By Harry Stamper
The carrot and the stick. You’ve all heard of this method of ‘motivation,’ but have you really thought about how it works? Picture the donkey with a rider loaded with some burden or other. The donkey has the carrot dangling out in front him and the rider has a whip. We know that the donkey will never get the carrot no matter how far he goes but he certainly will get the whip if he slows or stops.
The idea then is that the poor beast of burden, a stupid brute, can’t figure out that he will never achieve the ‘reward’ and is really just trying to avoid the inevitable whip. The only sure fact is the punishment… the reward is an illusion.
Now think of yourself as that beast of burden…you can even sing a few bars of the Stone’s song if you’d like while you imagine that in some way, you are working toward a goal that will never be reached and in reality, you are just trying to avoid the alternative of not working for any goal. Now let us add the ‘whip’ of punishment… self-inflicted if you will for your efforts of not pursuing any ‘meaningful’ goal. You are much more satisfied with your current state of equilibrium…you are in a completely acceptable state of ‘balance’…Inertia is the governing factor in your safe and sane life and the force necessary to overcome your inertia is more than you can muster. Certainly, you’ve decided, you will not be the source or cause of such an action. Everything is OK as far as you can tell so why should you ‘upset the apple cart?’ Change is for the Young, you say to yourself.
I couldn’t agree more strongly…I say to hell with goal-seeking, problem solving, and any effort to improve one’s lot in life! After all, one will most likely be disappointed with the results anyway. And the waiting for results? Forget it. Just say to yourself, “I have just what I need right now, no muss no fuss. If I go chasing after something ‘over there’ I will be forced to abandon my warm and fuzzy niche!” Voila, you are guilt free, free from the whip of the taskmaster and clear in your mind about the real chances of never reaching the Carrot!
Let’s face it, change begets turbulence. Continuously striving for ‘something better’ is nerve wracking and what with all the competition to achieve the same ‘something better’ you are forced to behave like some Maori Warrior screaming and making faces at your competition.
That’s no fun!
So I say let Inertia rule, remain static and in balance. Let the other Donkeys chase after that Carrot and ditch the Whip of Guilt!
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Dear Harry,
You analyzed the metaphor well, and wrote a very logical piece, which from where you stand is surely true judged by your view of the world. However, …
A metaphor is metaphor, nothing more, its not a perfect reflection of the idea it tries to represent, thus it would be a logical fallacy to extend an argument based on a partial model and assume its true for the entire universe, i.e. the `real world`.
There are also `hidden variables` in the metaphor. The donkey generally gets the carrot once it has taken its traveler to the desired destination. But again this metaphor is a simplified reflection of the principle it tries to convey. It mustn’t be taken so literally, after all that is the point of a metaphor!!
I completely agree with you that change stirs things up and creates turbulence. However the color of the glass you look through seems awfully morbid from where I stand. You argue that your equilibrium state is safe. And you assume that you will be disappointed by the results of any change you take. (which is unequivocally doomed to happen, as you’ve clearly conditioned yourself to that end) However, …
If you stay on the course of inertia, in this equilibrium state, you will soon realize that life is passing you by. Markets and society are always shifting and changing directions. As I know you believe yourself to be a very logical and scientifically concrete person, I’m sure you’ll entertain the Darwinian argument here that our environment is constantly changing and that similarly we must change, adapt (and hopefully not blindly, for then we may crash) or you and I will become obsolete! Only those who learn and adapt get quickly promoted in corporations.
Unfortunately after much observation I’ve come to realize, as others have, that there is no such thing as a static balance (not even in chemistry or physics or in your bank account (inflation is constantly robbing you of your value)). In order to stay just where you were yesterday you have to climb today! As A. Robbins put it: “in life we’re either climbing or we’re sliding.” But if you value saving your energy and `serenity` I’m sure you’d rather just stay put and slide and let life pass. At least you’ll be yielding way to others inspired and possessed of determination, a very noble thing, for which I admire you!
As such, a little turbulence is always needed to alter the direction of our efforts and life and surrounding, so that we may adapt and move forward, climb, not get sucked back and slide down. Of course too much turbulence can crash our ship, i.e. our life, and we have to know how to navigate.
You know, I used to be in a state much like yours not long ago; (its only a mind/physiological state and can quickly and easily change) always taking the least energy way out, conserving effort, energy and avoiding turbulence (change). But I was also always unsatisfied, grumpy and just overall down. Now, I’m not saying that’s your life or that’s what you feel, but I do image its much along those lines. However you are correct to note that by taking responsibility for what happens to us, we free ourselves of a large portion of the negative emotions that consume us (as B. Tracy has also brilliantly pointed out). Back to the subject at hand, I’ve observed that humans, including myself cannot truly be happy and at peace (really a dynamic balance and a dynamic shifting peace) unless I get in the habit of adapting and changing. Trust me, once you make it a habit its effortless.
I’m sure the reason that you value the Inertia rule, remaining static and being at balance is, as A. Robbins would analyze it, your effort to avoid pain and to gain pleasure. But I must warn you that it is my utterly solid conviction that by Inertia you will eventually be dissatisfied and you will never reach the grand amount of freedom, happiness and pleasure you are destined to conquer by mastering learning, thinking, goal-seeking and problem solving.
I can clearly see that you value safety, stability, independence and tranquility a lot more than achievement and success. Who am I or anyone else to tell you what to value. In fact I don’t have an agenda to change what you think, for I really don’t care. So, go ahead and value whatever you like and live with the consequences.
Cordially,
Zlatko Minev
zipower.blogspot.com
ps. I love your balance/carrot picture, very reflective of what you wrote. Curious, though, did you paint it yourself? I liked it so much, i cited the picture in my own site, hope you don’t mind.
My Dear Zlatko…Must say your lengthy counter-argument is cogent and carefully written albeit reminds one of an arguably out of date Tony Robbins Seminar Promo, HOWEVER, it is also clear you don’t know what SATIRE is…well in the least SARCASM…The point of the article is to MAKE FUN of those that BELIEVE in the inertia/static/don’t bother me with change mien.
Best to look up from the stack of self-help books signed by your buddy TR and smell the SATIRE BEFORE YOU POST!
The Editor
Dear Michael, haha, thank you a lot for the compliments and the clarification. I love satire, and admire it. The only problem is that often times it is too believable. I seem to have fallen blindly into that trap, much like many readers of the famous Jonathan Swift’s 1729 ‘A Modest Proposal.’
It is however saddening that i can envision numerous intelligent people actually solidly believe and write something very similar to the above brilliant satire.
Thank you a lot,
Zlatko