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Episode 2811:
Rachel Trotta explores the paradox of knowledge, illustrating how being overly informed can sometimes hinder progress, particularly in fitness and health. She offers actionable insights to bridge the gap between knowing and doing, helping readers translate knowledge into real-world achievements.
Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.racheltrotta.com/fitness/when-knowledge-isnt-power/
Quotes to ponder:
"Knowledge becomes a barrier when it paralyzes us with too many options or too much information."
"It's not about knowing more; it's about applying the right amount of knowledge in the right way."
"Action creates clarity, not the other way around."
Episode references:
Atomic Habits: https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299
The Paradox of Choice: https://www.amazon.com/Paradox-Choice-Why-More-Less/dp/0060005688
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[00:00:00] Have you ever noticed how a calm mind can really set the stage for a good night's sleep? That's the idea behind our new podcast, Good Sleep. Greg, our host from Optimal Relationships Daily, is here to help ease you into a peaceful night's rest with some positive affirmations. And these affirmations aren't just comforting, they can help ease anxiety and nurture positive thoughts, setting you up for true good sleep.
[00:00:24] So, press play on Good Sleep tonight because a good tomorrow starts with a good night's sleep. Just search for Good Sleep in your podcast app and be sure to pick the one from Optimal Living Daily.
[00:00:38] This is Optimal Health Daily, When Knowledge Isn't Power by Rachel Trotta of racheltrotta.com and I'm Dr. Neal Malik.
[00:00:46] This is the podcast where I read to you from some of the most popular health and fitness blogs out there, with permission from the websites, of course.
[00:00:53] I love the title of this post I'm about to read because I tell my students this all the time.
[00:00:59] Knowledge isn't necessarily power and we'll see why, so let's get right to it as we optimize your life.
[00:01:10] When Knowledge Isn't Power by Rachel Trotta of racheltrotta.com
[00:01:16] The Curse of Predictive Self-Awareness
[00:01:19] My husband has a funny response when I start any sentence with something like,
[00:01:23] I knew you would blank, or you always blank.
[00:01:28] In a mock confrontational tone of voice, he says,
[00:01:31] Oh, you think you know me?
[00:01:33] And it's true.
[00:01:34] We've been married for almost eight years and in that time, I've become fairly accustomed to his patterns.
[00:01:39] But the reality is that I overestimate how well I can predict his behavior.
[00:01:43] He still constantly surprises me and it's humbling to realize that you only think you know someone inside and out.
[00:01:49] I see this phenomenon come into play in my clients' relationships with themselves.
[00:01:54] They know their own weaknesses like the back of their hands,
[00:01:56] to the point that they can predict how a situation is going to go even before it happens.
[00:02:01] For example, have you ever said any of these phrases about or to yourself?
[00:02:05] Well, once I get started, I just can't stop.
[00:02:09] Or, this is what I always do.
[00:02:11] Or, this is so me.
[00:02:14] Once I blank, I always blank.
[00:02:17] Or, I'm such an all or nothing person.
[00:02:19] Once I'm off, I'm really off.
[00:02:22] I'm writing this post today to issue a gentle challenge to you.
[00:02:25] Is it possible that you could surprise yourself?
[00:02:29] Studies like one run by Florida State University
[00:02:32] open up the intriguing idea that people who perceive themselves as overweight
[00:02:36] often do things that subtly sabotage their own efforts to be thin.
[00:02:41] This is known as a self-fulfilling prophecy.
[00:02:44] A belief that causes you to unconsciously create the results that you expect will happen anyway.
[00:02:49] I have seen so many clients struggle with these self-fulfilling prophecies
[00:02:53] which cling to your feet like you're running in molasses.
[00:02:56] These unhelpful beliefs are incredibly disempowering.
[00:02:59] But, it goes beyond thinness.
[00:03:02] People can be healthy at a variety of weights and body compositions.
[00:03:05] For me, what it ultimately boils down to is two important factors.
[00:03:09] One, your typical daily behaviors.
[00:03:12] And two, how you feel and what you think about your habits.
[00:03:15] When you have solidified a self-concept like
[00:03:19] extreme, out of control, neurotic, weakly willpowered,
[00:03:23] it's easy to fall into behaviors that reflect these beliefs about yourself.
[00:03:27] It doesn't matter whether you are out of control in reality.
[00:03:31] You create the reality to fit your self-concept.
[00:03:34] We all do it.
[00:03:35] For example, as a self-employed person,
[00:03:38] the responsibility falls to me, as an individual,
[00:03:41] to manage my money and my books to keep the government happy.
[00:03:44] The problem is when I throw my hands in the air and say things like,
[00:03:47] I'm just not good with money.
[00:03:49] I'm too right-brained.
[00:03:51] When I play this role,
[00:03:52] I miss out on the fact that it is not that hard to log into QuickBooks
[00:03:56] and reconcile some numbers.
[00:03:58] And that's not exactly rocket science to email my accountant.
[00:04:02] Similarly, if you have a strong belief that you have no willpower,
[00:04:05] you may find that situations that test your resolve are very difficult indeed.
[00:04:10] My challenge to you is in three parts.
[00:04:13] Part one.
