There’s this thing I’ve noticed: people are full of shit. I don’t mean that in a judgmental way. I’m full of shit too. We all say one thing and do another way more than we’d like to admit. There's this huge gap between our words and actions. It's everywhere, from personal habits to global politics, and it’s weird how often we just roll with it without even thinking about it.

Ever watch someone passionately promise to start working out next Monday, only to watch them drop the gym bag under their work desk for months? Or better yet, they talk about their plans to quit smoking while they're literally lighting up a cigarette. Consciousness and perceptionPOST, right? There's something so human about the disconnect, but why is it so common?

We’ve all got that friend who’s always talking a big game about their next big project. They’ve got elaborate plans for their future, but somehow, it’s all talk and little action. You can see it coming a mile away, like the season finale of a show you’ve been following from the beginning.

Our brains are weird. They’ve got this funny way of giving us a pat on the back when we merely talk about our plans. It's called “consciousness and perceptionPOST hedging.” Basically, our brain rewards us with a tiny dopamine hit just by thinking or talking about future actions. But when the time comes to actually follow through, we’re already satisfied, so...where’s the motivation?

There was this experiment I read about where participants got a reward for imagining exercising, but not when actually doing it. Funny how we’re built to be creatures of thought more than action.

Maybe we love words because they’re our easiest escape and shield. Words let us plan without acting, to envision without risking, and to procrastinate with purpose. I’ve been guilty of this at work. Editing ideas, not publishing. Weeks go by, full of meetings about potential solutions, but nothing concrete changes. The cycle continues. Is this system optimization or just stalling?

Have you ever noticed how much of life feels like a stage? It’s like we’re playing roles, telling people what they want to hear. Culturally, it’s normal to performative authenticityPOST, but what’s the cost when actions don’t align? It can create this collective cognitive dissonance, a societal denial of sorts.

Just look at social media. People project an image, but reality is often unfiltered, not picture perfect. A friend tells you they’re doing great, but their eyes say different. What’s weird is we often take people’s words at face value, even when we know better.

Are we afraid of success, or do we just not know what to do with it? What about the fear of failure? Both tug at us like invisible strings keeping our feet stuck in place while our minds race ahead. There’s so much psychology behind what we don’t do, maybe psychology of changePOST can offer some clues. Some people want freedom but are trapped by the comfort of stability. Change requires energy, will, and randomness. Maybe that’s why it's easier to keep dreaming.

This gap doesn’t just leave us harping on missed gym visits or stalled projects. It trickles into everything, our relationships, work, dreams. Over time, saying what you don’t do becomes a habit. Maybe that’s why people burn out. The mental gymnastics of living a double life exhaust you. Why do so many people say they want to help change the world, but only a few actually do?

We’re in an age where being ‘busy’ is a badge of honor, while real work often plays second fiddle. People talk about how they want to disconnect from tech, seeking freedom, yet we’re endlessly scrolling on phones. Reminds me of our underlying fascination with consciousness and perceptionPOST, always seeking without acting.

Here’s what I’m thinking: how do we bridge this gap, the one between what we say and what we do? I’m not sure. I can’t help but wonder what would change if we paused more to check our script against our actions. Maybe we’d move closer to what we say we want. It’s a mess, but perhaps that’s where all the good stuff happens, in the mess.

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