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Default Operating System

You were born with a certain ‘way of being,’ or default operating system, your very own “dos.”  So says Dr. Jeffrey Spencer in an online Psychology Today blog. According to Dr. Spencer, the majority of us are born with what he calls the Human Default Syndrome (HDS). Some of us overcome it, but not many.  HDS is the tendency to find the easy answer,  those with a laissez faire mode of traversing life’s highways.

He compares these to “the few” who are the take charge people in life who operate under a more self programmed operating system.

You see, we’re born with two computer-like daily life operating systems that control how we embrace and respond to life. Our primary “human default” operating system is a self-perpetuating condition that comes naturally to us but doesn’t serve us well over the long run. The secondary “back up” system takes time and effort to generate and maintain as it’s not a natural action for us but provides tremendous benefit over the long haul when we convert to the system as our new life default. – Doctor Jeff Spencer

In other words, most of us don’t want to do “what’s good for us.”

On one hand, this presents itself as a good argument.  I can easily relate in that I was born to be more of a slug.  I would much rather take a nap than pound away here at the keyboard.  It takes some effort to propel into unsluglike behavior. The path of least resistance seems difficult to resist.

Our Lazy Brains

Our brains are necessarily lazy.  They will find the easiest way to do something.  They have to, brains suck up a lot of energy and evolution has wired humans to conserve energy, just in case. The trap is when that easy way is undirected.  Then I absoluely agree with the good doctor.  We will fall into the default operating system. So how do you decide direction?

Photo credit - suburbandk

Path of Least Resistance

The path of least resistance ultimately makes more sense, and can also be a key to creativity.  The key lies in choosing the direction of the path you want to create and having or inventing a destination.

The path resides in what you value, what valued living or a valued life means to you,  In this sense, values define the direction you want your life to take.  What you value in life are the qualities and directions of life that attract you.  They are what makes you uniquely you, and are the one thing that no one can either take from you or decide are wrong.

The other quality of a value – A true value is something that no matter how close you get to doing it right, you can get up tomorrow and do more of the same.  And, you are willing to do it, and do it, and do it, even when you don’t want to do anything at all, as slugs like myself are wont to do.

How do I know what I think until I see what I say? — E. M. Forster

If my value is to go west, there is no end to west.  On the other hand when I know what I value, and I am ready to forge my path, then I can choose a destination.  If the destination is true to my values, the need to be a take charge or be a go-getter dissolves. As Jeff Goldblum said in Jurassic Park -

“Life will find a way.”

A long time ago, I told a writer that I aspired to write.  She said to me, “Writers don’t aspire; writer’s write.”

I know what that means now.

Nothing special, just writing.  Like Forster, it’s the only way I can figure out what I really think.  There are many obstacles, the path isn’t always clear, as it won’t be for you.  But once you know which way you want to go, and where you want to be, the rest somehow happens.

I’m still working on destination.  I’ll keep you posted.

Where are you going?

What value do you make important?

What is your unique path?

Mike