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The "ShotGlass" Theory

by Mr Bill
6 replies
The Shot Glass Theory


Ok, so you’ve got a great life, living on a 2X income and the bank is starting to fill with your savings…now what?

Timothy Ferriss in his book; The 4-Hour Workweek (page 51) raised an excellent point about the purpose of setting goals and how they were what made life great. I’d like to further explore this idea but first here’s what he said…

Let’s assume we have 10 goals and we achieve them – what is the desired outcome that makes all the effort worthwhile? The most common response is what I would also have suggested 5 years ago: Happiness. I no longer believe this is a good answer. Happiness can be bought with a bottle of wine and has become ambiguous through overuse.

There is a more precise alternative that reflects what I believe the actual objective is. Bear with me. What is the opposite of happiness? Sadness? No. Just as love and hate are two sides of the same coin, so are happiness and sadness. Crying out of happiness is a perfect illustration of this. The opposite of love is indifference and the opposite of happiness is – here’s the clincher – boredom.

Excitement is the more practical synonym for happiness, and it is precisely what you should strive to chase. It is the cure all. When people suggest you follow your “passion” or your “bliss,” I propose that they are, in fact, referring to the singular concept: excitement. The question you should be asking isn’t, “What do I want?” or “What are my goals?” but “What would excite me?”

Thanks Timothy, you raise an excellent point.

So is the answer to a great life to just do exciting things all the time? I think I would find it difficult to be excited all the time, so I’m going to make it a complete rule by adding a second element: satisfaction.


If you can spend part of your day

doing something exciting, satisfying (or both!),

you’re living a very full life.



But how often do we need to feel excited or satisfied? This is a great question. I suggest we live daily. Today is what matters most. Sure tomorrow is important, but today is urgent, and sometimes “urgency trumps importance.”

I’d like to suggest that we need excitement and/or satisfaction daily. Further, I think that the key to having a great life is 2X income and something exciting and/or satisfying. But why do we need daily excitement and/or satisfaction?

I believe excitement and/or satisfaction is like a vitamin. A vitamin usually needs to be taken regularly to maintain good health. It does not accumulate. Furthermore, you generally can’t have too much of a vitamin. All you need is enough. If you have too much it (usually) does no harm, and the body takes only what it needs.

I want you to imagine a small shot glass with “The Good Life” printed around it like a logo, and all you need to do is fill your shot glass with just one shot of either excitement or satisfaction daily to feel like you’re getting the most out of life. You might have two or more shots of excitement in one day, and we often do, but all you will ever need is one.

I think we measure our lives by how much we do, not by how long we live and a ‘shot glass’ a day of something exciting or satisfying is enough for us to feel like we are leading as full a life as we can that day.


Let’s put it to the test and see if it explains some human behaviour.


Would it explain why some people do not feel the need to search for ways to make money constantly? Yes, it does, because they are probably getting their little shot of excitement or satisfaction in other ways.

Let’s look at some people and see if they lived their lives on the shot glass principle.

Mother Theresa: satisfaction or excitement? Satisfaction (probably).

What about a skydiver or an athlete? I’d guess mostly excitement with some satisfaction at the end.

Teachers? Most teachers teach for the passion of teaching.

Why do “Rich People” still teach? Could this also explain why some “rich” people stop to help and teach others? Do you think just because they have lots of money that they don’t need a shot glass of excitement or satisfaction every day just like everyone else?

Some small thinkers wonder why, “If someone is so rich, why would they sell me a course or book on money making?” If you think of this from a shot glass perspective, you will see it makes perfect sense that someone would stop and teach (no matter how rich or poor they are).


Teachers like to teach.
Helpers like to help.


When you achieve 2X (and I believe you will, now that you know about it), you’re not going to just sit at home and watch TV all day. You might for a while, but eventually you’re going to set a new direction for yourself and head off again all excited about your new project. Why? Because you need a shot glass every day no matter how much money you have, or even if money is not important to you.

Could this also explain the behavior of some people who buy a course on how to make money, get all excited that day, but don’t follow through with it after that? Yes. This can all be explained with the Shot Glass theory.

How? Well, when they buy the exciting new money-making course (or WSO) that night, are they excited? Yes. Let’s agree that their shot glass was filled (with excitement) and consumed that night, but what about the next day? Can you imagine anything that might come along in their life that might fill the shot glass with something exciting or satisfying (that day) that’s NOT related to the course (or WSO) they bought last night?

