How to Be Your Own Consumer Watchdog

What exactly are you buying into? What’s one thing you’ve fully invested in? Now tell me this: Is it working?

The News Isn’t All Bad

Each week, my local television-news team runs a consumer-watchdog segment called “Does It Work?” Wednesday. They take a heavily advertised, household product and ask a viewer to try it out, give it a go, and grade it as to how well it does what it claims to do.

Whenever I see it, I get curious. “Well,” I wonder, “Does it work?” It’s good to know, especially if you’ve thought about buying the item in question.

Oops. You Bought It Already.

But that answer comes a little late if you’ve already spent your money. In that case, you need to know if it’s working for you. If not, then you have to decide if you’re going to keep using it.

In other words, you have to decide if you’re going to keep spending your energy trying to accomplish something with a device that simply isn’t helping. I hope the answer’s no.

What Else Have You Bought Into?

Of course, I’m not just talking about household products. These questions apply to everything you’ve bought into, including tools, procedures, practices, and beliefs. Even your goals need to be thoroughly investigated.

After all, if you’ve been investing your time, money, and energy in something, you ought to know if it’s working.

That’s why I think you’d do well to take some inspiration from the news report and become your own consumer watchdog.

Let’s Review

Once a week, you could do your own “product review”. Let’s call the practice “Is This Working?” Wednesday.

It’s simple. You take one thing you’ve been investing in and casually ask yourself, “Hey, is this working?”

I think Wednesday’s a great day to do this because it comes in the middle of the week when you’re right in the thick of things. What better time is there to ask such a basic question? The answer should be fairly obvious.

Apply the question to a tool you use. Apply it to a practice you engage in. Apply it to a belief you hold, a rule you follow, or an objective you’re pursuing.

Should You Keep It or Can It?

If the answer’s yes, do a little dance and forge ahead.

But if the answer’s no, do something about it. Eliminate it. Alter it. Adapt it. Substitute something else in its place.

In other words, use, do, and subscribe to the things that work, and stop spending your time, money, and energy on things that don’t.

Into Your Treasure Chest or Into the Trash Can?

Make two lists, one of things that are working and another of things that aren’t. Carry the lists with you and review them from time to time.

Doing so helps you remember what’s worked in the past and keeps you from being fooled again by things that drain your resources.

Try it or a while. In a few weeks, come back and let me know one thing. Is it working?

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