Coffee With Scott Adams — Knowledge Archive May 24, 2026
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Episodes Episode #3018 Segments
MainContent Cognitive Reframing

Back to episode — Episode 3018 CWSA 11/14/25

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And it happens now. Did you ever wonder why everybody talked like that? I've never figured that out. Like, did they all get together and say, "Hey, Bob, the way you're talking, that's very cool. I think I'll copy it now." I don't know. It's just the way they talked. Just watch me. See, I'm doing it too. And then somebody else hears them like, "What are you guys doing? You talking old-timey?" How…

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ng you know everybody's talking that way. That's how it happens.

All right. You're wondering where is your reframe for the day that will change your life, make everything better? I just happen to have one for you. It's all queued up.

Do you ever have a situation where there's something you know you need to do but you can't get yourself motivated to do it because it's hard or it's unpleasant or it's going to hurt? Everybody, right? So we all have these procrastination situations, not because we're procrastinators per se, but because the thing is just sort of unpleasant. So you could just keep putting it off, but you know you have to do it. You know, like a dental appointment or something. You know you have to do it.

So here's the reframe. Instead of "I'm afraid to do the thing I know I should do," it's usually fear that keeps you from doing it. Instead of that, you say, "Life is short."

Now you might say to me, "Scott, that doesn't really seem to line up with the original frame. Is that really the answer to 'I'm afraid to do the things I know I should do'? Is the answer that life is short?" And the answer is yes. Because once you set your brain to the idea that you don't have infinite time, then everything seems more important, including that thing you have to do.

So as long as you say "life is short" and then you just sort of think that way for a moment, watch how easy it is to do unpleasant things because you'll think, you know what, life is short. It's also easier to do pleasant things when you say life is s

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hort. But you'd be surprised how unpleasant things become easy when you think in those terms. That's your reframe for the day. That one you're going to have to try because logic will not tell you that that works. And I've told you before that reframes are special in the sense that they don't have to make sense. I don't know how many things would fall into that category, but it's a unique category…

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