WEBVTT - If/Then

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio.

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<v Speaker 1>Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.

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<v Speaker 1>Today's tip is to make sure your actions are serving

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<v Speaker 1>their intended purpose. If they are working as intended, then

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<v Speaker 1>do them, and if they are not, then don't. It

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<v Speaker 1>really is as simple as that we do all kinds

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<v Speaker 1>of things in life for all kinds of reasons, but

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<v Speaker 1>whether our actions are achieving our intended purposes or not

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<v Speaker 1>can be an entirely different matter. When deciding whether to

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<v Speaker 1>do something, an if then decision rule can ensure you

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<v Speaker 1>engage in a behavior only if it has the result

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<v Speaker 1>you intend. Setting up an if then statement prompts you

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<v Speaker 1>to think about why you are doing something. So, for instance,

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<v Speaker 1>let's say you often do your shopping at one of

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<v Speaker 1>those big warehouse stores. Why are you doing that? Presumably

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<v Speaker 1>it's to save money, That's why most people do it.

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<v Speaker 1>But if you end up buying lots of stuff that's

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<v Speaker 1>not on your list, or more than you need of

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<v Speaker 1>things that are on your list, meaning that you spend

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<v Speaker 1>five hundred dollars in the warehouse when you spend two

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<v Speaker 1>dollars at the grocery store, well that's not saving money.

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<v Speaker 1>You can run your shopping habits through the if then rubric.

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<v Speaker 1>If you save money at the warehouse, then you will

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<v Speaker 1>shop there. If you don't, then you won't. Or perhaps

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<v Speaker 1>you are sending Christmas cards and the reason you do

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<v Speaker 1>so is or the enjoyment of sharing family news and

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<v Speaker 1>photos with your friends, but you find that this year

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<v Speaker 1>it feels like a chore. You can use the if

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<v Speaker 1>then rubric to figure out if it's worth it. If

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<v Speaker 1>sending Christmas cards feels joyful, then I will send them.

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<v Speaker 1>If it doesn't feel joyful, then no. Or maybe you've

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<v Speaker 1>started a degree program but are starting to have doubts

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<v Speaker 1>that anyone in the positions you aspire to has that

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<v Speaker 1>particular degree. You can think about it and decide that

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<v Speaker 1>if the degree is obviously useful towards your goals, then

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<v Speaker 1>you will finish the program. If not, time to pursue

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<v Speaker 1>other professional development options now. Of course, it is quite

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<v Speaker 1>possible that you will decide after some analysis that you

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<v Speaker 1>truly are saving money or enjoying the Christmas cards or

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<v Speaker 1>what have you. If so, arey on. There are times

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<v Speaker 1>when actions serve their intended purposes. There are also times

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<v Speaker 1>when we do things out of a vague sense of

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<v Speaker 1>obligation or virtue, but the truth is most likely no

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<v Speaker 1>one really cares. Why are you maintaining an elaborate folder

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<v Speaker 1>system for your emails? Why do you get to your

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<v Speaker 1>desk every day at seven? Why don't you allow your

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<v Speaker 1>kids to watch TV? There may be good reasons for

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<v Speaker 1>these things, and they may be achieving their intended purposes,

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<v Speaker 1>but maybe not. If the lack of TV creates a

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<v Speaker 1>peaceful home and that is your goal, then it is

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<v Speaker 1>probably worthwhile. If it just makes life harder for you,

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<v Speaker 1>then maybe it isn't. Since your ultimate goal probably isn't

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<v Speaker 1>to make life harder, do hard things win and only win,

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<v Speaker 1>they are having a bigger good. Asking the if then

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<v Speaker 1>question helps make that clear. In the meantime, this is Laura.

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of

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<v Speaker 1>our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you.

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<v Speaker 1>You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else.

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<v Speaker 1>Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at

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<v Speaker 1>Before Breakfast Pod that's B the number four then Breakfast

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<v Speaker 1>p o D. You can also shoot me an email

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<v Speaker 1>at Before Breakfast Podcast at i heeart media dot com.

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<v Speaker 1>That Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters.

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks so much. Should I look forward to staying in touch.

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<v Speaker 1>Before Breakfast is a production of I heart Radio. For

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