Quote of the Week - 15th November 2020

People have a tendency to think in the short term about everything that they do. We are neurologically hard wired to seek immediate rewards. Our brains create habits out of things we do repeatedly. This is easiest to do when actions have immediate rewards facilitating dopamine production. That dopamine then induces cravings which drive us to repeat the actions. Don’t get me wrong, there are times when we attempt to think long term. At these times, we must set short term milestones to lay the foundations for long term success. Each short-term goal gives us satisfaction fast which keeps us motivated in the long term. This quote made me think about this process and acknowledge the fact that I, like most, often fixate on the short-term results. It made me consider another way of looking at the things I do. I am going to work hard to acknowledge what can possibly come of each of my actions further down the line, not just the immediate results. I will be asking myself: what progress towards my goals could come easier or swifter because of my actions?

I will use the example of students preparing for an essay deadline to better illustrate what I want to discuss here. Three students have a paper due in six weeks. They have all their other reading for classes to get done. They know that they will need to do research to prepare for the paper that is not included in this. If, as student A does, they break down the reading into small chunks to do over time they will be achieving small victories along the way and keeping motivated. They will be making progress and proving to themselves that they can do it. They will be sowing the seeds for success to reap at a later date. 

On the other hand, if like student B, they were to delay starting. Focussing on their other day to day reading, the amount of work required in subsequent weeks will increase exponentially. The longer it is put off, the more work is required in a short timeframe. What was one or two papers or chapters a week becomes two or three, then five or six. Not only does delaying put pressure on the student to be able to do a large amount of research, but then there is the writing as well. This student has not been sowing the seeds for success, and they have not been reaping any rewards. As such, they have had no motivation to work towards their goal, and they have made what seems like more work for themselves in the long run.

Student A highlights another problem with short term versus delayed gratification. Say the paper is for 2000 words about the topic. Over the six weeks, if the student A gets 1/5th of the reading done each week but waits until the 6th week to start writing they will have more work to do in reviewing the information down the line as well as the research and the writing. Whereas student B won't need to review the information as it is still fresh, but they will also have to write the essay in the shortened period of time. Student B despite not starting sooner has not created extra work and so the difference between A and B is not so great as initially expected from A's work. This is because you cannot sow the seeds for success if you are not going to also put in the work to reap them at the right time. You must check in on the crop and harvest them at the right time. Some may overgrow and spoil and some may not be ready to reap when the time comes. 

So now, we introduce student C. Student C, like student A, has decided to read 1/5th of the material every week. However, they are also going to write 300 words each week about how the items read apply to the topic of the paper. Not only does C have the satisfaction of checking reading off of their to do list but then they are also making concrete progress towards their goal by getting something written every week. They are sowing the seeds for success by doing the reading but reaping fresh produce a little at a time along the way. They are collecting the harvest that is ready and leaving the rest to mature. This way they are able to have a larger pile accumulating over time. Though they are only able to get 300 words a week they are setting up to be able to get more in the future with less effort. They also have a visible marker with which to satisfy the dopamine cravings and drive their good habits.

By writing about the topic when the reading is still fresh C, like B, does not need to take extra time and effort to review the materials. By the 6th week of the project, C has both completed the reading and has 1500 of the words written of 2000. They have the last week to bundle together all these individual harvests and produce a greater whole. Student A, though more prepared than B, still has to harvest all of the seeds they have sown and sort the wheat from the chaff. They will still have a substantial boost in quality and quantity over B but it will take a lot more effort to bring it together.

As it stands, I am trying to change my perspective. I have been student B for the longest time. Throughout my time as a student four out of five essays I had to write were done like B and a few like A. I have been putting off the things I want to do or need to do in order to satisfy my needs. I have been so focussed on short term goalposts that I have not been able to see them for the milestones they are. As it stands today, my efforts to change have only gotten so far as to make me more like A more often than not. I have been working hard towards something without looking ahead to see whether I could avoid other obstacles, inadvertently creating more obstacles for myself. I have also not been seeing the small rewards I could have reaped along the way to motivate myself. Looking forward, I have been focussing on one eventuality and not adapting this vision to accommodate for other potential outcomes. I know that sometimes you cannot predict the problems you will face or the direction you will find yourself headed in. I simply want to practice and develop the skill of becoming more reliable at spotting and preparing for problems. I am working to see what is ready to be reaped from the seeds I have sown along the way. Ideally, I would like to become more like student C, I would like to be prepared and working gradually to complete steppingstones on the path to success.

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This section is added during review post original publication.

The ‘A Little Every Day’ project has spawned from the kind of thinking demonstrated in this discussion. It is an effort not only to form a habit of writing everyday but also to reap the reward of steady progress. By writing a little every day, I will progress towards the big goals I have; from finishing the first Lonely World novel, to building a blog I can be proud of and perhaps even make a living from. It is important for me to see what I have accomplished along the way not only to motivate me in the future but also to combat imposter syndrome once it inevitably strikes. By working hard towards my goals and having this evidence plain as day, the ‘A Little Every Day’ project will help me overcome it.