Needs vs. Wants 📈 Part II

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I. Needs vs. Wants ⚖️ Part II

In case you missed part I, here's a quick recap...

Our needs are the things we should be doing, and our wants are the enjoyable things we would rather do instead.

For instance, I should prioritize improving my sleep, but at the moment, I would rather indulge in a TV marathon.

So, who emerges victorious?

It should come as no surprise that our "wants" often reign triumphant.

So, what's the deal? Are we lacking motivation? Is it willpower? Or are we simply lazy?

Maybe - but let's assume for a moment it's not that simple and delve deeper into the conflict between our needs and wants.

We are hard-wired to avoid discomfort. Our early ancestors benefited from choosing the path of least resistance. Convenient for them, but not so handy for us. When faced with short-term pleasure or pain, pleasure usually wins.

Our wants offer up instant gratification, but with a buy now pay later deal. Ordering takeout, staying up late to watch TV, and skipping a workout provide immediate enjoyment, no questions asked. However, they come with a long-term cost and gained interest that rivals that of a payday loan. Fun first, pain later.

On the other hand, our needs don't offer any immediate rewards. You have to pay upfront before you can enjoy the benefits. Pain first, fun later. And that's why our needs often lose.

So, how do we break this cycle? How do we choose discomfort over pleasure?

The Discomfort Forecast

One useful approach involves examining the pain associated with both choices. Both options come with a level of discomfort and a cost. Hence, the question is, which pain are you willing to endure?

To achieve this, we must evaluate pain through three different time lenses. Think of it as a discomfort forecast. What is the discomfort associated with making this choice in the...

• Immediate - Right now.
  

• Near future - The next day or two.
  

• Distant future - The next 6-12 months.

Improving sleep immediately may not be pleasant. I have to forgo TV time, prioritize sleep, and go to bed at a reasonable hour. However, by the next day, things are already looking up; I will feel more alert and awake. But I will still need to face discomfort the following night if I want to maintain the benefits. Within 6 months, this will become part of my regular routine, requiring less effort and causing a lower level of discomfort.

On the flip side, staying up late feels enjoyable from the start, but regret begins to set in the next day as I drag myself out of bed. Yet, one night of poor sleep can be managed, and there's coffee and another TV series waiting tonight. Over the next 6 months, consistently experiencing poor sleep, the effects of tiredness feel less noticable; it simply feels like the new normal to wake up and take 2-hours and two coffees to get going. However, my body and brain is feeling the impact. The extra snacks and coffee I've been relying on have contributed to an increase in my waistline and i’m feeling noitcable more grumpy and inpatient.

In the moment, we often focus on the immediate future, the right now, but by mapping it out, we equip ourselves better to navigate our choices. Revisiting your discomfort forecast during crucial moments can be a much needed helping hand in making better decisions.

So the question is which pain can you live with?

II. PreSquat booty wakeup 🍑

This is a personal favourite as a pre-squat drill to get those glutes firing and ready for action. Perform 1-2 sets for 8 reps each side.

No cheating though - go slow and feel the glute love.

Check out the demo here.

III. Quote to ponder

"Only a Sith deals in absolutes." Obi-Wan Kenobi

Yeah, I dropped a Star Wars quote. I've got to admit, I'm a massive fan of the new Ahsoka series (apologies to the non-Star Wars geeks). But don't worry, it does have relevance here...

Regarding the discussion about needs and wants, it's easy to get caught up in thinking it's either one or the other. But in reality, you'll want to do a bit of both. It's not about wholly ignoring your "wants" – that would be pretty dull – but instead finding a good balance between the two.

The odd night of late-night TV can be pretty fun as long as we balance that with plenty of nights of high-quality sleep.

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P.S. If you enjoyed this week's Thursday Three, share it with a friend.

Thanks,

Jamie