Why I Name Things That Matter

Part 3 of 4: Photo courtesy of ManorVision

I name everything that matters to me.

Not in a branding way.
Not for motivation.
And not so I can explain it to anyone else.
I do it so I don’t have to negotiate with myself.
If I have to remember the rules, the system is already broken.

For my daily Zone 2 training, the name is “Ride or Die.”
That doesn’t mean intensity.
It means continuity.
Minimum time.
Every day.
Especially when I don’t feel like it.

For nutrition, I call it “Aperture.”
Like aperture-priority mode in photography … I set a few constraints and let physics handle the rest:

• Protein floor
• Carb ceiling
• Water anchor

No weighing.
No timing obsession.
No moral language.
For resistance training, the name is “Frankenstein.”

Not transformation.
Maintenance.
Tightening the bolts on the monster.

None of these names explain the full system.
They don’t need to.
They’re handles.
When I hear the word, the entire decision tree collapses into one orientation.

Naming is cognitive compression.
It takes a multi-variable system and turns it into a single recallable command.
The moment something has a name

• It stops being debated
• It stops being re-decided
• It stops draining energy

I don’t wake up and ask:

• “Should I ride today?”
• “How strict should I be?”
• “What program am I on?”

I just see the word … and the behavior follows.
This is why identity-based systems stick.
They don’t rely on motivation.
They rely on recognition.

People often think consistency fails because they lack discipline.
It fails because their systems are too verbose.

• Too many rules.
• Too many exceptions.
• Too much explaining (to themselves and others).

When something truly matters, it deserves a name that can carry its weight.

• Not a checklist.
• Not a spreadsheet.
• A word.

Once it’s named, it no longer needs to be argued.

Next in this series
This post is about how decisions become executable.
The next one is about how all of this connects …
into a personal operating system that holds under pressure.

→ Part 4: My Personal Operating System (and Why It’s Built to Survive Bad Days)

One line to sit with
“When I name a system, I stop negotiating with myself.”

Stay Lit

Bob

About Bob Manor 

Bob Manor is the founder of  South Ontario Auto Remarketing , Can-Am Dealer Services , and co-founder of Auto Auction Review. He’s also the creator of  Influence.vin, a branding and communication studio built for the car business. With over 30 years in the automotive world, Bob specializes in wholesale, dealer services, and identity-driven brand strategy. He’s a regular contributor to well-known automotive publications and uses his platforms to help industry pros re-align with who they are, not just what they do

Disclaimer:
These are my own observations and interpretations, based on lived experience inside this industry.
This is not financial, legal, or professional advice ... it is pattern recognition, shared for awareness and strategic consideration only