Over the past few years, I have tried my best (more like struggled) to be consistent with my workout routine, be it going out on runs, going to the gym or any physical activity whatsoever. Only have the past 2 years been my most consistent years.

 I am currently writing this sitting in my room, with a sort of thrill and aaha moment I had, preparing for my behavioural economics exam. Maybe I should be studying right now, or maybe I should just succumb to my inner voice telling me to write this down. Who knows what I  SHOULD be doing, maybe feeling regret is something I should leave for my future self. I might as well just begin writing for now.

Random Question

Why don’t cab drivers work more on days when wages are higher and less on days when they are not?

According to standard economic theory, workers should be working more on days when wages per hour are higher than on days when wages per hour are lesser, thereby balancing leisure with maximizing income. This is the most effective way in which they can maximize their income without necessarily struggling as much. But do cab drivers really follow this? No. Humans are wired in a way that makes us take decisions and set goals that might not necessarily be “rational”. What cab drivers do instead, is set a target for the day, say Rs5000. This Rs 5000 should be earned ANY WHICH WAY.  The day is considered successful if you have achieved your daily target and a failure if you haven’t. The goal here changes from maximizing your income to settling for a good enough amount of Rs5000 daily. So on days when rates are higher, the goal is achieved earlier and on days when the rates are poor, the cab driver struggles to somehow achieve the goal , trying to avoid the guilt and sorrow of failing for the day. As the behavioural economist, Daniel Kahnemn rightly says, losses hurt twice as much as how good the same amount of gain feels. Which basically translates to saying that the driver feels twice as worse about earning Rs 4500 for the day than earning Rs 5500 for the day, hence making him increase work hours on bad days to avoid the feeling of being a failure. You can read the blog here. 

I did not realise until I read the study, that I had for the most part of my fitness journey been a victim to a similar mind game.

For the most part of it, I always went to a run with a pre-set goal in my mind, of running say 8 kms or doing 2 sets with 15 reps each for every muscle in my body. Quite ambitious huh? But what if your body doesn’t support your overly ambitious mind? You still try to slog through the bad day by somehow trying to complete that additional km or that additional rep, just like the cab driver on a bad wage day. Is it all worth it? Is it good for long term consistency? In my experience…I’d say no. On days when I don’t reach my goal and particularly on slog days (yes those leg days), I tend to associate a negative feeling towards it. This negative connotation makes me want to avoid working out even more and as the mighty ALL OR NOTHING attitude might have it, I’d give up altogether.

Where’s the fault though? You were ambitious, goal driven, hardworking, but where did all that land you up?

In your couch.

Solution?

Standard Economic theory.

Where the cab driver = you, wage rate = energy levels.

This doesn’t mean that on low energy days, you don’t show up at all. It just means you exercise less and listen to your heart instead of your overly ambitious mind. Sounds easy?

Maybe standard economic theory isn’t that impractical afterall.