How much does a head of lettuce cost?

February 27, 2020 8:46 PM

Einstein didn’t know his own phone number.

He said that he never felt compelled to memorize it, as he didn’t plan on calling himself.

This was not a punchline, it was simply smart energy management. That phone number was just one of many dumb little things that could have taken up more of his psychic space than it should have.

But it didn’t. Because he respected his mind enough to know that almost everything was a distraction.

The key, then, is putting in place a daily habit structure to reduce our cognitive load, eliminate decision fatigue and keep our mind clear enough to respond freely, unburdened with distractions and split focus.

As most things, it begins with intention and attention.

Ferriss offered a helpful filter in his bestselling book about modern productivity:

Will we definitely use this information for something immediate and important?

Asking ourselves this question teaches us to approach life from a just in time mindset, not a just in case one. It puts our brains in the most peaceful and optimal state to make meaning in the world and enjoy the journey along the way.

It also reminds me something a standup comedian once taught me:

If you don’t know how much a head of lettuce costs, you’re a winner.

It’s the same example as the phone number. Just another one of the many dumb things we don’t need to know.

Look, life is stressful enough. Maybe it’s time to give our brains a break.

In a world where every two days, we create as much information as we did from the dawn of civilization up until the turn of the millennium, perhaps we should put ourselves on a need to know basis.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

What daily habits help you reduce the speed at which your brain races?

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Author. Speaker. Strategist. Inventor. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter.

[email protected]

www.nametagscott.com

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