Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Counterfactual thinking!

A thought that comes to mind after PV Sindhu's bronze medal win at the Tokyo Olympics!

Have you noticed that a Bronze medalist is generally more happy than a Silver medalist at the end of the game.

It's not an incidental finding but a proven fact in many research studies after studying reactions of silver medalists vs bronze medalists. Ideally, a silver medalist should be more happy than the bronze. But, human mind doesn't work like mathematics.

This happens because of the phenomenon of counterfactual thinking.

The Silver medalist thinks, "Oh I couldn't win the gold medal". The Bronze medalist thinks, "At least I got a medal".

Silver medal is won after losing but Bronze medal is won after Winning!

This happens in our life also, we don't appreciate what we have but feel sad with what we don't have. Let's be grateful for our blessings, they far outweigh our problems if we start counting.

Life is after all full of choices, do always count your blessings to stay positive and motivated...... 

      *        *        *

Course Mates

Young hooligans thrown together by fate
Bound together thereafter for life
With the magic word Course Mate
One gets preference over family and wife

In a course mate's house you can demand a bite
Whether it is day or middle of the night
You can borrow his shoes or favourite dress
And dump it back in a total mess.

Course mate is your friend, philosopher and guide
Who will stand by you and not take you for a ride
When in trouble just give a ring
Problem's solved before the bee can sting

May not have met for many a year
But that should not give you any fear
Just a reference of passing out date
Brings back remembrances and opens all gates


Tailpiece.

Got up about 20' late, the chores and was ready by 10 o'clock. Went about my work as usual. The CA confirms the completion of my IT return that's awaiting its filing.

Pushpaakaran, the farmhand next door, came by in the evening as promised and did a few things like setting things right in our backyard like chopping off the fallen papaya tree, collection and removal of the garden waste, disposing off broken glass pieces, securing the five bunches of coconuts - with ropes - to prevent them from falling off in the event of strong winds and preparing the tender coconuts ready for use. Two bunches had fallen off just last week.

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