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I can't remember the last time I watched the news on TV, read a newspaper or even checked online.
And you know what? I really don't feel like I'm missing out on very much.
I mean, here's a snapshot of headlines from CNN, BBC and The Guardian:
More AirAsia bodies found
Mystery filth rains down on Walla Walla
Powerball jackpot up to $450 million
Man dies in Australia shark attack
Rouhani tries to get Iranians to pay their taxes
How's that for a snapshot of what's happening on the planet that particular day?
And here's something I'm almost too embarrassed to mention.
While checking out those news websites for headlines, I read on the BBC that Paul Newman had just died.
Now, that did make me feel kind of sad - after all, he was in some of my all-time favorite movies like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and The Sting.
So I gave in to curiosity, clicked on the headline, and started reading.
Almost immediately, I realized that the BBC website had some kind of glitch in their news feed.
Why? Because Paul Newman died in 2008.
They were literally recycling old news and, even worse, I was lapping it up just as eagerly the second time around as I did the first.
And the crazy thing is I actually remembered reading that exact article over 7 years before.
(Hangs head in embarrassment)
Knowledge Isn't Power
Now I'm really glad that Kanawa-san knows how my car’s braking system works when he fits a new set of pads and rotors.
And I'm beyond grateful that Dr Saito studied so hard at med school - without him, my younger son's birth may not have gone as well as it did.
But knowledge still isn't power.
Napoleon Hill put it this way in his 1937 bestseller, Think and Grow Rich.
Knowledge......becomes power only when, and if, it is organized into definite plans of action and directed to a definite end
And that's precisely where the news almost always falls flat on its ass because the overwhelming majority of the information we're bombarded with isn't even remotely relevant to our lives.
After all, how exactly are we supposed to be using it?
Are people going to change their surfing and swimming habits because a shark attack happened on the other side of the world?
Are people going to stop flying because an airplane crashed?
Not according to this screenshot from Flightradar24's live air-traffic website.
Reports of air crashes and shark attacks do us a real disservice because they skew our perception of risk.
The same way those 4-minute fat-blast workouts skew our perception of what rate of weight loss is realistically achievable.
In reality, over 30,000 people die each year from car crashes in the U.S. alone - that’s equivalent to a 747 crashing somewhere in the country every week.
And did you realize that there are fewer than 600 confirmed shark deaths?
Not per year, but in recorded total going back over 400 years.
So why are we being deluged with this kind of information - is it page views, ad revenue, or do the folks involved honestly believe that it’s providing something of real value?
Your guess is as good as mine.
Now, at Super Fit Dads we're all about taking action - life's too short to waste time on stuff that doesn't provide a good return on investment.
So let’s get down to brass tacks.
If knowledge is only power once organized into definite plans of action and directed to a definite end, how are you applying what you obtain from the news?
OK, if you own an international shipping company, an increase in Somali pirates might make you think about hiring a sniper or two.
Likewise, if you manage an investment fund, you need to keep an eye on events that could impact the markets you deal with.
That pretty much goes without saying.
But the majority of us are merely passive recipients of infotainment, and it becomes almost like an addiction.
So, instead of concerning yourself with insoluble problems in the middle east or domestic economic policy that not even the policy makers themselves understand, how about fixing more pressing issues a bit closer to home?
Like maybe:
• You’ve been treading water at work for years now and desperately need a new challenge
• You and your other half have ended up becoming more like room mates than soul mates
• You could devote a little more effort to being the best husband/partner/father you can
By watching the news, you're volunteering your most valuable asset - your time - to a business that doesn't have your best interests at heart.
So here's an alternative.
The average American spends over one hour per day consuming news that adds nothing of real value to their lives.
In contrast, you can obtain the fastest strength gains of your life in just two hours per week.
That leaves over five hours per week to spend on personal development, setting goals that excite you, and definite plans for putting them into action.
OK, five hours per week may not sound like much, but that adds up to over 250 hours per year, which is more than 6 working weeks!
And you don't have to take giant steps - those small increments of progress can accumulate to give something outstanding.
Hell, you can even get awesome results without willpower or discipline.
But if that doesn't get you excited, consider the alternative.
The late Jim Rohn said it best.
If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan
And guess what they have planned for you? Not much
So reclaim that one hour per day and invest it in yourself.
The dividends will be huge.
Going Cold Turkey
Ultimately, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so you'll just have to try it and see.
Wean yourself off the news for a month, and spend that time doing something that helps to build a better future for you and your family.
Then, at the end of the month, ask yourself an honest question: is my life now better or worse?
If it’s better, hats off - you’ve probably added seven productive hours to your week.
If it’s worse, go ahead and jump right back in where you left off - it won’t even feel like you’ve missed that much.
All good soap operas work that way.
- Tim
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