I never thought of it in these terms, but when-then happiness thinking is also part of this hedonistic normalcy. "when I get a girlfriend..." or "when the kids are older..." or "when I get a job where..." or "when this happens at work..." Unless other things happen, there will be another when-then and you won't be satisfied.
I don't think running without music is weird. The people who listen to music outside are weird to me. As a cyclist, I don't listen to music for safety, the benefit of boredom (especially on shared paths where I don't have to be attentive to cars) and the need to concentrate on tough things at my own pace (when I was a semi serious cyclist who climbed hills).
I, too, typically go full spartan mode on runs. I also usually go plated. I have to actively make things miserable for myself. Idk if it's some sort of masochism, or my modern life is just too comfortable. Somewhat both.
I began by wondering about your point today, but as I read on, it became clear and relevant in my life. Mostly professionally, but also in my personal life. Basically, the more I challenge myself to do new and mentally challenging things, the more I crave them and excel at them. When I find myself in a lull my brain relatively quickly goes numb and getting it back in action becomes challenging.
At work I see this in getting students truly engaged in thinking and learning. Especially when it hasn’t been expected or demanded of them. At first, there is push back. They have been conditioned into the comfort of easiness. As time goes on, they receive praise for effort, have new and recognizable outcomes (aka…learning - who would have thought) they come to appreciate and crave new knowledge. It’s getting past that hump of comfortable ease that’s the challenge.
We can do hard things, and the more we do, the more we want.
I will still listen to music when I workout, do chores, and usually while in the car as well. When my mind get bored, I vary the playlist….I need music FH!
Your point of ‘getting it back in action becomes challenging’; that’s been my experience exactly when I over indulge in easy pleasures.
My goal isn’t to make anyone feel bad about doing it, it’s just to know that the cost isn’t 0. But having a cost isn’t the same thing as saying it’s not worth it.
Before I’d gotten to the 3rd sentence I was thinking “who listens to music during a marathon”.
I’m no runner but I was a NCAA division 1 shotputter and discus thrower and I’ve been around a lot of runners in my life and no serious runner would listen to podcasts during a marathon.
I never thought of it in these terms, but when-then happiness thinking is also part of this hedonistic normalcy. "when I get a girlfriend..." or "when the kids are older..." or "when I get a job where..." or "when this happens at work..." Unless other things happen, there will be another when-then and you won't be satisfied.
I don't think running without music is weird. The people who listen to music outside are weird to me. As a cyclist, I don't listen to music for safety, the benefit of boredom (especially on shared paths where I don't have to be attentive to cars) and the need to concentrate on tough things at my own pace (when I was a semi serious cyclist who climbed hills).
I, too, typically go full spartan mode on runs. I also usually go plated. I have to actively make things miserable for myself. Idk if it's some sort of masochism, or my modern life is just too comfortable. Somewhat both.
Man. Same.
I only mention little piddly things like not running with music, but I for some reason constantly pursue miserable things.
One of my favorite was a death by 5k.
I ran a 5k every 2.5 hours for 24 hours. It stormed through the night which made for an already shitty experience way shittier.
Only reason I haven’t done another one is I can’t find anyone to go back with me.
I began by wondering about your point today, but as I read on, it became clear and relevant in my life. Mostly professionally, but also in my personal life. Basically, the more I challenge myself to do new and mentally challenging things, the more I crave them and excel at them. When I find myself in a lull my brain relatively quickly goes numb and getting it back in action becomes challenging.
At work I see this in getting students truly engaged in thinking and learning. Especially when it hasn’t been expected or demanded of them. At first, there is push back. They have been conditioned into the comfort of easiness. As time goes on, they receive praise for effort, have new and recognizable outcomes (aka…learning - who would have thought) they come to appreciate and crave new knowledge. It’s getting past that hump of comfortable ease that’s the challenge.
We can do hard things, and the more we do, the more we want.
I will still listen to music when I workout, do chores, and usually while in the car as well. When my mind get bored, I vary the playlist….I need music FH!
Your point of ‘getting it back in action becomes challenging’; that’s been my experience exactly when I over indulge in easy pleasures.
My goal isn’t to make anyone feel bad about doing it, it’s just to know that the cost isn’t 0. But having a cost isn’t the same thing as saying it’s not worth it.
Before I’d gotten to the 3rd sentence I was thinking “who listens to music during a marathon”.
I’m no runner but I was a NCAA division 1 shotputter and discus thrower and I’ve been around a lot of runners in my life and no serious runner would listen to podcasts during a marathon.