essays

Goodhart’s Law

Goodhart’s law states:

When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.

What this means is that when we use a measure, or a metric, and it becomes a target, then that metric will become the sole focus, at the expense of everything else.

A perfect example of this is “testing” in the US school systems. As testing (IQ, Map, AP, SAT, etc) has become more and more of a metric by which education has become measured. It is becoming less and less relevant as an indicator.

Schools and students are obsessed with scoring well on tests. Because of this everything becomes focused on doing well on the tests instead of education.

This happens even at the college level with tests like the GMAT and LSAT.

So education has become less about education–ie. learning to broaden understanding, and learning how to learn–and more about how to score well on tests.

This is a trap that is easy to fall into, because goals and metrics are good. But having a sole metric that drives the measure of success distorts everything, warping all work into meeting this singular metric.

Holistic goals are better. Focusing on processes instead of results is better.

Remember Goodhart’s law any time you are asked to measure success against a singular metric and focus on why the metric is there, instead of just meeting the goal.

blackberries

wild blackberries grown
succulent, fragrant midst thorns,
sunlight, wind, and rain

Real Strength

Many people think that strength comes from being hard and resistant to change.

But if you look at things that are incredibly hard, you find that that same hardness is a weakness.

Take diamonds for instance. They are the hardest substance on earth. But if you hit one just right, a small amount of force can sheer it.

Simple steel is just a mixture of iron and carbon, and it is incredibly hard. But the best steels have other elements added that add toughness and reduce brittleness. And when a knife–or sword–is forged it is heat treated to make it hard, but then treated again to reduce the hardness and make it more flexible.

Real strength doesn’t just come from being hard, but being hard without being brittle.

dandelion

children lofting through
summered skies, hope for purchase
future dandelion

Thinking

Really think about things.

The world is full of things that require serious thought: complex problems, ambiguous situations, or just regular human interactions.

The problem is that most people are quick to jump to conclusions. They “go with their gut” or just use a preconceived notion.

There is strength in really thinking about complex things, breaking them down, and coming to reasoned conclusions.

Philosophers have known this for centuries. They can spend years looking at one question and trying to reason out an answer that works.

The same goes for scientists. Some spend their entire careers trying to look for the answer to a singular problem.

Look at a question you have and really think about it. Question your assumptions, and the assumptions of others. Try to understand it.

Haiku – coral

sea turtle hovers
amongst rainbowed fishes and
variegated coral

Who to become

On a day to day basis you should think about who you want to become, and what actions you can take to get there.

This doesn’t mean thinking about your career (though that is important) but on a more personal level. Think about the type of person you want to become, and how you can achieve that with your actions today.

This is how you focus on the future by working in the present.

gloom

twin candles reflect
against a rain speckled pane
vainly fighting gloom

This too shall pass

“This too shall pass” is a phrase that we tend to equate with bad things in our life.

You lost your job. This too shall pass.

Your child made a bad choice. This too shall pass.

Your loved one is sick. This too will pass.

But the phrase doesn’t just apply to bad things. It applies to all things.

Eventually all things will pass.

On top of the world because of a promotion. This too shall pass.

Feeling great because you had a stellar workout. This too shall pass.

All things pass, so basing your happiness on the things that pass will only lead to sorrow.

Acknowledge and cherish the moments, across the range from good to bad, and accept them. Then choose happiness, no matter the circumstance.

billboard

billboard battered and
torn, layers upon layers
from past to present

Heroes

We are all the heroes in our own stories. We feel like a protagonist that the world is conspiring against.

And so does everyone else.

But the reality is that the world doesn’t really care about us. It doesn’t have it out for us. As far as the world is concerned, each of us is little more than an NPC.

So remember when something bad happens to you, its not that he world is out to get you. It’s that the world just doesn’t care. That makes it easier to move on.

shackle

rusty shackle thrown
a haphazard discarding
now a lonesome frame

Greatness is in the agency of others

I’ve read a lot of Scott Galloway’s articles [https://www.profgalloway.com/], and read his most recent novel The Algebra of wealth [https://a.co/d/5GGsl9a]. One of his favorite sayings is “…greatness is in the agency of others.”

I was thinking of this when I watched the Celtics win the NBA championship last night. They have two very good (or great, depending on your viewpoint) in Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown. They were drafted in back to back drafts and have been to the playoffs every year. They almost won a championship in 2022.

They also, this year, have 3 other very good starters, and guys coming off the bench that are good, and complement their playing style.

There are a lot of reasons the Celtics won this year. Superior talent, elite players, historically good offense and defense. But one of the biggest reasons they succeeded is that their two best players bought into the idea that they could achieve greatness by putting their trust in others.

No great thing happens because of the work of a single person. Achievements happen by working with others.