Automaticity

I have been reading “Making Habits Breaking Habits” and came across this word. It is making actions automatic. We do this a lot. Half are lives are in automatic or repetitive actions YMMV.

Key things I have learned so far is we are somewhat Pavlovian. We respond to certain locations and situations the same way. We sit in the same pew. We take the same “roads” through life. If you want to break or start things breaking up the routine helps. That “comfy chair” will set you up and you won’t even know it.

We also react to people in automatic ways. We take them for granted and stop listening. (“Not me dear, other people. What were you saying again?”)

This might not be related but do you know how to catch a monkey? A monkey is trapped by his automatic response to get food. It is too dumb to let go of his/her method to see that it is a trap. I bet TKC could tell stories of small business “monkey traps”.

 

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7 Responses to Automaticity

  1. TKC1101TKC1101 says:

    I am sure TKC could tell such stories…

    We use automatic behavior to focus on the new things and not rethink stuff like where will we sit today. It works until they move your rock and you end up sprawled in the dirt.

    If you want a monkey trap, there are many for a new business.

    My favorite is the “first customer” trap.

    Owner conceives of a business , creates a good idea for a specific type of customer and a way to make it profitable. Customer number one comes along and is not the market the business is designed for. Hunger and greed has the new owner reworking his business to chase the satisfaction of the first customer instead of pushing the business as designed. Often, there never is a customer number two. Moral of the story, do not be Ado Annie and be the girl who can’t say no.

    • 10 Cents10 Cents says:

      Yes, automaticity works for us and works against us. It frees up valuable thinking time.

      There is also the business that sees that there business can expand in a better way by meeting a demand they did not see. It has to do with whether the tail is wagging the dog or the dog is learning a new an easily implemented trick. Knowing the difference makes for failure or success.

  2. DevereauxDevereaux says:

    Pavlovian or “automaticity” responses can save your life. Learning to ID, draw and fire your weapon properly is one of those things.

    Life and death situations are high stress. Working against us is the natural tendency to NOT want to take a life. Yet doing it early may be the only way to survive, and learning to identify the situation and react to it comes with training. Automaticity.

    • 10 Cents10 Cents says:

      Dev, yes good training saves but bad training can kill.

      Healthwise this is very important. We get trapped or helped in some automatic actions when it comes to food and exercise.

  3. AdministratorAdministrator says:

    We would not want to draw and fire at every surprise which might pose a threat. Shooting a bus about to run over a child is not helpful.

    • DevereauxDevereaux says:

      All things have limits. Training is no different.

      Buses running over people aren’t shooting situations. Homicide bomber approaching a bus is. Being in a restaurant and see two men in longish coats in warm weather walk in and separate probably is. Training helps you see and prepare. Patterns make a difference.

  4. 10 Cents10 Cents says:

    In the book it talked about a plane crash because the co-pilot said the flaps were at 15 when they were not because he was responding automatically without checking. A checklist only helps if you check.