of realizing that I know nothing. All of my assumptions about things I haven’t studied are falling away. I still believe most of the same things but now I am recognizing which topics I have done research on and which I’m just kind of assuming the answer on.
And that leads to trying the opposite.
For example — as part of the “Low Information Diet” that I’ve been on and talking about, I am only allowed to read for 1 hour per day.
It seemed foolish for me to limit my reading… its the exact opposite of what I think will make me happy and productive.
Now I am realizing that this method makes me much more attentive to the contents of what I read. I cherish my reading time, take notes, and then reference those notes and think/write about the ideas throughout the next 24 hours.
I’ve talked about the low info thing a lot so I won’t ramble about it more. It is the perfect example of me “doing the opposite” and getting a great result.
Time is Limited No Matter What - Therefore, Boosting Quality Over Quantity is Surprisingly Effective
Lately I am focusing way more on the quality of my day. I realized recently that time is the same no matter what I do. Chasing quantity of anything, maximizing hours, it’s foolish. I can’t actually change the quantity of hours — so when I say that “more hours” is the answer, it’s a fiction.
I do stuff all day as it is. I can only change the way I slice it up.
Instead if I focus on quality of time, every single successful attempt at boosting it is a clear win. Higher quality is something that is not a given - quality varies wildly from day to day and from person to person.
It’s an example of doing the opposite, in this case of looking for the “minimum viable dose” rather than the “maximum quantity possible.”
What’s something that you could “try the opposite” for?
