Added Value Tax

How often do we consume or buy something, solicit a service, sign up for a subscription or spend our time on something without giving it a second thought, let alone run it through a quick yet conscious decision making process? Let me guess….you thought of buying a car or a house, but can you think of such a process for a smaller event such as watching another episode on Netflix, drinking another beer or glass of wine, browsing the web for 30-60 minutes without a clear intention? 

I am a massive fan of strategy but also a fan of quick and manageable solutions. This is not a strategy, it is a tactic. The strategy behind is “I will get to know myself and my choices better which will in turn streamline my life and help me make much smarter decisions.”

The tactic itself, I’ll get into the difference between tactic and strategy another time, is to implement a habit of always doing a quick check-in before you make a move.

Ask yourself for everything you buy, every service you solicit, everything subscription you sign up for, every activity you engage in…”Does it add value?”

If you make this your guiding principle, you will for sure improve your life. Your brain has to come up with a reason for doing it. The idea is to give space for doubts about a potentially bad decision which can also help with self-sabotage; more on that in a later article.

Example time. Let’s say you are supposed to finish a project, but you decided to watch a show on Netflix to relax you a bit. Before you watch the next episode, pause it, stand up in order to give your brain a jolt because a physical change can support a shift in activities and ask yourself “how does this add value?”. Of course, that way, one may argue, you’ll never do anything fun. That’s not the goal. The goal here is to get you to bring forth valid arguments. Let’s say you’ve been working on said project for 3-4 hours and you need a break. The argument “I need a quick break” is valid.

Objection: Well, that’s just going to have my brain rationalize every bad decision.

Yes, that can and will happen. However, slowly but surely you’ll see more objective arguments pop up and you’ll start making different decisions, those that support you in your endeavors. It’s not like someone else makes you do everything you want to achieve. Most of your intrinsic goals will be supported more and more often.

 It automatically adds value to your life. You are “being forced” to give a voice to the adult in you and set boundaries when it comes to the child in you which only wants joy. I want to be clear, the intention is not to silence that child in us, we genuinely need it, but within reason.

You hear that term a lot “adding value”. I use it all the time in coaching. It cuts through the BS, through the noise and it focuses on the truth. Is what you do, buy, ask for, need, want adding value to your life, your business, your work, your art, your craft, you relationship.

While we spend so much time doubting ourselves: “good enough”, “beautiful”, “wealthy enough”, “worthy” that’s just negative self-talk which is unproductive. I want to encourage you to spend a bit more time on a new habit that actually supports you in your whole life.

Whenever you brain comes up with a reason why you don’t have 10 seconds for this habit, remember a mission statement which could sound something like this: I will fast track my life by improving my decision making skills. This will have a massive impact on my life in the long run.

Remember, it gets easier each time, notice the difference and celebrate your wins.

Please send me an email if you have any questions, let me know how this is working for you and also if you have suggestions or objections.

Let’s talk.

Your coach, Philip.