A couple decades ago, a pair of psychologists named William Samuelson and Richard Zeckhauser discovered a phenomenon they dubbed the status quo bias. Simply put: most of us have a tendency to keep doing what we've been doing without giving it much thought. And on one level it’s harmless. NCC offers eight services at four locations. But most NCCers attend the same service at the same place week-in and week-out. And most of us sit in about the same place. Some of you are right-side people. Some of you are left-side people. We’ve got front people and back people. And there is nothing wrong with that. We are simply creatures of habit. But maintaining the status quo can become detrimental.
For example, a study was done on college professors who were part of a pension plan. And the researchers discovered that the professors picked a plan upon entering the program, and while they had the freedom to change plans based on life circumstances or market conditions or even the size of their portfolio, the median numbers of changes in their asset allocation was zero! In other words, most of them picked a plan and forgot about it. They stopped evaluating. By the way, what was even more telling is that many of the married participants who joined the program when they were single still had their mothers listed as their beneficiaries.
Have you have ever been offered a free subscription to a magazine for the first year? Why would we be offered something for free? It’s because magazine companies understand the status quo bias. Most of us will forget to cancel. And it’s not really that we’ve forgotten. We’re just too lazy to make a simple phone call or write a simple letter. Right? That is human nature! We tend to keep doing what we’ve been doing.
As we get ready to begin a New Year, let's challenge the status quo. I know there is nothing magical about midnight on December 31st. And not everybody has a resolution personality. But all of us need to make changes. Take some time to evaluate your life spiritually, relationally, physically, emotionally, and intellectually. What changes do you need to make? Is there something you need to stop doing or start doing? What do you need to do more or do less? I've always felt like New Years is an opportunity to reevaluate and recalibrate my life. The only other option is maintaining the status quo.
What New Year's Resolution are you making this year?
For example, a study was done on college professors who were part of a pension plan. And the researchers discovered that the professors picked a plan upon entering the program, and while they had the freedom to change plans based on life circumstances or market conditions or even the size of their portfolio, the median numbers of changes in their asset allocation was zero! In other words, most of them picked a plan and forgot about it. They stopped evaluating. By the way, what was even more telling is that many of the married participants who joined the program when they were single still had their mothers listed as their beneficiaries.
Have you have ever been offered a free subscription to a magazine for the first year? Why would we be offered something for free? It’s because magazine companies understand the status quo bias. Most of us will forget to cancel. And it’s not really that we’ve forgotten. We’re just too lazy to make a simple phone call or write a simple letter. Right? That is human nature! We tend to keep doing what we’ve been doing.
As we get ready to begin a New Year, let's challenge the status quo. I know there is nothing magical about midnight on December 31st. And not everybody has a resolution personality. But all of us need to make changes. Take some time to evaluate your life spiritually, relationally, physically, emotionally, and intellectually. What changes do you need to make? Is there something you need to stop doing or start doing? What do you need to do more or do less? I've always felt like New Years is an opportunity to reevaluate and recalibrate my life. The only other option is maintaining the status quo.
What New Year's Resolution are you making this year?
8 Comments:
Mark,
A few comments. First off, I just finished reading Wild Goose Chase (book #28 on my goal of reading 24 this year) this weekend and was extremely blessed by it. Great follow-up to In a Pit with a Lion! Keep sharing what the Wild Goose has laid on your heart!
Second, as you can tell, I'm also a big goal guy and am working today to flesh out my 2009 goals. I think it's a big encouragement to share goals with each other. I came up with my first set of life goals when I was 14, but misplaced it somewhere in the last 13 years. :) Hopefully some day I'll find that original list in a box - it would be fun to look back at my first attempt to look forward.
Finally, quick question - ever thought about updating your 100 Life Goals and letting us know which ones you've crossed off? Thanks!
Happy New Year!
Brandon Schall
Roanoke, IN
Brandon,
Love it. Glad the book was a blessing :)
Great idea. I've looked into some different goal programs. Might try to do that in facebook. I have a partial list, but not completed yet. It's a pretty cool feeling to check one off :) Love putting dates next to fulfilled goals.
Mark
As I am finishing Wild Goose Chase, I am in the middle of a wild goose chase of my own. My new wife and I will be moving across the country to help plant a church in North Carolina. My resolutions this new year are to be faithful to the call God has placed on our lives, step through open doors, and not try to pry doors open that God has not opened.
great blog, as always... one of my daily reads. i would also add evaluating what we need to remember and what we need to forget. it we seems we have the frustrating capacity to flip flop those and remember the things we should be forgetting and forgetting to greatness of God we ought remember. grace and peace be with you in 2009.
I think that God was letting me know this same thing today. I woke up with the quote "If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten" then I read your blog and there it is.....
I think the Wild Goose is leading me somewhere.......Better get chasing it!
Great post Mark. I just taught your 10 Steps to Setting Life Goals lesson today at church. It was well received.
Pastor Mark, Great blog. I've always been goal-focused, and now ever since "Bucket List" I've made my own bucket list of things I want to do before I "kick the bucket" (even though there's no current life-ending diagnosis motivating the list). I find the bucket list concept a good way to focus my goals on the big picture. "What do I want to do with my life before it is over?"
Mark
Just wanted to say a big thanks for the way your "Wild Goose" book has really blessed a close friend of mine this holiday season. I've just ordered the book myself and look forward to reading it. But I wanted to say thanks, kind of a Phil 1:3-6 thing!
God Bless
Dug Hampton
Blacksburg
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