My dad reminds me of this lesson all the time.
Say you’re driving home late at night. Before you leave, you should make some rules for yourself. For example, rule #1, if you start to feel tired, pull over and take a nap.
- Don’t close one eye to let it rest.
- Don’t shut both eyes half way to let them rest.
- Don’t think you can think your way out of needing that rest.
The problem comes when you get in the car, drive, and forget those rules, or start justifying why you don’t need them. At that point, you’re not thinking clearly so you can’t make a smart decision. The situation decides for you.
Next thing you know, you know nothing: your face is smashed through the windshield, and those eyes are getting all the rest they need.
To avoid that, you have to plan ahead and stick to that plan once you’re in the middle of it. Don’t change plans in the middle of the plans. That’s stupid.
It sounds obvious now when you’re thinking clearly, but that’s just the point. It doesn’t sound so obvious when you’re tired, or worse.
Make your rules now. Only break them when you don’t have to.
