I’ve always been interested in decisions—two ways, really.
I wanted to make better decisions.
I wanted to make decisions in a better manner.
When it comes to making decisions better, what I care about is conserving energy while still getting a decision done and executed.
In my previous post, I explained how vagueness is the enemy of action.
In this post, I’ll share a trick to fight against vagueness and fight for clarity.
Your Willpower Is Limited
We know that willpower is a scarce resource—like a battery that gets drained throughout the day as we make decisions and take actions.
Every decision we make taxes this willpower battery.
And sometimes, we get stuck—overthinking, worrying, or somehow unable to proceed smoothly.
This usually happens when we’re faced with some sort of problem, big or small.
Especially when stuck on something, inaction can be fatal.
As noted earlier, learning is movement.
My general experience has been that I have high self-control and willpower in the mornings, when the battery is full.
But as the day progresses, my powers wane, and evenings and nights become more vulnerable.
I’m more likely to waste time, break good eating habits, slouch in my posture, or falter in other ways due to this lack of willpower.
How to Get Unstuck—Without Taxing Your Willpower
Not only do we want to get unstuck and move on to the next action—which will give us more clues to solve the problem at hand—but we also want to do it without draining our willpower reserves.
When we’re stuck, what we need is a nudge toward something slightly better.
Say I’m considering grabbing some unhealthy food, breaking my intermittent fast, or something like that.
If I’m fortunate enough to notice the moment, I can try to make my next choice a conscious two-word decision.
Health, or Taste?
Just two words. I’m asking myself: Will I let myself be guided by my desire for health or my desire for taste?
Or take another example—I could consume one more social media post or YouTube video, or I could organize my thoughts and put them into writing. I can ask myself:
Consume, or Create?
It’s Perfectly Fine to Choose the “Worse” Option Consciously
The point of the two-word decision is conscious decision-making. When we’re about to make a potentially harmful choice, it’s like prompting ourselves with a question—and if the answer is yes, that’s fine, because it’s a deliberate choice.
Here are some decisions I’ve made:
- Rest, or Exercise?
- Entertainment, or Business?
- Sleep, or Walk?
- Slump, or Sit Straight?
- Worry, or Act?
- Twitter, or Book?
- Assume, or Calculate?
- Trust, or Verify?
- Rest Now, or Solve the Problem?
A Few Technicalities
These are things I personally find helpful:
- Try to notice just as you’re about to do something unproductive.
- Put the potentially harmful option first (Option 1), then think of a slightly better or more inspiring alternative (Option 2).
- There’s no right or wrong decision here—as long as it’s conscious.
The Bottom Line
Two-word decisions can nudge you toward better choices in a better way. Give them a try and let me know if they help you.