Self-control comes from willpower. If we could only have more of it, everything would seem easy and achievable.
But, what happens when you change the dimension from you to you+someone? The effort starts to look different.
Support groups, DIY groups, meetups, and other types of social gatherings serve our innate need to not just connect but to accomplish common goals and serve common values.
Being aware of environmental and socials issues nudges you to do something but how often do you find yourself actually doing it?
Kaltay pan valat nahi. (We understand but we are unable to change.)
Not everyone is equally motivated or equipped to protect the environment and the people.
Mhanun konitari lagta. (That’s why we need someone. We can’t do everything on our own.)
Groups are self-checking systems that keep you and others in the group in check. If I’m not doing it right, someone else is. We learn and evolve.
Exposing yourself to diverse groups can challenge you in ways you did not imagine whereas joining likeminded people can support you.
I was rebellious when I was young and I could go do my own thing. As I grow older I increasingly find myself searching for those who see the world in the same light as me. Sometimes I seek a movement that I can be a part of and other times I create one.
Here’s how you can change the dimension too:
- Help urban farms
- Attend DIY workshops
- Participate in Twitter chats
- Join Meetup groups
- Volunteer
Further reading:
Self-control in peer groups. Journal of Economic Theory 123 (2005) 105– 134
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