It was eleven o'clock on a cold Wednesday evening. I had just arrived at my
hotel from the airport for a keynote program on Thursday morning.. After
checking in, I went directly to my room. As I watched the floors go by on the
elevator panel, I kept thinking, I am really hungry.
As I walked into my room, what was about to happen would change my
life......forever! I went directly to the "mini bar", opened the door,
got on my hands and knees, and ate everything there.
Oh, I started out with good intentions. I had only consumed 1000
calories so far during the day. My body weight was around 198, so I
could have almost 2000 calories daily and not gain weight. I had
plenty of calories to spare.
I started out with the M&M’s. One bag, 240 calories, no problem. Next
I happened to see a bag of chocolate chip cookies, two for 270 calories,
again, no problem. Next I saw the Orio cookies, then a bag of Barbecue
potato chips. Next a Mars Bar, then another bag of M&M’s, this time
with nuts, then something I would never ordinarily eat, marsh mellows
and Rice Crispies, combined into some type of a one serving square.
It went on and on. I ate over 4000 calories that night. It’s ok, though,
I thought. I’ll just write them down on my calorie chart, I’m
accountable after all. Then I’ll just pick up my workouts and burn an
additional two hundred calories per work out next week. That along
with a decrease in my intake ought to get me right back where I should
be.
That type of thinking was absolutely correct. I would increase my
expenditure, decrease my intake, and I would be back down in weight
next week except for one thing...
...I would always be playing catch up. I would always have that extra
five to ten pounds that I know I can lose and will someday.
It was that mini bar experience that made me realize that I had a
problem...
The problem was HUMAN NATURE!
There is a well known principle in the law of human behavior which
states the following:
"All human performance is either the avoidance of Pain or the seeking
of Comfort!"
This is referred to as the human performance law. I like to use the
analogy of the principle of gravity. It doesn’t matter if you
understand the principle of gravity. It doesn’t matter if you believe
in the principle. The principle will apply it’s effect in your life
regardless of your attitude or understanding of it.
The same is true with human nature. All human beings are driven by the
avoidance of anything that they perceive as uncomfortable, or painful,
and driven to anything that they perceive as pleasure or comfort.
This effects our perceptions. We are designed as a species to have what is
called selective perception. We are designed to pay attention to what can
hurt us and avoid it.
When I walked into that hotel room, what did I pay attention to? Did I see
the telephone and think about checking my voice mails? Did I see the closet
space and think about hanging up my garment bag. No! I saw the mini bar and
thought about the food!
Where is the pain here? The pain is that I am hungry. Where is the comfort?
The comfort is in the food. So what will human nature drive me to do? The
obvious answer is, eat! But what about my commitment to weight control?
It doesn’t matter. All human performance is either the avoidance of pain, or
the seeking of comfort. Pain is the hunger, comfort is the mini bar!
For years I had a problem with my weight. I kept using willpower to eat less
but it never would last very long. Human natures compelling forces of
avoiding pain and seeking comfort are far more powerful than great intentions
and willpower. Human nature will always win!
Since human nature is all powerful and will always be working in my life, I
wonder if there is a way to get human nature to work for me instead of
against me...
Finally, the solution hit me like a gust of cold air on a still night! Stop
fighting human nature. Since I will always be driven to avoid pain and to
seek comfort, then I need to associate pain with the mini bar and comfort
with staying out of the mini bar.
Here’s how! I told five of my coaching clients that if I go into the mini bar
on my trip then I will pay each of them $250. That’s $1,250 if I go into the
mini bar!
Now, where is the pain!
I had finally figured it out! I linked pain to the behavior I wanted to
avoid, and pleasure to the action I wanted to have!
...Accountability!
The five people I told I knew would hold me accountable. I even suspected
that one of them would actually call the hotel and tell them he was from the
FBI and needed a copy of my room bill!
Look at the dynamic I had. I had a specific action: (no mini bar) combined
with accountability ($1,250 fine).
That is the elite performance formula. You can do this yourself and I
promise you that over the next seven days you will find the opportunity to
take the action you commit to as long as you link the not doing it to pain,
and the taking of the action to comfort. In many cases, the avoidance of the
pain becomes the comfort.
Apply this to your prospecting. Commit to making so many calls this week.
Make sure that this number is a realistic number that you should be able to
do. Make this commitment to another person, put a fine on it, and enjoy your
week!
Here is what you will find out at the end of the week.
It was easy! Do this for just one activity every week and you will be quite
impressed when Dec. 31 rolls around!
About the Author
Bob Davies, M.Ed Psychology, MCC (Master Certified Coach)
High Performance Training, Inc.
20992 Ashley Lane
Lake Forest, Ca 92630
949-830-9192
info@bobdavies.com