You arrived at home in the grandeur of your business attire. It was late, about 9pm to be exact, and you threw your bag to the sofa, grumpily mouthing your boss for wanting to set another target before another one was finished. You went to the fridge to find some left-overs to eat and guess what? The universe hated you. Or no, just your fridge. Because apart from some sauces and chocolates, it was empty.
But suddenly, you let go a smile.
It was time to open the upper cupboard and take two packages away.
My one and only instant noodles in the world: Chicken Curry Flavoured Indomie
I have been in love with instant noodles ever since I can remember. My father is a huge devoted fanatic too, and as the heir of Indomie lover (yes, my two sisters weren’t as crazy to instant noodles as me, let again my mother), I have been loving it. My fondest childhood memories include the day when I could have two packages of Chicken Curry flavoured Indomie with two eggs, as my mother kept a record on the time I last had instant noodles. I was supposed to have them once a month.
So here’s what I believe.
I believe that eating instant noodles make me happy. I believe they are one of the best food in the world. I believe once I have a craving for Indomie, I will need to satisfy that craving to enable me to function normally again. I believe that it’s a delicious, non-healthy fast food with tons of chemicals that put a smile to my face.
That’s the lie I tell myself: eating instant noodles will make me happy. And almost 100% of the time, it really does.
Maybe you tell yourself this lie too.
But here’s the catch, it might be a lie, but once you believe in the lie, it becomes a belief, a truth.
Do instant noodles really taste good? Maybe not. Of course, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, and I tell myself every single time that instant noodles are indeed delicious. That’s why every time I eat them, it’s super delicious.
And not just any instant noodles. I only believe in Kari Ayam (chicken curry) flavoured Indomie. The others instant noodles can’t keep up with it. Maybe you have your own favourite.
The more I tell the lie to myself, the more I believe it, and soon, it becomes a truth for me.
Every day, we tell ourselves lies. We make stories, and we believe in them. Can you loose weight by dieting? Nope, in fact, you gain weight. But marketers tell a good story around this, so that you make yourself believe you can loose weight by dieting. Soon, you make it a truth.
Not convinced? Ah, stay tuned for the next couple of posts. This is a prelude to my review of Seth Godin’s book: All Marketers Tell Lies. Can’t believe that the a successful marketing concept is such a brilliant no-brainer that rings truer than ever.
Kirk out.
