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Attending to the Data

Posted by Joseph Riggio on Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Noticing for the data in the environment intentionally gives us the opportunity to determine how it will impact our decisions and behaviors ... before we act.

Hello all,

One of the questions that comes up for me often has to do with the idea that if what I'm putting out actually can be a simple as I say, why doesn't everyone do it? Because although it may be simple that doesn't necessarily equate to easy, and also because it can be highly counter-intuitive.

For example it may be simple to recognize that to be healthy we should all eat healthy, get plenty of exercise and develop a peaceful mental attitude. However, regardless of how obvious and simple this maybe ... how many of us actually do this consistently, or even as consistently as we'd like to be doing it? Simple does not necessarily equate to easy!

So I'm saying that regardless of how simple something may be, that does not mean it will be easy for us to execute ... even when we truly want the outcome. I meet all kinds of people who truly want to create outcomes of all kinds ... yet they find themselves unable to execute in ways that produce the results they want. Instead, they often find themselves getting outcomes they don't want ... but expect.

Putting things simply as I can again I'm apt to say ... "Everybody has desire ... desire comes free." Yet, desire doesn't create outcomes ... action creates outcomes ... but only when action aligns with outcome.

This may sound simple ... i.e.: action creates outcomes ... however when the action aligns with the expectation held instead of the desire expressed - the expectation gets realized ... NOT the desire!

We can use the word "behavior" instead of "action." In essence from the point of view of what people do, behavior (i.e.: action) precedes outcome. However, before behavior gets expressed there must be a decision to act - regardless of whether the decision gets made explicitly or implicitly. Decisions are the precursors to behaviors, as behaviors are the precursors to outcomes.

I've been interested in how people make decisions for years. Specifically, I've been interested in how people how make exquisite decisions. There are always two sides to a decision ... let's call them the internal aspect of decision-making and the external aspect of decision-making. What I mean in reference to the internal aspect has to do with what a person does internally to reach a decision. What I mean in reference to the external aspect has to do with the data that a person considers in reaching their decision(s).

I've put a significant amount of my attention on these external aspects that impact decisions. What occurs as people come into contact with data in the environment impacts their decision-making process. The data generates an internal response in us regardless of what that response may be ... in other words there can be no avoiding having a response to data in the environment. The question that can be asked though would be:

"Has the environment been intentionally shaped to present the data to influence the decision-making process in a particular way ... or has it been presented randomly?"

We could do worst than noticing for how the data in the environment that surrounds us has been shaping our behavior ... and learning how to make the best choices possible by attending to the data intentionally.

Joseph Riggio, Ph.D.
Princeton, NJ

Join me in the upcoming MythoSelf Advanced Program ... I'll be leading in October 20-22 in Princeton, NJ (at the AmeriSuites Hotel on US. Rt. 1). You'll find more information as well as a link to download the program PDF on the MythoSelf.com site.

[NOTE: If you are interested in attending this particular program with me as the lead presenter you'll want to do what you can to attend this program, as I have absolutely no plans to present another MythoSelf Advanced Program this year or the next ... I'll share with you that this program gets among the most outstanding reviews of all the programs we run. ... One of the attendees at the recent MythoSelf Facilitator's Training program in Tiburon who's attend this program as well summed it up well ... AWESOME!!!]

(1) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink

I’ve always been told and taught that in order to have high achievements (success) that you have to have high expectations of yourself...setting the bar high so to speak…

Allison

abriggs on Wednesday, September 13, 2006

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