Compare two homes for sale. AA is 2 minute away from a jogging track (park, stadium .. not roadside), while BB is 10-minute away, perhaps due to a traffic junction. I have lived in BB locations many times in my life, so I know.
Most people believe such a small difference is not worth SGD 10k, but now I’m considering 100k, due to the effort required to overcome the “inertia hurdle”. If it’s easier, however slightly, to work out, then many motivated individuals (like me) would work out more. As a real example, I observed and declared in my 30’s that I only need to persuade myself to reach the stadium gate. I don’t need to set a (daunting) goal of x minutes of workout. Once I reach the stadium, the chance of me working out for at least 10 minutes is above 99%. The big effort required is really on the “going” not the workout.
related eg: teeth brushing — when I had two toothbrushes PREpared with tooth paste on them, then my frequency of tooth brushing increased 50-100%.
As I age I have more appreciation of the inertia hurdle. This hurdle is human nature, affecting everyone including the “stronger” individuals among us. If you really prioritize exercise as a lifestyle, and you value the amount of “quality” time you spend exercising, then be prepared to pay a real amount and live near a jogging track.
Let’s explore the AA^BB question critically.
— Q: How about paying $2k/Y for a gym membership?
A powerful argument, but I still prefer the jogging track due to 24-hour access. More importantly, I feel much better jogging in open air than on treadmill.
Q: how about a class including yoga?
Yes $2k/Y would be worthwhile indeed, so AA + reliable exercise classes is more worthwhile than BB at a 100k premium.
The class schedule would be a recurring reminder.
— In terms of long-term motivation and lifestyle improvement, living close to a jogging track is more effective than experiencing a death in the family. The latter can help you overcome inertia for a few months at best.
why?
— Q: is it over-dependency on external resources?
Well, even though some resilient people are strong enough to need no help, most resilient people tend to rely on external help as revealed in the WhyFactor production on Resilience.
Similarly, seeking help from Cinga counsellors doesn’t automatically make me an incompetent parent.
So in reality, BB can be life-enhancing for me despite the associated dependency on proximity to jogging track.