How Your Actions Reveal Your REAL Preferences
When I was in high school, I thought I wanted to be a Navy SEAL.
So I enrolled in NROTC, earned a spot in the competitive BUD/s program, and then after six months, I quit the training.
Turns out, I didn't actually want to be a Navy SEAL! I didn't like being wet and sandy, I wasn't into hierarchies, and I didn't actually care all that much about cool guy stuff like jumping out of planes and blowing things up.
Over time, I realized that there have been consistency to my actions and choices.
I tend to choose autonomy and time over money.
I turn to writing and thinking as my "tool" of choice to get things done.
I do my best to stay in shape and adopt some aspects of military mental toughness culture.
I make contrarian choices because I believe I'm right and think it's more interesting.
These were all "revealed preferences."
Revealed preferences is an economic theory that says you can determine consumer preferences by what they actually purchase under different conditions.
Similarly your preferences may only be revealed, even to yourself, as you take action in the world and observe how you feel about them.
If you pay close enough attention, you'll find that your revealed preferences, or often, revealed aversions, are not what you thought you thought they were.
You thought you were frustrated with work because you were passed over for a promotion.
But when you really think about it, perhaps the real issue is that you don't like the work you do at all, and that in fact, a promotion would make you even more miserable. You'd be more invested in a career in you didn't want in the first place, and are simply self soothing with a title and pay upgrade.
So pay attention to your feelings as you move through different parts of your life.
The things you thought you liked and wanted may not be the ACTUAL thing you like and want.
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