Our experience, attention and functioning is affected by endless prameters (examples: expectations, framing, level of experiencing various aspects of a situation, etc.)
There are even more ways to manipulate experience and attention. Many of them quite effective when taken to the extreme. And various manipulations seem to lead into desirable ends.
Why not use all these tricks? (we already use some without thinking of with. But it sounds an open vault to improve life)
1) Management costs. Nothing happens on its own. It takes attention and actions (at least mental actions). We are not always rich in these. Sometimes attention is needed to more stressing needs.
2) Complexities. Every approach in life and the like is related and involved in a wide variety of activities and cognitions. It is not so obvious what other effects and shortages is created by every change of approach.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Expectations versus experience
Expectations play a big role in human experience.
Expectations shape our experiences.
My intuition is that the experience itself as it is is most relevant, and more interesting/lively entertaining. (one may disagree, this is my feeling).
Expectations are necessary for making decisions and managing life.
So expectations are about the: Average expectation - there is a lot of variance. based on our limited knowledge (past and theories). Ignores change. Does incorporate any recent changes in approach/way of doing/experiencing.
Once decided, we got to forget our expectations altogether. We should get wholeheatedly into experiencing what there is as it is.
Advantages:
1) You are alive.
2) You see things as they are, and have much more management and decision power. You can always act as appropriate to the changing circumstances.
Expectations shape our experiences.
My intuition is that the experience itself as it is is most relevant, and more interesting/lively entertaining. (one may disagree, this is my feeling).
Expectations are necessary for making decisions and managing life.
So expectations are about the: Average expectation - there is a lot of variance. based on our limited knowledge (past and theories). Ignores change. Does incorporate any recent changes in approach/way of doing/experiencing.
Once decided, we got to forget our expectations altogether. We should get wholeheatedly into experiencing what there is as it is.
Advantages:
1) You are alive.
2) You see things as they are, and have much more management and decision power. You can always act as appropriate to the changing circumstances.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Tricks to improve life in context
There are tricks that have the power to seriously improve one's life.
Certainly one got to check first about seriousness etc. but we speak with smart people who talk about practically relevant tricks.
Two mistakes are common and must be corrected.
1) Not maximizing the effect. Do not be "realistic" or conservative. Some new things you learn have the power to transform life for good.
Take it to the max (with prudence, for sure).
Many times there is way more potential than we think. We just have to be naive kids and take it to the most power possible.
2) Do not forget other things because of the new trick.
We collect through life lots of experience, decision rules, understandings etc.
It sounds tempting to think, that if for example we have a new trick to reduce stress, we can afford stress freely, or ignore other things to do to relax.
We must leave in place the good things we know etc.
Only after time and experience, we may use the new tricks to dispense of things that are no longer relevant.
Post Script
If you change, it has effects all over the board.
There is a lot of dependency in life.
Much of our rules, understanding etc. are based on our experiences expectations about our behavior, expectations about experience and so on.
Once we change, we may take a quick look at our whole inventory and look whether everything is still relevant. Some things may no longer be useful, or are harmful now.
Certainly one got to check first about seriousness etc. but we speak with smart people who talk about practically relevant tricks.
Two mistakes are common and must be corrected.
1) Not maximizing the effect. Do not be "realistic" or conservative. Some new things you learn have the power to transform life for good.
Take it to the max (with prudence, for sure).
Many times there is way more potential than we think. We just have to be naive kids and take it to the most power possible.
2) Do not forget other things because of the new trick.
We collect through life lots of experience, decision rules, understandings etc.
It sounds tempting to think, that if for example we have a new trick to reduce stress, we can afford stress freely, or ignore other things to do to relax.
We must leave in place the good things we know etc.
Only after time and experience, we may use the new tricks to dispense of things that are no longer relevant.
Post Script
If you change, it has effects all over the board.
There is a lot of dependency in life.
Much of our rules, understanding etc. are based on our experiences expectations about our behavior, expectations about experience and so on.
Once we change, we may take a quick look at our whole inventory and look whether everything is still relevant. Some things may no longer be useful, or are harmful now.
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