In last blog, we went through tiny habits techniques by BJ Fogg. We can use these habits to achieve some goal. Now naturally we would ask, what should be our goal?
We do know what we are good at, for sure. But we don’t know what we are really good at!
We need to explore what lies within us. This is precisely Exploration vs Exploitation dilemma, in Reinforcement Learning! We base our goals on our instincts, our likes, our dreams. Then we form tiny habits that would serve the main goal. For example, if I want to be a good coder, I would break a simple problem into small pieces and write few lines of code daily (habit) to tackle that small piece. In this case, my goal is driven by exploitation, because I like coding and I know I am good at it.
Exploration, on the other hand, has to take help from inherent uncertainty and literally it means, we have to “tinker” with that uncertainty to know how it responds. “Tinkering” is a word used in the book “AntiFragile” by my favorite author Nassim Taleb. For example, we can choose to play guitar for a month or two. See if we develop interest and grasp that art. If not, then start with something else like painting, may be. This is essentially exploring ourselves. We have seen many such examples of doctors becoming artists or engineers becoming politicians, etc. A fundamental shift that changes everything.
What would you choose?
Exploring what you don’t have?
Exploiting what you have?
Whatever you may want to choose. You go through these stages and settle permanently at #3, which is the Ultimate Goal.
- Developing “automation” (habits) to “discover” ourselves (Practice, Sadhana)
- “Discovering” the “automation” inherent in us (Grace, Bliss or simply Intelligence)? This needs a very careful Retrospective Reflection.
- Stay in that Blissful State.
Let us discuss the flow in our next blog.
Reinvent The Self! 