[00:04:14] Next time you hear a script in your head saying some form of,
[00:04:18] this is what you always do, try to hit pause.
[00:04:22] Question yourself.
[00:04:23] Is this behavior really me?
[00:04:25] Must I do this thing?
[00:04:27] Could I do something different?
[00:04:29] Challenge that voice in your head that tells you that you always do something
[00:04:33] or that you are a certain way.
[00:04:35] Part two.
[00:04:37] Flip the script and make self-fulfilling prophecies work for you.
[00:04:41] What would a person with strong willpower do?
[00:04:44] What would a person who is good at moderation or abstinence do?
[00:04:47] Keep in mind that attributes are not fixed.
[00:04:50] You could be this person.
[00:04:52] And three.
[00:04:53] Run life experiments.
[00:04:56] Intentionally test yourself in small ways by disrupting your typical pattern.
[00:05:00] If you always eat ice cream when your husband eats ice cream, don't.
[00:05:03] If you always eat the whole bag of chips once you open it, don't.
[00:05:07] If you always buy a scone when you walk into a particular coffee shop, don't.
[00:05:11] Just sit there and see what it feels like to be in control of your behavior.
[00:05:15] While knowing yourself is a helpful tool, and I don't recommend stocking your day with
[00:05:20] constant willpower challenges, it can be helpful to exercise your sense of self-control
[00:05:24] in easy-to-control situations.
[00:05:27] In the process, you may realize things that my clients have realized, like drinking at parties
[00:05:32] is not compulsory, overeating at restaurants is not inevitable, giving up on fitness over the
[00:05:38] holidays is not required, and other discoveries that certain rules in life can be broken.
[00:05:44] Challenge yourself.
[00:05:45] You may just surprise yourself with untapped reserves of willpower, self-control, and abilities
[00:05:51] that were just waiting to be uncovered.
[00:05:57] You just listened to the post titled, When Knowledge Isn't Power, by Rachel Trotta of
[00:06:02] racheltrotta.com, and I'll be right back with my commentary.
[00:06:06] Dr. Neil here for my commentary.
[00:06:09] Now to complement what Rachel was writing about, I'm going to quote Tony Robbins here.
[00:06:13] Knowledge is not power, it's potential power.
[00:06:17] Execution will trump knowledge any day.
[00:06:20] And I've found Rachel's experiences with clients is very similar to mine, in that people often
[00:06:25] know what they should be doing.
[00:06:26] They know the exact situations where their willpower is completely depleted, where they're
[00:06:32] susceptible to maybe overeating or not exercising.
[00:06:35] People know this stuff.
[00:06:37] The trouble is, they don't act on it.
[00:06:39] They don't execute.
[00:06:41] And this idea of a self-fulfilling prophecy, that we become whatever we think we are, is
[00:06:46] quite true.
[00:06:47] In fact, there are many psychology studies out there that have shown that this effect does
[00:06:51] happen in reality.
[00:06:53] So I like Rachel's suggestions to do these three things.
[00:06:56] Next time you hear a script in your head, try to stop it.
[00:06:59] Then try and flip that script so that instead of saying, I'm no good at this, turn it into
[00:07:05] something positive.
[00:07:06] Think about those that are good at the behavior you're trying to do.
[00:07:10] And try and model what they're doing.
[00:07:12] And I bet you you'll find that you can do it too.
[00:07:15] And I like that she said, look, if you're going to try testing your willpower in certain
[00:07:18] situations, just choose little situations that won't have this tremendous consequence
[00:07:23] after in case your willpower doesn't hold up.
[00:07:26] Because what we know about willpower is it's true.
[00:07:28] It's like a muscle.
[00:07:29] Now you can use willpower, but up to a certain point, just like a muscle, you will hit willpower
[00:07:35] failure.
[00:07:35] So think, if you're doing bicep curls, you can't do those forever.
[00:07:39] There's a point where you just can't lift that weight anymore.
[00:07:42] Willpower is like a muscle.
[00:07:43] You can use it all you want, but at some point, it's going to fail.
[00:07:48] And usually, for most of us, the failure occurs at the end of the day.
[00:07:52] We use our willpower so much all day.
[00:07:54] If you're in school, you have to sit there and focus on what the teacher is saying.
[00:07:58] You have to take notes or take quizzes and tests.
[00:08:01] Your willpower is being taxed every time.
[00:08:03] If you're at work, same thing.
[00:08:05] You've got to make sure you're on task, that you're not getting distracted, that you're
[00:08:09] doing what your boss or bosses ask of you.
[00:08:11] That's taxing your willpower.
[00:08:12] So by the time you get home, you're exhausted.
[00:08:14] Your willpower is shot, and that's when we're more likely to make poor decisions about our
[00:08:18] activity or about our dinners.
[00:08:21] We just don't want to have to think about it.
[00:08:23] So yes, if you are going to test your willpower, run small experiments to see how you respond.
[00:08:28] And of course, like I always say, don't try each of these steps all at once.
[00:08:33] Gently incorporate step one, see how that goes, then step two, then step three.
[00:08:38] All right, that'll do it for today.
[00:08:40] I'll be back tomorrow for our usual Friday Q&A, so stay tuned for that, where your optimal
[00:08:44] life awaits.