Life Has Consequences. It’s Not About Reward And Punishment

Our actions, even our thoughts, have consequences. When we accept it, we can take control of life with a sense of significance. That is when we will be able to do it beautifully and not let the whims of fate take us where it wants. Because there is no reward or punishment in our daily lives. But it has consequences that come from what we do or do not do.

John Green says in his book for young adults,  “Looking for Alaska”,  that we need to be more aware of the range of consequences that come from even the smallest actions. That being said, it’s not always that simple.

Many of us have grown up under a strong behavioral structure, where all you have to do is press the red button and avoid the blue and things will go well, because life gives us something in return.

But our lives do not really care about red and blue buttons. Life neither rewards nor punishes us. What we have are hints, some tiny threads where all that is needed is a little wind that makes it vibrate or change and change our reality.

To take responsibility for every word we say or when we choose not to say anything, every action or when we stop doing something, yes, every thought, is to take responsibility and control over our lives. Understanding this perspective as soon as possible will help you reach your goals and have a much better and more meaningful circle of friends.

To interpret signs and evaluate consequences

Terrence Deacon is a renowned neuro-anthropologist who is currently part of the Cognitive Research Department at the University of California, Berkeley. One of his most interesting books is “The Symbolic Species”.

In it he reminds us of the untouched power we all have that we do not put enough time and energy into. We talk about our ability to calmly analyze the basis for things to happen and to predict the possible consequences.

Professor Deacon tells us that our daily lives are not based on stimuli we respond to, as a behavioral specialist would say. After all, we do not always receive rewards or punishments based on what we do or do not do.

Signs in life

All around you are “signs” you have to interpret in order to come up with a correct response. To do that, we need willpower and wisdom. That is why we need to give a logical and correct meaning to the symbols around us.

For example, if you come to work and see a colleague crying at her desk, no one would look for the boss to inform her that one of her employees “will not be particularly productive today.” No, we are wondering what underlies this emotional state. Then we think about how we can go about helping them.

Professor Deacon also reminds us that we must be wise investigators. To begin with, we should realize that we are making mistakes. Sometimes we hit the mark with our reactions and actions. On the other hand, sometimes we destroy and have no choice but to take the consequences.

Life is sometimes like trying to play a piece of music with rubber gloves on. You try to hit a special key on the piano to play the perfect note, but you accidentally hit several keys at once.

The sound that comes out is a bit clumsy and fake. But little by little, with daily practice, we become skilled musicians who can create the melody we have in mind. Finally, we find the right key.

Learn to be shaped into your reality

When you consider that everything we do has a whole range of consequences, we can be a little intimidated right away. But instead of looking at it as a classic “cause and effect” relationship, look at it through a much larger and better lens. You must understand that our existence is a wonderful game  of exploration and creation. You must also understand that in this game you must know the rules and that the guidelines determine everything that happens.

The rules are easy to learn and we’ll tell you what they are now. Take a minute and think about them…

• You can make your life better. You need to be aware of what you want to achieve and how to achieve it.
• Understand that these are things, events and people we cannot change. We must accept them as they are.

• Learn from your mistakes, defeats and losses.
• Be receptive to everything around you: be proactive, creative and brave.

V ary respectful. See life as a delicate piece of fabric where everything you say and do matters.

Last but not least, understand that life does not have a specific, predetermined design for you. It is you and your willpower that shape your destiny. You can be the architect of a richer and more beautiful future.