Knowledge doesn’t change behavior

''The soul has no secret that the behavior does not reveal. '' -Lao Tzu

Happy Tuesday gang!
I hope this post finds you in great spirits! 💜 💜

They say knowledge is power, and I can’t disagree with this statement.
However, knowledge on its own is not sufficient.
Take reading for example.
You can read one book a day on a range of different topics.
But if you don’t apply the knowledge into your life, what good is it to read these self-improvement books?
The idea one has of knowledge may also have been conditioned by the oh so called education system.
Which in fact does not test our intelligence, but rather our memory and capacity of being self disciplined. Two very different things.

Wherever our beliefs leads us, that’s where our behavior will follow.
Not to mention that there is a world in between knowing something and living our life according to what we know, or living in alignment with what we know.
Let me give you an example. My favorite one actually.
Marriage therapists.
Have you ever thought that because that’s what they do as a living, they got their own marriage all figured out?
We are only human.
It is not because you help other through their own issues, that you don’t have the same problems going on at home.
In fact, there’s a line between something known on an intellectual level, and something that is applied on a ''physical level'' I guess you could say.

These are not my words (even though I can’t deny that my mentor gets a point here 😉 ) but the one and only, my love Leo Buscaglia (known as Dr love, and himself a psychologist), said before that some of the most stupid people he’s ever met had Ph.Ds, and some of the smartest, a high school diploma. Not gonna lie, I can actually think of some people in my own life who fit the description 😉
Being smart on paper is one thing my darling.
Real life is messy as hell, and it surely doesn’t come with an instruction book 😉
So in case you were waiting for the other part that completes the sentence ''knowledge doesn’t change behavior''…
Here it is: ''Knowledge does not change behavior, experience does''.
Knowledge can make you aware of stuff… but is that enough to spark change?
I’ve spent hundred of hours reading and learning about the shortcomings of the human mind… but that doesn’t mean that I don’t get caught up myself into the echo chambers of the internets.

I think that the combat between our rational vs our emotional mind is enough to explain why knowing is not enough.
There are many things we know we should not do, engage in, yet we end up doing them anyway.
Ever heard of this thing called self-sabotage?
Ok I’m gonna have a bit of fun now and share with you an epic discovery, (related to willpower too) that I found in a book I read a while ago.
The book is called ''Emotional agility – Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, And Thrive In Work And Life''
Here’s the passage that I highlighted in my notebook:
''According to brain imaging, when we’re faced with a typical choice, basic attributes like taste are processed on average about 195 milliseconds earlier than health attributes. In other words, our brain is encouraging us to make certain choices well before willpower even enters the picture. ''
Sorry to announce you that we pretty much get fucked in the split second before choosing to eat that cake.

Lowkey thinking of bringing this board to my school and all.
Today, we will prepare you for life, -said no teacher ever.
Actually, today and for the next 4 years, I will teach you how to become a good worker to make this capitalistic society going 😉
Next time, the Cardi B in me will have to tell them that I’m a boss, and you a worker bitch.
You know damn well I make money moves 😉