Did your turkey vote for Xmas?

Human beings have spent their history finding increasingly creative ways to undermine their own wellbeing. Its an unintended consequence of some of the developments we make that were designed to improve life. Lets take the industrial revolution as an example. On the plus side goods become more affordable, rapid evolution of labour saving inventions and medicine along an enhanced wealth and quality of life for the average person. On the down side overcrowding in cities also brought pollution and the beginning of global warming, poor working conditions and the rise of unhealthy habits. Time spent outdoors and physical activity both began to reduce whilst the use of processed food influenced the increase in lifestyle related diseases.

Life is full of unintended consequences. One of the biggest debates currently seems to be that around the rapid development of AI. As soon as I clicked on 'new blog' AI popped up and offered to write it for me. I'm sure it could make a more coherent job of unravelling the random and loosely connected thoughts in my head, but its not what I want thanks. I am somewhat sceptical of humans developing tools that replace any requirement for humans to exist, seems a little like turkeys voting for Christmas. However, despite initial appearances this is not heading into conspiracy theory about computers taking over the world - its about finding purpose.

Our results in all areas of our lives are a direct consequence of our behaviours, those things we do. Now how well we do something depends to some extent on our skills and abilities, those things we learn. Our education system is set up to measure what we learn by way of tests. Trouble is that encourages teaching geared towards test outcomes, and worse still students increasingly seek 'easy' ways to pass the test. AI is a gift if our goal is simply to make passing a test 'easy'. Whilst I acknowledge the importance of testing it can get in the way of learning, rather than being a means of embedding learning.

Learning new skills is not enough on its own to really impact on our behaviours. We have to have belief in our abilities too. Many years ago I learned to ride a motorbike. Even as I passed my test I was still not confident as a rider, and whilst I have a licence I would not choose to get a bike. Its not just about knowing technically what to do, its about really feeling comfortable doing it. Tests measure a moment in time.

Sitting somewhere below our beliefs are our values, those things that are important to us. Riding a bike is just not important to me. So what is important to you? As you use AI to skip the effort, what are you achieving? As you doom scroll your life away on the sofa, how important is your health and wellbeing to you? Humans have an incredible ability to undermine themselves and find reasons not to succeed.

You become what you give your attention to... If you yourself don't choose what thoughts and images you expose yourself to, someone else will, and their motives may not be the highest.

Epictetus

Epictetus may well have been sharing his thoughts almost 2000 years ago, but you could almost believe he saw Facebook coming! Humans, along with other animals, are predisposed to minimise effort. Psychological literature over the last 80 years has noted this 'law of least effort', so it is understandable that we continue to find ways to replace all manner of things with options that require less effort. Watching tv in your own home rather than going to the cinema. Eating ready meals rather than cooking from scratch. Using AI as a shortcut to researching and writing for ourselves. All of these things have a place, so what's the problem?

It is only more recently that scientific studies have considered the positive aspects of 'effort' rather than its perceived cost. Effort contributes to personal meaning. Studies have shown that the more effort put into achieving something, the higher we value the result. I'm sure that like me, you have experienced that sense of satisfaction from a job well done. There are many studies that show that meaningfulness is a core component of wellbeing. So when you are eating your ready meal in front of the tv, mindlessly scrolling Facebook - are you helping or sabotaging your wellbeing?

If you have been feeling stuck, perhaps lacking meaning or motivation, then change is simple - start by making a deliberate effort. It might be as simple as making a simple meal from scratch and sitting down at the table to eat it, leaving tv for later. Notice how much more you enjoy the food. Take a short walk. It doesn't have to be far if the effort is simply going for a walk you wouldn't usually take. As the walk becomes easy, walk further. Learn a new skill, purely for the learning, whether or not you pass a test.

Your unconscious mind is an amazing, incredible thing. Sometimes the programs and patterns it runs do not serve us well. And that includes the urge to make least effort. Life without effort may also become life without meaning. Choose your future.