Can you see why it’s perfectly valid for them to have bought the course, and it’s also perfectly valid and understandable why they didn’t follow through with it the next day?

I believe that each day is a universe unto itself, and each day requires a fresh shot-glass full of excitement or satisfaction. This is why it doesn’t matter really how much you achieve or when you achieve it. It really only matters that you live as full a life as you can every day.


I think striving to fill your daily shot glass with some excitement or satisfaction is enough of a life goal for anyone.


Any further growth/excitement/satisfaction for that day (two exciting or satisfying things might happen in one day) is just a ‘cherry on top’ and makes life interesting – but it’s not essential. That’s why some people are very happy with their lives just the way they are. If they get a daily dose of that, then they are living a full life. There’s no need to achieve mighty things to feel fulfilled, and besides…goals are lame.

#shotglass #theory or principle
  • Profile picture of the author SirDrewski
    Very interesting perspective. The vitamin analogy really drives home the point you're making here. I need to let this concept marinate a bit more before I offer any commentary. Thanks for sharing!
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  • Profile picture of the author Mr Bill
    I look forward to your further analysis. I've been considering this principle for over 1,800 weeks...give or take. I find it's usually welcomed with a hesitant nod but your desire for consideration has ample company. You're not alone. It takes some thought and adjustment to shake the shackles of society's need for accumulation loose. I now live by this principle and I rest unusually well at night. Day by day, it's the only way...for me.
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  • Profile picture of the author Anthony Gibson
    After reviewing multiple posts by you it's become obvious to me that you have an incredible gift for simplifying things and articulating them eloquently. It seems like you always leave room for our natural ability to gain momentum and rapidly move towards our goals in all of your philosophies which I think is brilliant. I'm going to read your book now


    Anthony
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  • Profile picture of the author Mr Bill
    Thanks Anthony. It means a lot to me that you would step up to say that. I talk a lot (I invite anyone to call me and see if they get away with a call that goers for less than an hour - won't happen), I write a lot too and want to make a big difference in my own small way. I REALLY forward to your thoughts on my book. I'm in the process of re-writing it into a large "proper book" so any input will help it become even more useful.

    Regarding the "Shot Glass" theory; I've changed a few lives with this outlook, and I really look forward to going to sleep and taking stock of what happened in the day. Funny thing though, I can always look back and be satisfied with at least one thing I did. I wipe the slate when I shut my eyes and a new day is a new life.

    I'm particularly annoyed when I see members who decide to judge all the WSO buyers as "suckers" or "looking for shiny objects". I am so annoyed by that term! - every time I see someone using that lazy cliché in a disparaging way I feel sorry for all of us. Imagine if students at College or University being told to stop buying books. It'd never happen. It's bizarre.

    People get joy from educating themselves - leave them alone - they're trying to educate and improve themselves. When they are ready, have enough confidence and information they will move forward. I've bought probably close to 100 WSOs and thoroughly enjoyed them all and I look forward to buying at least one daily. They provide me with a jolt of hope and excitement and I put no pressure on any of them. They are a guaranteed jolt of excitement and sometimes even a swig of satisfaction. A good thing.
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  • Profile picture of the author Anthony Gibson
    When people resent others that are clearly taking steps to improve themselves it confuses it. I wonder if it has to do with the fact that they can't muster the courage to make the changes in their own lives so they are jealous of others who are able to.
    Good to hear you have influenced so many, i'm not surprised!

    Anthony
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    • Profile picture of the author Mr Bill
      Originally Posted by Anthony Gibson View Post

      When people resent others that are clearly taking steps to improve themselves it confuses them. I wonder if it has to do with the fact that they can't muster the courage to make the changes in their own lives so they are jealous of others who are able to.
      Good to hear you have influenced so many, i'm not surprised!

      Anthony
      I've always been baffled with why some people get so upset with people for buying WSOs or any other small piece of information. I consider them tools and as a hot rodder I can NEVER have enough tools. All it takes is for one to work and the job is done.

      I buy loads of hot rod magazines all the time, I can not imagine myself ever buying just one and being told to "take action on what it says before buying another" - it's just stupid (in my opinion). They all information, they all help, they all offer different perspectives and in the hundreds I've bought I've never felt ripped off or disappointed once. They all fill my "daily shotglass" and that's all I really need.
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