Final week, I downloaded a brand new online game to play.
And half-hour later, I uninstalled the sport. Not as a result of I didn’t like the sport, however particularly as a result of I favored the sport an excessive amount of. The sport known as Dave the Diver, the place you’re a SCUBA Diver/Sushi restaurant proprietor. You spend every day diving and catching fish, after which every night serving sushi on the restaurant.
This sport pressed each organic button my mind has for “effectivity.”
My mind instructed me I needed to execute every dive as effectively as attainable. Every evening on the restaurant meant I wanted to obtain a 100% buyer satisfaction score.
After all, nothing would occur if I didn’t.
However this sport + my mind equaled a recipe for addictive catastrophe. After half-hour I knew if I didn’t delete it, I might spend each attainable minute taking part in the sport, and each minute not taking part in can be spent serious about get extra environment friendly on the sport.
As a result of I’m in the course of writing a secret-book-shaped-project that I can’t discuss… I knew I wanted to avoid wasting Future Steve.
In different phrases, it was time to channel an historic technique for survival:
A “Ulysses Pact.”
What’s a Ulysses Pact?
In Homer’s Odyssey, Ulysses (also called “Odysseus”) is about to sail previous a harmful island of Sirens who sing lovely music. This music is so lovely that anyone who hears it loses all management, and can sail towards the island, crashing their boat on the rocks surrounding the island.
Fortunately, our boy Uylsses has been suggested by the witch Circe on the one manner he and his males can survive. In Madelline Miller’s Circe, she recounts the recommendation Circe provides the captain:
“[For] the Sirens, there chances are you’ll use your tips. Fill your males’s ears with wax, and depart your individual free. When you tie your self to the mast, chances are you’ll be the primary man to ever hear their tune and inform the story.”
As creator Corey Doctorow factors out in a recent newsletter:
“Ulysses was sturdy sufficient to know that he would sometime be weak. He expressed his energy by guarding in opposition to his weak spot.
“If you take some risk off the desk throughout a second of energy in recognition of some coming second of weak spot.”
In different phrases, generally giving up on your self is probably the most brave factor you are able to do. It asks you to just accept your weaknesses, and make a strategic pre-planned choice to guard in opposition to them.
Ulysses Pacts In My Life
I’m a comical catastrophe trapped within the physique of an grownup who pretends to be a functioning member of society. I’m additionally my very own boss, fully in charge of my time. Yikes.
I wrestle with impulse management. There are particular experiences that I’m simply incapable of doing “somewhat bit.” I additionally know that when I begin an satisfying exercise, it’ll take over.
Which implies it’s virtually inconceivable for me to solely do some issues “just a bit bit” after which say “okay that’s sufficient for right now.”
In spite of everything, I do know my mind isn’t outfitted to deal with the lifetime of abundance we’re surrounded with: infinite distraction, hedonistic enjoyment, limitless meals, and so on.
E.O. Wilson mentioned it greatest:
“The actual drawback of humanity is the next: We’ve Paleolithic feelings, medieval establishments and godlike know-how.”
Moderately than lament my lack of willpower in the case of addictive know-how, I practice acceptance and as a substitute make willpower pointless.
Thus, my life is held along with spit, duct tape, and Ulysses Pacts:
- I’ve an app on my cellphone known as Opal. It robotically prompts at 7AM and blocks sure apps, web sites, and all social media for a lot of the hours of the work day. I nonetheless decide up my cellphone 10-20 instances per day and attempt to open these apps, after which I’m reminded to get again to work.
- I take advantage of a program on my laptop known as Focus. It robotically prompts at 7AM and blocks virtually ANYTHING enjoyable or distracting on my laptop till the top of the work day.
- I don’t hold snacks in my home. I like snacks. And as soon as a bag is open, it will get eaten. However once I’m sitting on the sofa watching TV (I simply completed Fallout and cherished it), and I’m craving a snack, there’s no choice to be made. I’m actually not going to drive to the shop.
- I don’t have any video games on my cellphone. I do know that I can’t management any impulses, particularly for “gatcha” free video games that encourage you to purchase gems to degree up.
- I’m locked out of every social media app after quarter-hour day-after-day. Social Media has been designed by behavioral scientists, with billions of {dollars}, to be as addictive as attainable. So I don’t attempt to “use it just a bit bit.” I merely don’t let myself use it for any longer than “somewhat bit” as a result of I’m actually locked out.
- I don’t play multiplayer video games. I’ve no regulation round “okay I’m finished,” so I not play multiplayer video games. I guess if I performed World of Warcraft, you’ll by no means get one other e-newsletter from me. Thus, I completely play single participant video games with a narrative or narrative.
- I robotically donate to 2 charities each month: ProPublica investigative journalism and the Nashville Meals Kitchen. Each of those selections had been made ONCE, which implies I by no means have to recollect to donate, nor am I tempted to spend the cash as soon as it hits my account.
- At any time when I am going to the physician, dermatologist, or dentist, I at all times schedule my subsequent appointment whereas I’m there. As a result of I do know I’ll neglect to take action months later, or I’ll inform myself I don’t want to go. Future Steve will not need to get his tooth cleaned or get bloodwork finished.
- My exercises are pre-scheduled in my calendar. I might a lot relatively not work out, however I do know if I don’t plan for them in my calendar, one thing else much more enjoyable (however much less helpful) will take their place.
The one purpose you get this article each week, and the one purpose I get to the gymnasium a number of instances per week (along with winning the genetic and environmental lottery), is due to these Ulysses Pacts.
Right here’s how you should utilize them in your individual life.
You-lysses Pacts in Motion
Returning to Corey Doctorow:
“Ulysses pacts aren’t excellent, however they’re crucial. On the very least, making a Ulysses pact begins with acknowledging that you’re fallible. Which you could be tempted, and rationalize your manner into taking unhealthy motion, even when you recognize higher.
Changing into an grownup is a strategy of studying that your energy comes from seeing your weaknesses and defending your self and the individuals who belief you from them.”
Let’s see how we are able to add some Ulysses Pacts to your life.
To create your individual Ulysses Pact: search for alternatives to decide TODAY in a second of energy, to safeguard your self in opposition to an anticipated second of weak spot TOMORROW.
Even higher, search for alternatives to decide as soon as, and it prevents you from needing to make use of willpower to repeatedly do the precise factor sooner or later.
A number of extra examples:
- Resolve to not hold problematic meals in the home as soon as, and also you don’t must spend all evening, each evening, deciding NOT to eat these meals.
- Resolve to robotically donate to a trigger you like as soon as, and also you don’t have to recollect to not spend that cash on one thing else and donate every month.
- Delete and/or block social media and time-wasting video games in your cellphone as soon as, and out of the blue the choice to learn a ebook or go for a stroll relatively than mindlessly scroll by means of TikTok or Instagram turns into a lot simpler.
Bear in mind, acknowledging and creating safeguards in opposition to our weaknesses isn’t an indication of giving up or weak spot.
It’s a brave signal of acceptance.
It’s additionally sensible.
What are the Ulysses Pacts you utilize in your individual life? Did this text encourage you to create one for your self?
Attain out and let me know!
-Steve
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