office after the Christmas holidays . Although I do have some of the aforementioned escape clauses , I am pleased to report that , at the time of writing , I have remained 100 % ‘ dry ’ during the week , and am well on my way ( or should that be weigh ) to dropping those 5 kilograms .
Another behavioural science technique I used to help me with this object was ‘ virtue signalling .’ In the first couple of weeks , I worked the “ I ’ ve given up alcohol during the week ” topic into conversations whenever I could . Publicly stating one ’ s intentions helps to take advantage of the virtuous side of commitment bias ( which is “ our tendency to remain committed to our past behaviours , particularly those exhibited publicly ”).
The Comrades Marathon is a long day on the road . Beer helps !
It ’ s also important that the acceptance criteria for meeting the objective is clear . You ’ ll notice that in Objective 3 , I have slipped a little ‘ escape clause ’ in parentheses that allows me to drink beer in the week if I am presenting at a workrelated meetup . For the record , I am always happy to present at meetups – and not just so that I can drink beer in the week – but to be honest this escape clause was primarily a little joke , because the first time I presented this idea was at the South African Scaled Agile meetup . The point is that I do have a few exceptions when I would allow myself to ‘ cheat .’ An example would be if I go out for supper during the week … I mean , this is just good economics , because beer is the cheapest calorie per rand item on most restaurant menus !
Conflicting Priorities
As for my other goals , I might just be able to squeeze out a marathon right now , but I have decided against it , because I don ’ t want to set myself back injury-wise or cause irreparable damage to my knee . That ’ s why the Two Oceans 2023 goal was usurped by an item on the “ Family Matters ” strategic theme , and we will be heading to England this April so that my daughters can spend time with their grandfather for the first time in five years ( and see the sights in London ) over their school holidays .
Despite some objectives not being met , it is ideal that you , your organisation or the world is in a better state by attempting to achieve them . In my case , I can definitely say that I am happier and healthier than I was at the start of the year . I will also make a significantly reduced carbon footprint on the flight to Heathrow after dropping much of the excess baggage around my midriff . The final quantifiable benefit is that I have saved a small fortune in beer money – and this will come in handy with the current Rand – Pound exchange rate !
Meeting the Objectives
Working in the behavioural science industry , I decided to make use of the “ fresh start effect ,” so my beerless weekdays came into effect on my first day back in the
The Timbavati Challenge boasted well-stocked refreshment stations !
The Running Mann may have misread this sign during the Tuks Marathon … but cheers anyway !
About the Author
The Running Mann has run over 240 marathons and ultras around the world , and his current mission is to run every marathon in South Africa , so he is particularly looking forward to running the 45k Timbavati Traverse on 9 July . If you ’ d like him to run your race or talk at your event , email therunningmann @ gmail . com . You can follow his adventures on Twitter , Facebook or Instagram , and on his popular blog .
Images : Courtesy Stuart Mann
28 ISSUE 158 158 | www | www . modernathlete . . co . za . co . za