Would you choose self-interest over the greater good during COVID-19?

Yesterday was a day of tension for a lot of Melburnians.
It was a beautiful, sparkling sunny day, bright blue skies, yet hundreds of thousands of us were home on our couches at midday, tuned in to hear premiere Dan Andrews announce the ‘next steps’ aka our roadmap out of lockdown.
Wowsers, it is going to be a challenging few months as a lot of us are basically on home detention for the rest of 2020. Today, I’m having my own private pity party and feeling sorry for myself & my fellow Victorians. A positive mindset is critical during COVID-19 for our survival, but it is completely normal to have a mini-meltdown, or poor-me moment or two.

Productivity, self-talk, mindset, what we believe to be true and what we make things mean are all linked.
Negative mindset? How productive do you think you’ll be? And how’s your tolerance, and energy in that state?
Time Management is pain management.

I feel sorry for Dan the man; he is seemly doomed no matter what actions he chooses, and today I can see he is getting flack across the media, and from our PM, ScoMo.

The plan to come out of lockdown is based on risk vs economic benefit.
Our opinions around whether Danny Boy is making the right choices, where do they come from? It depends on what we are focused on. And most of us are inherently self-interested, judgemental and over-it (even when we have the best intentions and are fundamentally kind, generous human beings!)

Are we thinking about ourselves and our self-interest? Our survival, livelihood, the survival of our loved ones, families, and our businesses? Questioning if we will be lucky enough to keep a home over our head? How about our job? Or if we are self-employed or business owners, what about our companies?
Are we thinking about our lives and health; Will we live through this? With all of our organs? Immune system? Brain? Limbs? Nervous system? What about our mental health? And sanity?
Are we thinking about the economy?
Do we think about the greater good for all humankind?
Are we thinking about mental health and what being locked in etc. is doing to all of us?

Would you choose self-interest over the greater good during COVID-19? Here’s a quick test:

Would you be happier with more control over what happens in your own life right now, knowing you would likely negatively impact others amidst this terrible global pandemic?
OR
Would you be happier with more control over your response to what happens? Knowing with certainty, you would not negatively impact or harm others.

How could you gain such control?