I should note a caveat for the transition stage. Since this stage involves conflict, feeling fake, and overcoming inertia, you may use a lot of willpower. How do you know you’re moving in a direction that improves your life? How do you know you aren’t pushing hard on something that you thought would help but isn’t? The best answer is through experience. After a few transformations you pick up the[…] Keep reading →

You can usually do the preparation stages of transforming a part of your life easily since you can do them yourself, without someone else. Working with other people usually makes things more complex. Still, you generally do benefit from involving others. Because they have different perspectives and can see your life from further away, their input usually helps. At the end of the preparation stages you have two sets of[…] Keep reading →

We’ve covered the preparation stages of transforming a part of your life to bring more reward by choosing environments, beliefs, and behaviors based on your interests. Of course your life changes all the time whether you intentionally cause those changes or not. Using the Method, based on the Model, lets you do it systematically, intentionally, and makes you more likely to succeed than alternatives. Now let’s look at how the[…] Keep reading →

EDIT: I modified how I present the Method slightly. Please see the new version of this page and the updated series on implementing the Method. We’ve now covered the examples and preparation stages of how to implement the Method. Here is a diagram summarizing these steps (click it for full size) Preparation Know your emotional system Understand your current emotional cycles Awareness Conceive of consistent environments, beliefs, and behaviors Implement[…] Keep reading →

EDIT: I modified how I present the Method slightly. Please see the new version of this page and the updated series on implementing the Method. Having conceived of new environments, beliefs, and behaviors consistent with each other, the emotions you want, and what you will, won’t, can, and can’t do, the next step is to create and implement them. Creating and implementing them means more than just doing some simple[…] Keep reading →

Continuing from yesterday… If you’re American or in a developed country, you’re probably overweight, though your grandparents and all earlier ancestors probably didn’t even know anyone overweight. You probably watch television nearly as much as you work, though your grandparents and all earlier ancestors didn’t have televisions. You may have little to no physical activity in your life, though your grandparents and all earlier ancestors were physically active every day.[…] Keep reading →

Continuing from yesterday… When I communicate the ideas from yesterday’s post to others, they tend to respond by pointing out the differences between their systems and ours, for example that we can choose what products we buy but they can’t choose their government, along with many other differences. Of course I know those differences. That’s why I began that post pointing out my theme that anyone can see differences, but[…] Keep reading →

EDIT: I modified how I present the Method slightly. Please see the new version of this page and the updated series on implementing the Method. The next step after awareness is to plan — in particular, to conceive of new environments, beliefs, and behaviors that are consistent with each other and what you can’t or won’t change to replace the old ones and designed to bring about emotions you want.[…] Keep reading →

In yesterday’s post on North Korean propaganda I wondered if they realized the pervasiveness of their propaganda. They seemed not to pay attention to it. Could they not notice it, like fish in water? Now I will explore two of the major themes of my writing on North Korea, based on major ways the visited affected me Seeing others reveals things about yourself and your culture — and the more[…] Keep reading →