[jerf]

The ultimate "hack" is to hack your own brain. It's how the metaphorical man riding the elephant [1] gets the most mileage out of his efforts, figuring out how to manipulate the elephant any way necessary.

The intelligent, rational part of the brain sneers derisively at the invisible mask. It's obviously not there. It obviously can't do anything. It is, in its own way, entirely correct. Yet the elephant does not think that way, and to it, the mask is there and effective, and in its own way, it too is entirely correct.

This is how you break bad habits, make good habits, deal with procrastination, and any number of other life goals the rider may find desirable. You don't just sit there futilely trying to kick the elephant harder directly in the direction you want to go; you figure out how to lead it to want what you want it to want. The rider has an immense amount of control, once the rider embraces how little control the rider has.

(At least for a while, one of the YCombinator entrance questions was to describe a time you hacked a system or something. I think if I were ever to apply, I'd pull my answer from this. One of my biggest personal ones is just telling myself "Look, literally millions of other people have done this (in some cases billions), surely I can manage too?" Is, for example, the first day of college scary in some ways? Sure. But how hard can it really be? An awful lot of people make it through the first day.)

[1]: http://sourcesofinsight.com/the-elephant-and-the-rider/

[surfsvammel]

I tell myself that often as well. Just had my second child. And remember telling myself, after having my first son, at a moment when I was seriously doubting my ability to care for a child, in a sleep derived, frustrated, scared close-to-panicing state: ”most people, many of which where a lot less able, have gotten through this, surely I will too”.

It helps.

[pier25]

Interesting metaphor.

Any links you can share on taming the elephant?

[jws]

Years ago, in possibly Thailand, I went for an elephant ride through the jungle with my early teenaged daughter. She was very much into “how things work”. The guide sat up on the elephant’s neck and drove by touching her behind the ears with his feet. We sat further back in a pair of seats. At one point the guide got down and ran backwards in front to video my daughter sitting on the elephant’s neck and driving. Being who she was she decided actually drive and put her foot against one of the elephants ears just like the guide. Without missing a step the elephant reached around with her trunk, looped around my daughter’s leg and placed it gently back on her shoulder. (The elephant’s shoulder.)

Ok, this isn’t a lot of practical help on taming an elephant, except that maybe “befriending” or “establishing a working relationship with” would be better words than taming.

[pier25]

Nice parable :)