“Good things do not return in a one-for-one manner.
-Scott Adams, God Debris
Individual actions are not directly rewarded.
It is on average that doing good improves the quality of life
for you and the people around you.”
1 Action = 1 Outcome
Our brains are wired to understand our choices and their relationship to the world as one-for-one.
If you tie your shoes, then you won’t trip. That’s a single action, which returns a single outcome. It doesn’t take long for you to recognize the relationship between these two actions, and for you to adopt the new behavior into your life.
This mental model is helpful, and it has allowed humans to survive.
When Caveman Carl slept in a cave, he decreased his likelihood of being eaten by Tigers. The benefit of improved safety was immediately realized and he moved into his new home the next day. Carl’s Cave-Estate was passed down to future generations, and his family lived on.
One single action, led to one positive outcome.
Many Actions = 1 (Better) Outcome
However the greatest ROI comes from many-for-one outcomes; areas where it takes a great deal of tries, repeating the same behavior, without experiencing any benefits in the short-term.
Take exercising. If you go to the gym only twice, that will not cut it. There’s a high probability that your body will ache and you will not notice any difference in your physical appearance.
However, if you make exercise a daily habit, after 2 months you will lose weight, have more energy, and notice physically differences.
Many-for-one outcomes take a long time to provide a return, but when the results finally appear, the payoff is exponentially larger.
The games we play
Taking longer than expected?
Facing a small setback?
Don’t get discouraged, there’s a good chance you’re just playing a many-for-one game. Remember that you’re in the business of maximizing your total potential, which is the greatest game you can play. These wins come over long periods of high volume effort; that’s unavoidable.
To grow stronger, make exercise a ritual.
To sell a company, launch as many as you can.
To build a reputation, serve others first.
Be patient.
Good outcomes require great effort.