What You Do Eat, Not What You Don't Eat
“You’re allowed to talk about what you do eat, you’re not allowed to talk about what you don’t eat.”
Steve Martin’s wife about discussing the things we like or don’t like
I love this principle and I think it can apply to all of your likes and dislikes.1
Often there are moments where we consume (in other words, watch/read/listen to/explore) the things we may not really want to. We could be focused on things that others put in front of us or doing the things we think is expected (or good for a person to do) and honestly these are the times when we are most annoyed by what we’re consuming.
So like the advice above on eating:
Don’t focus on the things you don’t like.
Don’t talk about the things you haven’t consumed or the things you don’t like that you did consume.
Just focus on what you do like.
TODAY’s CHALLENGE:
This one is pretty straightforward: Don’t say a negative thing about something you don’t like. Focus on the positive and focus on the things that you want to be consuming. Don’t read books for others; read books for yourself (either for edification or for pleasure). Only choose the things that you know you’re going to enjoy. Only watch the movies you want to watch.
If you do this, you’ll be much better off.
I saw Steve Martin say this on a clip from Conan’s podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.