Introduction

The mind is supposed to be a tool that helps us. For example, it can help us visualize a desired result, solve problems, and anticipate obstacles in order to try to circumvent them or better prepare for them. Ultimately, as a tool, it should enhance our emotional wellbeing and other wellbeing.

However, the mind has many bugs (see The Buggy Brain) which lead it to follow unproductive or destructive paths that damage our wellbeing. So we need to know how to focus it on beneficial directions in practice.

To work well, the mind usually needs to be focused on an action that is pleasant, clear, takes a relatively short amount of time, and yield its desired results with high certainty. The mind works less well when it’s trying to do an action that is unpleasant, unclear, takes a relatively long amount of time, or has a low certainty that it will succeed.

Scales

We can define a scale of actions based on various combinations of values on these axes:

1. P: Pleasant = the degree to which an action is pleasant or unpleasant
2. Q: Quick = the degree to which an action delivers its desired result quickly or slowly
3. C: Certain = the degree to which an action achieves its desired result with high or low certainty

Roughly speaking, usually this is my scale of preference, from best to worst:

1. P✅ T✅ C✅ (i.e.: pleasant, quick, and certain)
2. P❌ T✅ C✅ (unpleasant, but at least it’s quick with a certain result, so it’s not that bad)
3. P✅ T❌ C✅
4. P✅ T✅ C❌
5. P✅ T❌ C❌
6. P❌ T✅ C❌ (unpleasant and uncertain, but at least it’s quick)
7. P❌ T❌ C✅
8. P❌ T❌ C❌