Typical logical thinking looks something like this…
- You see a problem in your performance, the way you look, or maybe it is how you feel.
- You will most likely attribute these problems to some sort of deficiency.
- To state it as simply as possible: You know getting better at things will fix a deficiency.
You start thinking…
- What do you need to learn?
- What skills do you need to develop?
- What exercises are most effective?
- How much more time can I practice/train?
Don’t get me wrong, fixing these things will work…but it is not the most effective. Just so we don’t keep our heads in the clouds, let me give you a concrete example:
Example: Desire to Lose 20 lb
- You notice you are about 20 lb heavier than you would like to be…and you want to fix it!!
- You start thinking (googling)…
- What new diet strategy should I learn (macros, Whole30, Paleo)?
- What program is best for this goal?
- What exercise will burn the most fat?
- How can I start working out twice per day?
Now, MORE happens. In your already crazy life (yes, we all have a crazy life) you decide to add more. You want to learn more, work on more skills and add more to your training, life or habits. Pile it on! Right? Who needs sleep!?
…how’s that working out for you?…
If you’re like most people, adding a ton of new stuff to your life will work for about a week…if you’re lucky. Likewise, in your training adding a bunch of new stuff is rarely the answer.
CHANGE THE SYSTEM FIRST.
Now, let’s talk about more effective logic. You see a problem in your performance, the way you look, or maybe it is how you feel. Instead of looking at individual deficiencies, think just for a second that these problems could stem from…
- Poorly designed lifestyle
- A ineffectively managed “system”
- The system being your life, or how you operate and navigate through your day-to-day activities.
That’s where the logic should start. Now, you start engineering your life in such a way that it will support new behaviors that will enable learning and improve effectiveness and performance. Your primary target for change and development is the big picture of YOU, then you can worry about all the little stuff.