The Problem with Infinite Resources

In modern society we have more resources than ever before in human history. Most us, including myself, misuse these resources in a way that don’t align with our goals.

Let’s use the iPhone for example. I’d bet 90% of readers of this essay own an iPhone. So let me ask you directly:

Why do you own an iPhone? What do you look to get out of your iPhone experience?

Take a minute to think about this..

Did you answer include scrolling TikTok in bed before going to sleep or checking messages every 5 minutes to see if your friend responded (i’m guilty)

Sometimes our actions don’t always align with our goals

My personal goals right now revolve around improving videos, income maintenance, and forming deeper relationships

I promise you, the 15 minute text check to see if a friend responded to a message is definitely not within the context of these 3 goals. Similar concept to the email blurb I wrote about a few days back

This notion extends way past messages, technology, physical possessions, and relationships.

As humans, we crave dopamine, and the less friction behind high levels of dopamine, the easier it is to create that habit to continually strive for those high dopamine levels.

Example: Mixed Nuts

Today at my coworking space I brought a Mason Jar of Freshly roasted mixed nuts. 9am - breakfast. 9:17am - I grab nuts from the fridge.

Are the nuts there for me to take 17 minutes after I’m full from breakfast? Nope.

I’m not harvesting these nuts by hand. I don’t have a fixed ration provided to me. It’s a relatively infinite resource to me

Example: Commute to Work

Takes 10 minutes by car, 25 minutes by Public Transport, 50 minutes by walk. Car is easy but expensive

• If we want more outdoors time, we choose to walk. The choice within itself provides a low but nonminimal level of dopamine in line with the decision to walk

• If we want to save 25 minutes but not spend, we choose public transport and the marginal difference between the car and public transport cost provides a similar level of dopamine

• Same for the car if we value the extra time saved in the commute over anything. Makes us feel good.

And if you don’t believe that logic, tell the walker to take the car and all the sudden defensive emotions come out.

Same as a person who scrolls tiktok before going to bed. Tell them to put it away, defensive emotions come out.

What we need to on a regular basis is reassess the available options to us as there are frankly just to many.

If you lived in a town 15 miles away from the city in the year 1500, you would have to take a horse to get to the city, while there’s daylight and a horse available (assuming you’re not in a warzone — where things could get extra fuzzy).

There was no Waze, Maps, Uber, or Trains. Walking would take 3-4 hours each way and would be rather an inefficent use of time.

You have 1 choice.

Look at it now. You’re in the middle of Long Island and you need to get into the city

• Check Uber Price. What is this mechanism built on?

  • Cars

  • Credit Cards

  • Online Credit Card Processing

  • Computing

  • iPhone

  • Uber App

  • Much more

When decisions are made, we just do the familiar action without thinking. We save that mental real estate for other moments in time.

But take a look at that breakdown above. Each of these items have many, many sub-mechanisms upon which they are built upon. All dating back to the early primative days of human civilization and the discovery of fire.

Ok I need to wrap this up lol. I got the Knicks to watch…apologies for the abrupt conclusion.

Tomorrow, try breaking a bad habit.

I am going to ration my nuts and keep them tucked away until 1pm.

For more on strategies behind making good habits and breaking bad habits, I recommend the book Atomic Habits.

-Jack