A few days ago I began a casual survey with Face Book friends with questions about hard boiled eggs:
“When you take the shell off a boiled egg, do you start up peeling at the top, bottom, middle or anywhere on the egg?”
Now I would like to ask any boiled egg peelers this; why do you do it that way?
Did you just decide to do it that way, or observe someone with that technique, or find that method worked better after attempting another way?
Here are some other questions that I have wondered about:
• When you put your pants on which leg do you put in first? Why?
• When you put your socks on which foot do you put in first? Why?
• When you put your shoes on which foot do you put in first? Why?
• When you put your sweater on which arm do you put in first? Why?
• When you put your Jacket/coat on which arm do you put in first? Why?
• When you slalom ski, or skate board, which foot do you put in front? Why?
• When you open a door which hand to you use? Why?
The list can go on and on.
Do you see the theme here?
Why do we do what we do?
Is it genetically programmed, like a natural bent to be left or right-handed that determines which hand or foot we will prefer or the action we take?
Is it a learned behavior or the way someone else showed us to do it?
Obviously, I am not looking for a most correct way to do any of these things. I just wanted to have you think about what you do, be aware of the way you do things. Then consider why you do what you do.
Where did the programming for that almost unconscious habit originate?
When you pause and think about it, what impact does it have on your consideration for other things you do… or say?
Become conscience of the things you do, or say that you don’t think about. How will that help you with conflict?
