Too often we
believe what we read. We believe what the people on TV tell us to believe.
Sometimes we dismiss our doctor's advice and buy into something we read on
someone else's Facebook wall. I "learned" how to be a better shot
with a rifle because of something I read in a Jack Reacher book. We are more
influenced today than ever before.

We are all a
bunch of sheep. We believe what sounds the most rational to us and what, most
likely, asks us to do the least amount of work. 
We take pills because it's easier than going to the gym or facing the
fact that we eat too damn much. If it sounds good in our head-then it must be
the law and most likely the best and only way...till the next best and only way
idea comes along.

It goes way
beyond that.

How many
times have you listened in on a conversation or been a part of a conversation
where we embrace someone's statements as the rule. They don't have to be an
expert on a subject, just as long as the information given sounded "right"
to us. "You don't need to change the oil in your car!  Oil lasts forever, but the Oil Company and
Jiffy Lube want you to believe this so they can take your money".  This sounds right to you because you don't
want to spend money and there is nothing "Jiffy" about spending an
hour (or more) of your Saturday getting your oil changed. Maybe YOU don't
believe this, but there's a sucker born every minute.

Evaluate
your day and routine. How many things do you do or believe because of something
you heard. How many things do you do because your family did it that way and
because of that, it must be the best and only way to do it? When I got married,
I was quickly informed of how many things I did "wrong" (insert
sarcasm here).  Years of doing the
laundry or doing the dishes, without screwing them up, only to find that I was
doing it all "wrong". With the use of the two magic words of "I
do", my routine and traditions were questioned and scrutinized. Yes, I'm
sure my wife sees it that way too.

What
prompted this blog? 

While I was
checking out at the grocery store the other day, I got into a brief
conversation with the check out girl and the guy behind me in the 15 items or
less line. The topic?  How long do you
need to hold the door for the person entering a building behind you? She said
"well, I saw a video on the internet that said it's a rule that you don't
need to hold the door for someone that is 10 feet or more behind you". I
laughed, but didn't have the heart to tell her that the person behind that viral
video, and the main "actor", was me. I guess I was convincing in my
role because this girl just communicated that same message to two complete
strangers. 

If I can
change the routine of the grocery store checkout girl, Imagine what can be
accomplish with posting pictures of bad parking jobs and the caption of
#Tryharder. Imagine what you can accomplish by sharing your ideas, traditions
and perspective with others. Just make sure you use your powers for good and
not evil.  Make sure your information is
real and based on some facts. If possible, share advice and tips that are meant
to better the world around you; because there are already enough people in this
world selling snake oil.

#Tryharder