Finding Your Limits

We get so caught up in our own rules that we don't even notice them.

If you want to conduct an interesting experiment, walk into a Starbucks and order a Big Mac. If you want to push it, ask for a manager when they refuse. Do it at 8 in the morning, in front of a long line of people. Let yourself get really angry. Push it. Get rude. Indignant, even. Stomp out muttering how you will never go to a Starbucks again. What horrible customer service!

If you are like most people, you began to picture yourself in that situation, and you got a bit uncomfortable. That discomfort can be an interesting pointer to some of the rules that we all have.

Maybe you thought that you would be uncomfortable with the people in line watching, or potentially having to wait for you.

Maybe you got uncomfortable with how the employees might react to you.

Notice how your brain immediately came up with a scenario for you. Even though you are probably here, still reading, and have not done the experiment.  Notice how you think it is not necessary to do the experiment anymore. Because you think you know what will happen. But do you?

How often do you do things or not do things because you think you know what will happen? And how often are you correct?

Our brains make up so much of our lives without us even realizing it. We decide if things are good or bad before they even happen. Not only does this impact how we life our lives, it affects if we live our lives.

Jeff