Ulysses Pacts: STOP believing in your self

Final week, I downloaded a brand new online game to play.

And half-hour later, I uninstalled the sport. Not as a result of I didn’t like the sport, however particularly as a result of I preferred the sport an excessive amount of. The sport known as Dave the Diver, the place you’re a SCUBA Diver/Sushi restaurant proprietor. You spend every day diving and catching fish, after which every night serving sushi on the restaurant.

This recreation pressed each organic button my mind has for “effectivity.”

My mind instructed me I needed to execute every dive as effectively as potential. Every evening on the restaurant meant I wanted to obtain a 100% buyer satisfaction score.

In fact, nothing would occur if I didn’t.

However this recreation + my mind equaled a recipe for addictive catastrophe. After half-hour I knew if I didn’t delete it, I might spend each potential minute taking part in the sport, and each minute not taking part in could be spent enthusiastic about tips on how to get extra environment friendly on the recreation.

As a result of I’m in the midst of writing a secret-book-shaped-project that I can’t speak about… I knew I wanted to save lots of Future Steve.

In different phrases, it was time to channel an historical technique for survival:

A “Ulysses Pact.”

What’s a Ulysses Pact?

In Homer’s Odyssey, Ulysses (often known as “Odysseus”) is about to sail previous a harmful island of Sirens who sing stunning music. This music is so stunning that anyone who hears it loses all management, and can sail towards the island, crashing their boat on the rocks surrounding the island.

Fortunately, our boy Uylsses has been suggested by the witch Circe on the one means he and his males can survive. In Madelline Miller’s ​Circe​, she recounts the recommendation Circe offers the captain:

“[For] the Sirens, there you might use your tips. Fill your males’s ears with wax, and go away your personal free. In case you tie your self to the mast, you might be the primary man to ever hear their music and inform the story.”

As creator Corey Doctorow factors out in ​a current publication​:

“Ulysses was sturdy sufficient to know that he would sometime be weak. He expressed his power by guarding in opposition to his weak point.

“If you take some risk off the desk throughout a second of power in recognition of some coming second of weak point.”

In different phrases, typically giving up on your self is essentially the most brave factor you are able to do. It asks you to just accept your weaknesses, and make a strategic pre-planned choice to guard in opposition to them.

Ulysses Pacts In My Life

I’m a comical catastrophe trapped within the physique of an grownup who pretends to be a functioning member of society. I’m additionally my very own boss, utterly in command of my time. Yikes.

I wrestle with impulse management. There are particular experiences that I’m simply incapable of doing “just a little bit.” I additionally know that after I begin an gratifying exercise, it can take over.

Which suggests it’s virtually inconceivable for me to solely do some issues “just a bit bit” after which say “okay that’s sufficient for right this moment.”

In any case, I do know my mind isn’t geared up to deal with the lifetime of abundance we’re surrounded with: infinite distraction, hedonistic enjoyment, limitless meals, and many others.

E.O. Wilson mentioned it greatest:

“The actual downside of humanity is the next: Now we have Paleolithic feelings, medieval establishments and godlike expertise.”

Quite than lament my lack of willpower in relation to addictive expertise, I ​apply acceptance​ and as an alternative make willpower pointless.

Thus, my life is held along with spit, duct tape, and Ulysses Pacts:

• I’ve an app on my cellphone known as Opal. It mechanically prompts at 7AM and blocks sure apps, web sites, and all social media for many of the hours of the work day. I nonetheless decide up my cellphone 10-20 occasions per day and attempt to open these apps, after which I’m reminded to get again to work.
• I take advantage of a program on my pc known as Focus. It mechanically prompts at 7AM and blocks virtually ANYTHING enjoyable or distracting on my pc till the top of the work day.
• I don’t hold snacks in my home. I like snacks. And as soon as a bag is open, it will get eaten. However once I’m sitting on the sofa watching TV (I simply completed Fallout and beloved it), and I’m craving a snack, there’s no choice to be made. I’m actually not going to drive to the shop.
• I don’t have any video games on my cellphone. I do know that I can’t management any impulses, particularly for “gatcha” free video games that encourage you to purchase gems to degree up.
• I’m locked out of every social media app after quarter-hour day-after-day. Social Media has been designed by behavioral scientists, with billions of {dollars}, to be as addictive as potential. So I don’t attempt to “use it just a bit bit.” I merely don’t let myself use it for any longer than “just a little bit” as a result of I’m actually locked out.
• I don’t play multiplayer video games. I’ve no regulation round “okay I’m finished,” so I not play multiplayer video games. I guess if I performed World of Warcraft, you’ll by no means get one other publication from me. Thus, I solely play single participant video games with a narrative or narrative.
• I mechanically donate to 2 charities each month: ProPublica investigative journalism and the Nashville Meals Kitchen. Each of those choices had been made ONCE, which implies I by no means have to recollect to donate, nor am I tempted to spend the cash as soon as it hits my account.
• At any time when I’m going to the physician, dermatologist, or dentist, I all the time schedule my subsequent appointment whereas I’m there. As a result of I do know I’ll overlook to take action months later, or I’ll inform myself I don’t want to go. Future Steve will not wish to get his enamel cleaned or get bloodwork finished.
• My exercises are pre-scheduled in my calendar. I might a lot reasonably not work out, however I do know if I don’t plan for them in my calendar, one thing else way more enjoyable (however much less helpful) will take their place.

The one purpose you get this text each week, and the one purpose I get to the fitness center just a few occasions per week (along with ​profitable the genetic and environmental lottery​), is due to these Ulysses Pacts.

Right here’s how you should use them in your personal life.

You-lysses Pacts in Motion

Returning to Corey Doctorow:

“Ulysses pacts aren’t good, however they’re crucial. On the very least, making a Ulysses pact begins with acknowledging that you’re fallible. Which you can be tempted, and rationalize your means into taking dangerous motion, even when you understand higher.

Turning into an grownup is a means of studying that your power comes from seeing your weaknesses and defending your self and the individuals who belief you from them.”

Let’s see how we are able to add some Ulysses Pacts to your life.

To create your personal Ulysses Pact: search for alternatives to decide TODAY in a second of power, to safeguard your self in opposition to an anticipated second of weak point TOMORROW.

Even higher, search for alternatives to decide as soon as, and it prevents you from needing to make use of willpower to repeatedly do the correct factor sooner or later.

Just a few extra examples:

• Determine to not hold problematic meals in the home as soon as, and also you don’t must spend all evening, each evening, deciding NOT to eat these meals.
• Determine to mechanically donate to a trigger you like as soon as, and also you don’t have to recollect to not spend that cash on one thing else and donate every month.
• Delete and/or block social media and time-wasting video games in your cellphone as soon as, and out of the blue the choice to learn a e book or go for a stroll reasonably than mindlessly scroll by TikTok or Instagram turns into a lot simpler.

Bear in mind, acknowledging and creating safeguards in opposition to our weaknesses isn’t an indication of giving up or weak point.

It’s a brave signal of acceptance.

It’s additionally good.

What are the Ulysses Pacts you employ in your personal life? Did this text encourage you to create one for your self?

Attain out and let me know!

-Steve