Do Anything and Love It - Thought Experiment

[Awesome wife]

So, this is a VERY simple and well known experiment. So much so, that I dare call it the stupidest experiment you can do. I also apologize for sounding like an idiot myself. Takes one to know one I suppose. At least I'm smart enough to admit that I'm an idiot.

 

The goal is very simple: Make yourself do ANYTHING, and enjoy it - even if you hate it. What's the theory behind it?

 

Our brain does just about everything through the subconscious. Breathing, blinking, swallowing - we rarely think or notice these subtle actions are bodies do. What we fail to realize that in fact, most of what we do is automatic.

 

Take typing for example. I think I'm actually controlling my fingers to say what I want, but in reality - that's just not the case. I just have to think of what to say, and my fingers do the rest.

 

There was an experiment done at a high school. A teacher through a frisbee, and students had to come up with a plan to catch it, and recite the strategy. 'Move quickly' 'go zig-zag' and so on. What they found was, despite all the students thinking they were doing something unique, they all moved and stayed focused on the object, their body kept moving to keep the frisbee in a straight line. Their brain was compensating for the movements without the students knowledge.

 

Repetitive actions also become ingrained and automatic. Take knitting for example. Those who have proficiency in knitting can have conversations, watch TV or have other distractions. The act of knitting itself becomes secondary.

 

So, if that's true for things you like - what about things you absolutely hate doing, but you still gotta do them? If you're brain takes over for things you find pleasure in, can you distract your conscious thought so that your subconscious can take over? Here's the original question I asked when I thought about this.

 

IF what they’re saying is true, and our brain does most things, like knitting, walking, and even brushing your hair – then can we trick our actually conscious of doing the work?

 

I HATE DISHES! I mean, passionately. Nothing that is normal motivation for most people, really works on me. Disclipline, rewards, even routines – I hate doing chores with a passion.

 

However; I also know how to do dishes really well. Once I’m doing them, I just get bored because it’s automatic. If it’s automatic, that means my actual perception is free. I hate doing dishes because, well, I’m lazy. I’m also bored. Extremely bored, and I need something to focus on. For some people, it’s TV. That doesn’t work, I get distracted. I need something that is invisible.

 

I should also make note: This is not new – I’m not pretending to be on something big, but I am curious to see how it works for me. Can it work for me, and if so, how?

 

Most people daydream when doing household tasks, it’s why some people really enjoy them. Unfortunately, this also doesn’t work for me. Thinking too much on my own, tends to leave me loathing the chores. So, what can I do instead?

 

 

 

The answer was way simpler than I thought it would be. The answer was Music.

 

Here's what you do.

 

Take an MP3 player, and headphones. Speakers won't work, headphones will allow your brain to focus more on the music, and not outside influences.

Focus on the music, completely! Observe the different notes, lyrics, beats and so on. Take note of how the melody changes, and become aware of when a new song comes into play.

While you're focusing on that, do the chores.

 

When finished here's what you do:

 

Write about the music. What are some things that you were able to notice, that otherwise would be ignored?

Write about the chore: What changed? How did you view it? What did you notice or not notice?

 

This is extremely simple - but the simplest solutions are often the most profound.

 

http://dragonknowledge.wordpress.com/2012/07/03/experiment-1-trick-your-head/ < ---- Original Experiment I did a few weeks ago and the results are void. It still worked! Just invalid lol

[Moontanman]

Hmmm, this has potential, i think I'll introduce it to my awesome wife and see if it works.... dishes is not what i have in mind... dishes I can do with no problem...

[Awesome wife]

I wish I was better at explaining my thought processes. I love complicated subjects and transforming them into simple concepts that everyone can understand. It has a lot of potential, I'm still figuring out the mechanics behind WHY it works. Stupid middle ground getting lost in translation

 

If anything, I managed to turn housework into Science. I think that's pretty impressive at least lol.

[Joatmon]

I think this may work better for women than men. I have heard that women who are doing something they feel obliged to do but would rather not do have the ability to use their minds to convince themselves they are somewhere else doing something different with someone else. I didn't know they wrote notes about it afterwards.

I don't think I'll ask my awesome wife if this is true!

More seriously I can see the idea working because, it seems to me, to be a mild form of brain washing.

[Moontanman]

In my house I do the house work and my wife works, I rather like it...

[Awesome wife]

Yeah, it is a mild form of brainwashing. It's another question I'm thinking about lightly, I'm always fascinated by how our brains work.

[Peoplethinkweird]

I guess the who idea of "fake it till you make it" can fall under this idea because once we start thinking how to do something we have to physically think of what we have to do then after a while it just happens. I would say I am a great experiment to look at, I started off not liking any type of science at all and then one day just started to fake the idea that I liked it, picking up random books, doing random research and so on. At that point I did not really care about science but as I did these random acts I slowly began to find everything I did a lot more interesting and not I am studying electrical engineering at university, I use to have a 60-70 average in high school up until the last year where this all happened and I became passionate about something that I could careless about in the beginning, worked day and night and brought my marks to be around 80-90. All this even though I could simply take over the well run, high income family business, which I was planning on doing before and now I genuinely love to learn new things and get a better understanding of topics. The funny thing is now I want to transfer to a physics major because I just want to learn the basics. I honestly do not know why I did this or even for what but now I came to notice that everything I do subconsciously leads to me learning more. For example I have very strong urges to ask questions, if I do not ask them they haunt me so I have to write them down. This is just what you could say I had undergone though the years "brain washing" myself.

 

btw - the reasons as to why I did this were pointless compared to the amount of work I had to put in, I still wonder why I did it but I am glad I did.

Sorry if it sounds like I rambled on, just thought I could share an experience, if you guys have any questions about this leave a comment or even email me.