Tool syndrome and data collection mania

I think most of you know the story. The dry duck wants to learn to swim, oh, swimming needs a swimsuit, swimming also needs a swimming cap, swimming also needs a snorkel. Then searched for various training courses, also watched various instructional videos on video sites, appreciated the beautiful swimming posture of Olympic champions —— a summer passed, the dry duck is still a dry duck.

This is the typical story of tool syndrome and data collection mania, I think such a thing, in me, in you, or in most people have happened.

For example, I have mentioned the various benefits of notepads. The frequent replies were “What kind of notebook should I buy? ” “Is the A4 one too big? “”Will the loose-leaf ones be easier to lose? “”Do you use paper or electronic notepads? “.

The same goes for the tomato work method. The questions continue: “Which is the best tomato timer online? ” “Is the timer with only the alarm noisy? “All kinds of questions, I’m all kinds of helpless ah.

If you ask me, what you have is the tool syndrome. Tool syndrome, always imagine the tool as a result. Like I used to especially like to collect stationery, pens, books, then I found myself psychologically this logic, that is – when I buy stationery, I think I have written all the words, and then full of “I really love to learn a good boy! ” psychological implication, so happy. And in reality, the vast majority of books, when bought blank, are still blank years later.

The psychology of the tool syndrome is similar to mine, the basic logic is – I have used the best tools, the results are not within reach of it.

As a result, entangled in what kind of notepad to buy entangled 1 month, select the favorite pen and 1 month, wondering what form good again with 1 month, 3 months later, will continue to adhere to the notepad?

Data collection mania is more common, especially in this era of information overload, the collection of information has become a click the mouse can easily be done, the average person hard drive a few G books, a few hundred G movies, are very common. But how much of —- has been read?

Also take the notepad as an example, collect the symptoms of mania a little lighter it, at least finished reading several related books, just continue to look for books to read, the underlying logic is: read a few more, naturally will help me to use the notepad better. Those with heavier symptoms are completely in the collection of books and information, and have read no more than one percent of the content.

Data collection mania is another kind of paranoia that values tools over results, and the logic is the same – I’ve collected so much information, isn’t a good result deserved?

I’m not quite sure what the psychological basis behind this logic is, I just know that it’s an all too common condition. I have had it before, I have it now, and I will have it in the future. But I’ve slowly been improving. For example, if I don’t write down, I definitely don’t read resource books (with the exception of leisure books), and for pages with knowledge content, I read them patiently and take notes on evernote before clicking on the next page. Useful books, each pick 1-2 places they need to improve, do as they do for a while, and then read the next book. — etc. etc.

I used to have a brother who went for an interview with an investment bank, and he was asked what do you think is the best way to demonstrate your leadership skills. He told a story about organizing a big event that failed. Then he said, “Although the event was not successful, but I learned a lot from the process” — and the investment banker said to him “Your story is wonderful, but I remind you that our company, is result-orientate (results-oriented), that is, we attach great importance to the results of the event, if the event does not have results, then all the process is wonderful and useless If there is no result, then all the process is useless”.

I certainly don’t agree with this statement, the best experience and method should come from trial and error. But the story told by my brother also impressed me and had a great impact on me.

In many jobs, especially in the workplace, sometimes “results are everything”. You visit 10,000 customers, only one deal, the boss will only see the deal of the one. You write 28 plans, and your boss will only praise the one that finally succeeds (maybe not even you).

You can certainly continue to ask, “What kind of notepad should I buy, one with a grid or a blank one? Should I buy a timer in the shape of a tomato or a piglet? You can also, just grab a scrap of paper at hand and write down the work you want to do tomorrow.

You can, of course, ask that tomato timer is the best, then download it, feel bad about it, and then get another one. You can also, with a simple cell phone countdown, start your first tomato of concentration.

You can, of course, complain that your boss has such poor eyesight that he only saw Wang Xiaomao sell 3 Apple computers today. Wang Xiaomao was merely lucky to have received only 5 customers and then sold 3 units, while you received 30 customers and talked until your mouth was dry. You can also, every day to sum up which customers are easy to deal with, and then more efforts to make sales performance to see Wang Xiaomao want to eat shit!

You can, of course, continue to point “like” in this article below, write “mark”, and then say, well, the cell phone party does not have time, first mark later to see (I bet 99% of people will not look again), and then put off the change until tomorrow.

You can certainly do that. But you can also choose to start now with the principle of one good habit a month and get rid of the tool syndrome and data collection mania.