Be Mindful of the Quick Fix

Recognizing a quick fix for what it is allows you to better find real solutions.

A quick fix is just that, a fix. It is not a solution, nor does it tend to last for long.

Society loves a quick fix. Bing, bang, boom, and done. Let’s slap a patch on it and call it complete. Fast, because there is no time.

Time and reality are illusions of our own creation. As Einstein famously said, “Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” Humorously, Douglas Adams said in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, “Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.”

The problem is, because of our linear perception of time, we think it has a lot of limitations to it. People are frequently saying that they haven’t enough time, time is running out, there’s not enough hours in the day, and so on. As such, a quick fix that can get the job done immediately is often the answer.

The trouble is, more often than not the quick fix doesn’t address the underlying issue. A bandage on a puncture wound is one thing, but a bandage on a gunshot wound isn’t going to address the issue of internal damage. Both will stop the obvious bleeding, but the latter neglects to address the deeper matter.

This is why mindfulness matters like it does. Because we tend to go about our lives half-asleep, we…