Replacing Our Tires to Avoid the Wreck

I still struggle with the status quo trap where I ignore changes I should make just because they might take some work and some responsibility but recognizing and understanding the problem makes it harder for me to ignore the problem. And in some ways, it can be exciting to be taking the long view approach instead of living from one disaster to the next.

In preparation for a business trip this week, I dropped my old reliable Infiniti to the shop just to make sure it would be safe for me to take it a couple hundred miles on a stretch. I don’t drive very often. I’m very fortunate to be able to work from home most days and most of the shops and other places I need to go are within walking distance.

So I wasn’t aware of just how worn my tires were. The auto shop reported back to me that my tires were completely bald and that they absolutely wouldn’t recommend that I take it anywhere let alone a 200 mile road trip. So I can take a hint that blatant. I now have four very nice new tires that should last me several more years given how little I drive.

But it made me think about how many things in my life I naively believe somehow that certain things will stay in good working order without planning ahead for their eventual repair or replacement. It’s so easy to wait and cling to our hopes that we’ll escape yet another trip without blowing a flat tire or going without seeing a dentist or delaying that physical exam or relying on caffeine to tide us over after several weeks of less sleep than we actually need.

But life has a way of catching up with us, doesn’t it? If we don’t take good care of our dental hygiene, a root canal costs a lot more than a regular dental visit or cleaning. A car wreck can be disastrous and cost much more in vehicle value as well as stress and possible bodily injury than new tires or other minor needed repairs. A major operation can costs exceptionally more than a regular check up. And that extra hour of sleep each night can keep us safe and sharp so we can be worth more to our business or employer but also could keep us from dangerous dozing at the wheel.

There’s a belief that somehow we grow out of the belief that we are immortal eventually as if the false sense that no major health problem will ever hit us is a symptom that we just grow out of. But I think there’s something deeper going on here.

As humans we naturally feel a strong pull to keeping things are they are right now. Psychologists call it the status quo trap. We’re pulled in the direction of the status quo for a few reasons.

• Deciding that we need to take an alternative path might force us to admit responsibility, like with our doctors’ and dentists’ visit avoidance example. The status quo is comfortable because the alternative would make us face the reality that maybe we haven’t been taking splendid care of ourselves.

• Trying something other than the status quo probably requires a bit of work. Like with my tire replacement task. It’s easier to just ignore the need for new tires and continue to drive on the old ones because taking the car into the shop will take time and some money.

So how do we break away from this status quo trap so we can face the real consequences of not doing things regular things we should do to help us be healthier, less sleep deprived, feel more energy, and save our teeth? One of the best ways I’ve found is to 1) stop exaggerating the annoyance or cost of getting things done that I seem to keep putting off. 2) Recognize the cost growth that comes with each delay I allow myself. Just like with our dental visit example. The threat of a major dental procedure grows if we put off seeing the dentist when we first recognize that toothache. And 3) break up the costs by setting aside time or small amounts of money incrementally so that when it makes the most sense to get those tires replaced it’ll be easier to swallow the cost because we’ve been setting aside small amounts over time.

I certainly still struggle with this status quo trap, but recognizing and understanding the problem makes it harder for us to ignore it. And in some ways, it can be exciting to be taking the long view approach instead of living from one disaster to the next.