Blood & Ink: Monday

I was introduced to the idea of the ‘orgasm test’…

Talking with my friend and mentor last week, he shared this in a powerful frame about effective practices:

If you ask someone whether they’ve had an orgasm or not, and they say “Oh, maybe, I’m not sure, I think there was this one time…” then they haven’t. There’s no question when it happens. 

The same applies to all manner of techniques, practices, pursuit of goals, and internal states.

If it’s working, you’ll know it. 

This echoes of the timeless Derek Sivers maxim “hell yes, or no.”

Your technique is either working in a way that you notice, or it isn’t. You’re either feeling happier, or you aren’t. 

Where might the orgasm test be useful in your life right now? Meditation practice? Weight loss journey? Regulating your emotions? 

I have fallen into this trap far too many times.

You gaslight yourself for years, dangling a hypothetical carrot in front of your face, “Well maybe if I just keep going a little bit, I think I feel a hint of something happening…”

It’s easy to forget that when it’s working, YOU FEEL IT. 

It’s undeniable.

I’m not talking about a ‘hack’ that magically transports you to the end goal. But you can tell whether you’re losing weight or not along the way. And if you’re not, it’s not working.

Seek what is undeniable, and double down on it,
Eric Brown