The Friday Funda (TFF) : No. 20, Date: 16th Sept. 2022 Theme: Bright-Line Rules

 Bright-Line Rules

A bright-line rule refers to a clearly defined rule or standard. It is a rule with clear interpretation and very little wiggle room. It establishes a bright line for what the rule is saying and what it is not saying.

The story behind the Bright-Line Rule

In USA, in the year 1966, a man named Ernesto Miranda was arrested in Phoenix. The police had very little to go on, but they suspected Miranda of kidnapping and raping an 18-year-old woman ten days earlier. The officers interrogated Miranda for two hours and were rewarded for their effort: Miranda admitted to the rape charge and signed a confession paper.

There was just one problem. During the interrogation, Miranda had been alone and at no point was he informed that he had the right to legal counsel.

When the case went to trial, Miranda’s written confession was used as evidence. He was quickly convicted, but his lawyer appealed because Miranda had never been informed of his rights and thus, according to his lawyer, the confession was not voluntary. The Arizona Supreme Court upheld the decision, but eventually the case made it to the United States Supreme Court.

The United States Supreme Court overturned the Miranda ruling by a vote of 5 to 4 because “The person in custody must, prior to interrogation, be clearly informed that he has the right to remain silent, and that anything he says will be used against him in court; he must be clearly informed that he has the right to consult with a lawyer and to have the lawyer with him during interrogation, and that, if he is indigent, a lawyer will be appointed to represent him.”

The Supreme Court had just created a bright-line rule. Plain and simple. Clear and bright.

Consider some common examples:

·         We might say that we want to check email less frequently.

·         We might say that we want to drink moderately.

·         We might say that we want to save more for retirement.

·         We might say that we want to eat healthier.

But what do these statements really mean?

It can be easy to make promises like this to yourself, but they do not create bright lines. Fuzzy statements make progress hard to measure, and the things we measure are the things we improve.

Now, do we need to measure every area of our lives? Of course not. But if something is important to you, then you should establish a bright line for it.

Consider the following alternatives:

·         I only process email between 11AM and 6PM.

·         I enjoy a maximum of 2 drinks per night.

·         I save $500 per month for retirement.

·         I eat at least two types of vegetables per day.

These statements establish bright lines. These statements make action steps precise and obvious. Vague promises will never lead to clear results.

How Bright Lines Unleash Your Hidden Willpower

Here are two reasons why:

First, bright lines shift the conversation in your head from one of sacrifice to one of empowerment. When you don't have a bright line established and you choose not to do something, the tendency is to say, “Oh, I can't do it this time.” Conversely, when you do have a bright line clearly set, your response can simply be, “No thanks, I don't do that.” Bright lines help you avoid making just-this-once exceptions. Instead, you are following a new identity that you have created for yourself.

Second, by establishing clear decisions in your life, you conserve willpower for other important choices. Here’s the problem with trying to make daily decisions in muddy water: Without bright lines, you must decide whether a situation fits your standards every time. With bright lines, the decision is made ahead of time. Because of this, you are less likely to suffer from decision fatigue and more likely to have willpower left over for work, relationships, and other health habits.

Everyone should set few Bright-Line Rules to make progress in Life

Reference: James Clear’s website (Author of the book: Atomic Habits)