How often do you struggle with akrasia?

While akrasia might sound like a strange rash that needs medical attention, it’s not. Akrasia means to act against one’s better judgment.

So, let me rephrase my original question.

How often do you act against your better judgment?

Why do you continue to do things that you know aren’t good for you?

The answer in many cases is that you’re either seeking pleasure or avoiding pain in the short term. If this sounds like a simplistic explanation, then let’s take a moment to explore it.

Have you ever attempted to eat healthier only to find yourself succumbing to the temptation of foods that you know aren’t good for you?

Have you ever said words out of anger or pain that you’ve later regretted?

Have you ever spent more money than you know you should have?

These are just a few examples of behaving against your best long-term interests.

Now I understand that you’re human, and in being so, you are fallible like all of us. We all, on occasion, act in ways that are future self’s regret. But what if there’s a way to minimize the regret?

Notice I didn’t say eliminate the regret. Because for that, you’d have to be a perfect human, and I’m quite sure that person doesn’t exist.

One way to live a life that aligns you with your best interest is to secure a strong image of the person you want to be. Carving out a strong identity provides you with a template, a guide that you can turn to when faced with situations where you might act against your best interest. For example, if you begin to identify yourself as the person who lives within their means, you mitigate your vulnerability to overspending.

While this might sound simple, we both know that it’s not easy.

Is it worth the effort?

That’s a question only you can answer. But if you ask me, then I would ask you. If you don’t act in your own best interest, then who will?

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