Enhancing the “Commonness” of Common Sense

Brendon Burchard, a New York Times bestselling author, is fond of making a point about common sense not being truly common all the time. You might want to ponder over that a bit. Could there be a common sense you are familiar with but do not always put to work? And may never do?

So, if truly there is common sense in each of us, what then is responsible for the variations in behaviors that we clearly have? Why do we think and act differently even towards the same thing? Why does common sense not translate to common mode of behaviors?

It is not Easy and often Inconvenient to Carry out a Common Sense Practice

Yes. It is true that people do not just do anything they want always even if they know that would result in better outcomes. They sometimes feel inconvenienced by the fact that they are changing their routines or switching from their normal way of doing things. It is indeed a bit difficult to do.

An instance is a driver who gets in his car and exceeds the speed limit by 22 mph. He knows that it is best to stick within the limits but he, for some reason, feels a need to continue flouting the rules and maintains driving at such unpermitted speeds.

Another case is that of an obese person or someone who simply wants to lose weight yet eats ice cream. Being fully aware the effects that the ice cream would have on their health and weight, they might even say “I know that I should be on the run from this, but…just this once”. And by the time you take some records, you find that they consume more than 6 cans of ice cream in 8 days.

Other cases including not exercising even when you know those 42 minutes of running per day can do a whole lot of building on your body; you instead relax on your bed and keep watching movies and eating popcorn. You may even be stressing yourself out and yet would not use a calendar to keep your schedules and plans organized; instead you would use your memory and compound your stress. It could also be that you have deeply offended a family member or a good friend, but you choose to ignore the situation and act as though nothing happened when you are fully aware that you have done something wrong and should apologize.

There is one thing in common in all of the above situations: your mind subtly notified you to try a different approach each time, but you ignore that notification, you shun common sense. Perhaps it was not there at all. Until common sense becomes a common practice I our societies, there would continue to be those problems that prompt the law and security forces to keep defending communities.

The line between Common Sense and Common Knowledge

Are these two different? So far, we know that common knowledge refers to those facts we collectively are aware of. Everyone realizes how bad it is for us to flout speed limits, why we should not ignore breaking relationships, and why we should not compromise on exercise and general health; we know the consequences of each of those actions. That’s common knowledge, and it makes sense—common knowledge makes common sense.

For instance, you could be aware of the dangers associated with stress and the gain of reducing the pace with which you live your life. It is even possible that you have studied books and other materials that discuss the matter, plus the words of the doctors to back it up. However you spend your day running around in the course of “extinguishing flames” at home and at work, and you have in fact developed elevated blood pressures from all of this unsettled lifestyle.

Indeed the appropriate thing to do is cut down the chase, sleep and enjoy some REM, do some workouts, meditate, and live a life of health and cheerfulness. It makes a whole lot of sense to alter your style of living. And people would let you in on this truth at the slightest opportunity because it is what you ought to do.

The thing is, it is unarguably sensible yet you find it challenging to do.

How is that? Weird right? Shakespeare referred to life as an idiot’s tale. All the tools and information we need to live ideally lies bare before us, yet we fail to use them.

Converting Common Sense to Common Practice

The singular action of not converting common sense to common practice has the implication that things would stay static—not metamorphosis. You know, however, that you truly want change.

In so far as common knowledge tells you that early to bed means early to rise, then common sense should make you abide by that and make your days as productive as they can be—and over time that becomes a common practice.

The more often you take common knowledge and act upon it based on common sense, the more it becomes common practice and an habit, and soon you would not have to expend much efforts to do it.

The aftermath is that you start seeing those results you would have only have the privilege of seeing in your dreams. Yet that becomes your lifestyle—your behavior. It becomes common to you.

Uncommon results result when you convert your common sense into common practice.

There are Techniques for Developing Common Practices

You may be wondering whether there are clearly stated steps for achieving the transformation of common sense into common practice. Well, we have the following ways.

• Clearly state those things you consider as common sense or common knowledge
• Eliminate those ones among them that you already practice diligently
• Make note of those ones you do not practice currently
• Select three of those noted sense or knowledge and make it a duty to work on them for the next week
• Keep acting them out until they become your common practice—that is, you get used to them

Just the same way you develop habits, after some days, you would find that those senses or knowledge have been integrated into you in such a way that you do them effortlessly—they have turned into a common practice for you. And in no time, you would begin to enjoy the fruits of your efforts.

People around you read your Common Practices as Epistles

For you, it might just be normal way to behave, but it is not so for a whole lot of people. You may see it as what you should do based on the standards of common sense, but you inspire others in the course of carrying out those common practices.

By sticking to those practices that are in sync with common sense, you would have succeeded in winning the war against convenience and against the inertia created by comfort zones. You now see the higher dimension of truths and behind the veils of why you should do this right, even if it means making sacrifices. It is common knowledge and you know it is sensible to do, so you do it. The consequences of this style of living include positive outcomes and experiences.

The reason is that as you let common sense determine your common practice, you get results that are not common.

And guess what? People are always watching, they would learn of your style of living and would get inspired—you become a mentor.

So if you already know the common knowledge you wish to make a common practice, reply it in the comment section under.