No Such Thing as Karma

I want to help you make your life measurably better. Here is a tip I learned that is helping me and will hopefully help you.

We often assign moral judgments on our actions. For example, I was "good" because I went to the store twice to get the right kind of batteries for my wife. I was "good". Now, because I was "good" I deserve to do something "bad" like buying a candy bar at the store. Obviously the logic is flawed. Just because I did something nice for my wife doesn't mean that I am justified in eating junk food. Strengthening my relationship with my wife does not justify becoming less healthy.

I do this a lot and most people do too. It is illogical and really bad for us. To avoid it is pretty simple. Recognize that you are making moral associations in the moment. The clearly ask yourself, did doing this thing that helped me towards my goals justify me doing something that will hurt me?

Just the act of recognizing the terribly flawed logic will be enough to help you make a lot more better decisions. Karma is not a thing. No amount of "good" behavior will ever justify even the slightest "bad" behavior.


To summerize:

1. Recognize when you are moralizing actions.
2. Tell yourself that there is no excuse for hurting yourself.
3. Don't do the thing.