40+FAB Blog
Habits lock in decisions
November 23, 2020 - 40+FAB Blog
I read an article sometime back that stated that some of the wealthiest men on earth, like Jeff Bezos, limit the amount of decisions they make in a day and those decisions are made within a specific time window when they are at their best.
In case you haven’t noticed, decisions are quite tasking to make, for one must consciously think about all options, pros and cons, and then choose a course of action. It sounds simple when put down like that, but in reality all the processing capacity of our brains is actually fully loaded and being used at that moment. This is why it is said that Mark Zuckerberg has a wardrobe full of the same clothes so that he doesn’t have to make a decision on what to wear.
This is where the importance of habit comes in. Through a time period of disciplining ourselves, we can turn our decisions into habits so that those decisions become automatic and we don’t use up thinking energy to do them daily. Take for instance brushing your teeth in the morning, most of us never think about it anymore, we just do it.
You don’t have to decide on integrity or honesty with every situation you face, just make it a habit and you won’t even consider the alternative. Reading to gain knowledge, waking up early, eating the right diet, exercising, being optimistic, being helpful, communicating properly and all other winning attitudes don’t have to be decided upon daily if you work them into habits.
When you find a practice that is good for you, turn it into a habit quickly so that you free up your decision making abilities for when you need it most.