A Bag of Fibs
Extreme Excuses
Have you ever told a "little white lie" to get out of doing something you didn't want to do? Like, claim to be sick when you didn't wanna go to school — or work. If you said no, well, that's a little white lie right there!
We've all done it. But have you ever been caught and faced jail time for it? Most of us can answer ‘no’" to that question, but there's at least one person in Russia who can't.
A man in Krasnoyarsk recently faked being carjacked so he wouldn't have to go shopping with his wife. Bro, I get the urge to avoid undesirable tasks, but staging a heist to deny your wife her "Pretty Woman" moment is a big mistake. Big mistake!
After filing a stolen vehicle report, the wife later called the police to tell them their Toyota Corolla had been found nearby. When the cops arrived to investigate, they observed signs of forced entry and a damaged ignition switch. During questioning, the husband tried to stick to his guns about being carjacked, but he eventually shot himself in the foot. They didn't buy his story, and now he's facing up to two years in prison for trying to sell them a little white lie.
How bad are Russian malls that prison is a welcome alternative? As much as I hate shopping with the Mrs. — sorry honey — I'd rather spend an afternoon in a dozen dressing rooms answering "Does this dress make me look fat?" than spend 23 out of 24 in 5x9.
This guy's commitment — to avoidance, not his wife — was so epic, if task-dodging was an Olympic sport he'd be a Platinum medalist. Unfortunately for him, the only podium he’s stepping onto now is the defendant’s stand.
Avoiding Avoidance
We all know what it’s like to mentally sprint away from a task we don’t want to do. Whether it’s updating your timesheet three days late, slogging through Compliance training that has nothing to do with your job, or preparing a weekly report no one reads, avoidance feels refreshing in the moment.
But that instant gratification turns into frustration. It's like a self-induced fine for littering after kicking the can down the road. What should've been an easy lift now feels heavier than a shot put ball, and you get mad for squandering a non-renewable resource — time.
I see your frustration, and raise you self-flagellation.
So how do we avoid…well, avoidance?
First, check the emotion underneath the urge to run. Before you go full Texas Flog ’Em, lean back and peek at your emotional cards to uncover the one that’s beneath the avoidance. Are you embarrassed (“What if I mess this up?”), resentful (“Why is this always my job?”), or just overwhelmed? Once you know why you’re running from the task, you can walk back toward it with more clarity and less dread.
Next, eat the elephant one bite at a time. When something feels overwhelming, your brain insists you must do all of it right now — which is exactly why you do none of it. So try the 10% version: do one tiny piece. Shrinking big tasks into small steps creates momentum. And momentum, not motivation, is what gets things done.
Finally, reward your effort — not just the outcome. Once you take even one step toward the thing you’ve been avoiding, give yourself a tiny treat:
Doom scroll for 3-minutes.
Eat a single M&M like it’s a Michelin-star dessert.
Take a dramatic indie-film stare out the window.
Small rewards create momentum loops: you act → you feel good → you want to act again. Over time, those little loops transform avoidance into approach — one bite, one step, one M&M at a time.
The truth is, most avoided tasks aren’t emergencies — they’re just annoying.
And if you can turn “Ugh, not this” into “Okay, just 10%,” you’ll surprise yourself with how quickly things get done — all without filing a false police report.
What’s the “carjacking-level” excuse your brain invents — and what tiny step could you take instead?
