founder of naked leader

“Everything you do has…”

Time to Read – 3 Minutes, and a few scary seconds

“Everything you do has…”

Consequences

For you and for others

The main reason that people choose to do nothing is because we are worried about the consequences of doing something, which we imagine in our mind before we take any action (the main consequence being “failure”), and yet of course…

“Everything you don’t do has…”

Consequences

For you and for others

The main reason that people choose to do something is because we are worried about the consequences of doing nothing, which we imagine in our mind before we take any action (the main consequence being the status quo), and yet of course…

How to break out of this loop?

When there is something that you know you really need to do, even though it may not be something you really want to do, then ramp up the consequences, and with someone else…

e.g. “If I don’t work hard in my role – my drum set is yours”

e.g. “If I don’t pass my exams with the grades I know I can achieve – my watch is yours”

Speak with someone today; say to them, “If I don’t…then…”

And the person “helping” you absolutely, 100% must follow through

As will you

Scary?

Good, now we are getting somewhere

With my love and best wishes

David
X

PS to the person gaining all that stuff, auction it for charity…

13 Responses to “Everything you do has…”

  1. This is one of those articles where I’d like to click the “like” button!

    I’m about to run a workshop for a number of 15-16 year olds to give them some food for thought on interview techniques…. I might add this in for them!!

    As ever, thank you David.

  2. Agree with Barbara, this is a compelling idea.

    Philosophically though, is this not some kind of meta-barter? In addition to the transaction of “if I do this, will *you* accept that I have done it, by accepting this token?”, are you not creating a transaction of “if I give you this, are you accepting it’s value equal to the transaction?”. Some people may feel this adds to an already complex emotional engagement.

    I still like it though.

  3. Love this. I find that just sharing with someone what you are trying to achieve/change works – a simple thing for me was to share with my partner that I was going to deal with my reciepts and post on a daily basis rather than let them pile up. I then get a gentle reminder when it doesnt happen :0)

  4. Thanks for the comments – as always I would say this – there is only what works and what does not. Warwick I think the barter is at the very heart of this – charities have this year benefited from many items that I have personally held people to. And there are more people who have used the potential loss of something valuable as the incentive to take action they have been delaying for months and sometimes years.

    The aim here is to get people off their backside and DO something (Tony Robbins pain and pleasure).

    And, on consequences…

    I was asked on a radio phone in how to stop able bodied people parking in disabled car parking spaces – “simple” I replied “blow up their cars”

  5. Decided to try and muck about a bit more at work, because no matter what you do the net-gain/loss is the roughly the same.

    This morning I found a staff ID in the toilet. I checked the name on the intranet – some Associate Director on the next floor. There’s loads of eye-candy up there so I took a stroll. Theres also loads of stupidly named departments on that floor – the kind that you find in a decadent firm (also the kind that could disappear overnight and no-one would notice) and loads of drips taking themselves far too seriously. I asked about and no-one knew the guy. I quipped that no-one knows anyone sitting more than a bay away anymore. Eventually some secretary got involved and said he sat over the other side of the floor. I went over and asked and he was pointed out, a sullen fop at one of those silly stand-up desks fiddling with i-PADS, MacBooks, wires galore. I said ‘Hi, lost something?’ ‘No’ he said flippantly and then eventually looked me up and down witheringly, a look that said ‘youre not grade 8 or higher’. I showed him the pass. ‘Oh yeah. Blimey…..er….thanks.’ I started walking off. ‘Where was it?’ He called after me. ‘Downstairs Khazi, first cubicle’ I said loudly. A young lady burst out laughing and said ‘what a nice man!’

  6. It can be that simple if you want to make it work.
    What is simple for some is different to what is simple for someone else.

  7. It’s a bit like the song, everything I do I do it for you.
    Once again a thought-provoking piece. Incentives to do well are welcomed and to say that you will give something up if you fail is a good concept.
    Comedian John Bishop did an amazing thing for Sport Relief. He gave up his face and his reputation in exchange for raising £3.4 million pounds while putting his body through hell. An amazing feat.

  8. I saw that programme, a truly amazing feat and one that will always be remembered in terms of real physical exertion.
    For people to raise money like that in what was for him an outer body experience was superb. As is David’s post.

  9. My wife ramps up the consequences when I don’t want to do something that she wants me to do. ‘If you don’t get that job done there won’t be any dinner tonight!’
    Works for me.

  10. I ramped up the consequences today of not having a spring clean.
    I told myself that if I didn’t do the spring cleaning i would not allow myself top watch tele for a week.
    I achieved my goal.

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