DON’T write instructions like that, instead try this...
“Don’t...” “Stop doing this but instead...” “when you find yourself [operative verb] try to...” headed instructions tend to be more useful and actionable for me than non-refutative instructions. Or to get meta:
Don’t start instructions with the operative verb, instead begin with “Don’t [old habit] instead…[operative verb and instruction]” or “Stop [old habit] and [operative verb and instruction]
I find I’m terrible at making an instruction, advice or a note actionable because it is exceedingly difficult to find suitable cues, situations or contexts to use them. This is further complicated by the struggle to remember the instruction correctly in the ‘fog of war’ as it were.
For example, Nicholas Nassim Taleb notes that people are so prone to “overcausation” that you can get most people to become loquacious by simply asking “why?” (others say ‘why’ can come off as too accusatory and ‘how come?’ is more polite). I may like to see how true this is, but now I need to find a situation to use it in… uhhh… hmmm… okay, next time someone gives a one-word response about their weekend. Sure… now how can I remember it? In the panicky situation where a conversation grows quiet, how can I remember to ask “why?”?
Provided that an instruction or note that begins with “stop...” or “don’t” does in fact describe a habit you have or recurring situation you continue to encounter, then there is already a cue you can recognize.
For example, often when I hit an impasse while brainstorming, I will absentmindedly check my Instagram or a news website or here. That is a cue, and I can say “Don’t check Instagram, instead write down a brief description of what the next step is in your brain storming process.”
To test Taleb’s observation, I’d do well to think of something I often do or notice when a conversation peters out, something like “don’t say ‘haha yeah’, ask ‘why’”? (and trust I have the sense to not implement that robotically and ask ‘why?’ as a non-sequitur)
So my advice to myself: Don’t write instructions or notes that begin with “try to...” “you should...” or even “write instructions that begin with refutations” but instead use “Don’t… but instead” as a template.
There is also the aspect of “when”. You can’t keep thinking of a rule 24 hours a day, so the question is: in which situation should your attention be brought to the rule?
“Instead of X, do Y” provides an answer: it is when you are tempted to do X.
DON’T write instructions like that, instead try this...
“Don’t...” “Stop doing this but instead...” “when you find yourself [operative verb] try to...” headed instructions tend to be more useful and actionable for me than non-refutative instructions. Or to get meta:
I find I’m terrible at making an instruction, advice or a note actionable because it is exceedingly difficult to find suitable cues, situations or contexts to use them. This is further complicated by the struggle to remember the instruction correctly in the ‘fog of war’ as it were.
For example, Nicholas Nassim Taleb notes that people are so prone to “overcausation” that you can get most people to become loquacious by simply asking “why?” (others say ‘why’ can come off as too accusatory and ‘how come?’ is more polite). I may like to see how true this is, but now I need to find a situation to use it in… uhhh… hmmm… okay, next time someone gives a one-word response about their weekend. Sure… now how can I remember it? In the panicky situation where a conversation grows quiet, how can I remember to ask “why?”?
Provided that an instruction or note that begins with “stop...” or “don’t” does in fact describe a habit you have or recurring situation you continue to encounter, then there is already a cue you can recognize.
For example, often when I hit an impasse while brainstorming, I will absentmindedly check my Instagram or a news website or here. That is a cue, and I can say “Don’t check Instagram, instead write down a brief description of what the next step is in your brain storming process.”
To test Taleb’s observation, I’d do well to think of something I often do or notice when a conversation peters out, something like “don’t say ‘haha yeah’, ask ‘why’”? (and trust I have the sense to not implement that robotically and ask ‘why?’ as a non-sequitur)
So my advice to myself: Don’t write instructions or notes that begin with “try to...” “you should...” or even “write instructions that begin with refutations” but instead use “Don’t… but instead” as a template.
There is also the aspect of “when”. You can’t keep thinking of a rule 24 hours a day, so the question is: in which situation should your attention be brought to the rule?
“Instead of X, do Y” provides an answer: it is when you are tempted to do X.
Probably relevant: Trigger-Action Planning
Yes, I think TAPs are extremely relevant here because it is about bringing attention, as you say, to the rule in the right context.
I suspect a lot of my “try to...” or “you should...” notes and instructions are Actions in search of a Trigger