An interesting discussion arose in a session with clients today, where we were talking about how the perception of the "rich person" has changed over the years, as well as the reality. They were talking about an old businessman who died in the seventies, who was overweight and a heavy drinker - which was typical for the time. However nowadays, the same type of person is someone who looks after their body and mind, as well as working long hours. It is quite a shift.
However, this led us into a discussion about the difference in culture today and how we tend to do things that are easy and convenient, even though we know we don't feel good about it. We looked at it through the lens of what we do and eat after work, where those with money are able to both eat conveniently and healthily, as they can afford to buy as they please. But someone who can't afford daily healthy takeaway, will look to eat out of convenience as well as cost saving and in general, convenient unhealthy food is cheaper than convenient healthy food. Whereas if you actually shop for food at a supermarket, healthy food is cheaper, but it isn't as convenient.
My clients brought up how in Finland over the last few months there has been a push to highlight processed foods as an unhealthy option, which prompted me to bring up how there is a difference between how I shop, and how my wife shops at the supermarket. When it is just me doing the shopping, there is far less packaging than when my wife does the shopping. I don't look for convenience as much as she, and I think that this is at least partially driven by her not wanting to cook to much when she comes home after work. Of course, I cook also, but when she shops, she has her cooking in mind, not mine.
We discussed this a little from the perspective of the proverbial "richer and poorer" person and the differences between their work. As far as studies go, the more people get paid, the longer hours they work with the one percent around three times more likely to work more than fifty hours a week. However, they are also the ones who tend to look after their mind and body better also, right?
But, I think there is a key difference, at least at the general level, because it could be that the top one percent have jobs they value more and are inspired by, meaning they also want to do more of it. Not only this, when they come home from a hard day at work, they are energised by the type of work they do, meaning that they also have the "psychic" energy to go to the gym or eat a healthy meal. The energy means their willpower can be more intact at the end of the day also.
With the average person though, they are coming home after doing a wearing job that doesn't necessarily provide a great deal of motivation or inspiration, it is just task after task getting done, because that is what the job description dictates. After a day of this, a person's willpower is likely lower and their frame of mind isn't focused on being better tomorrow, it is on avoiding thought and recovering from the day. Faster, more processed food, less exercise, and more time spent on mindless activity in front of a screen.
As I have mentioned a couple hundred times in the past, I think that by seeking convenience, we are massively impacting our potential to not only be the best version of ourselves, but also feel the best about our experience. We eat highly processed foods because it is easier, but it makes us feel (and look) worse. We sit in front of a screen as an escape, even though we feel worse for it over time, and it affects our body, mind and ability to think with clarity and patience. We relax into entertainment, even though ultimately, it pus stresses on our lives and bodies by degrading us and our relationships, which increases stress.
We don't do what we know we should.
It is quite crazy, isn't it?
We talk about being rational and doing what is in our own self-interest, but our self-interest isn't about increasing our wellbeing, it is about maximising convenience and minimizing work. And doing this lowers our life satisfaction, not increases it. It is not that every waking moment has to be intently focused on growth, but I at least believe that the majority of us have reduced our growth mindset to the point that it is almost non-existent, favouring ease instead.
Eventually, too much ease, leads to disease.
Illness is not very convenient.
Taraz
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