It was a rough week and there will be a lot of changes in the future. Let’s review what I learned.
1) An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure
If you feel sick or injured, take the time to assess the problem and treat it. It’s usually much easier to treat a minor problem than to suffer through the consequences. Keep in mind that professional athletes play through pain, but they have a team of doctors to monitor and test them too.
2) Bad statistics should be unforgivable
Statistics is the scientific tool of the modern age because it’s a way to measure uncertainty, which is what distinguishes it from guessing, sorcery, and religion. But the application of statistics is still the Wild West, a hodgepodge of various disciplines using whatever tools are most convenient for them. As such, you should view statistics with an extremely critical eye: what is being asked, is the sample truly random and a representation of the larger group, and does the data support the conclusion. This is especially important if the conclusion is being used for things like money or power, something that’s worth lying about.
3) Optimism and pessimism
An interesting feature I read is the differences between optimism and pessimism. Optimism is associated with qualities like creativity, flexibility, and cooperation. Pessimism is associated with problem solving, attention to detail, and careful thinking. It’s not about striking a balance because that’s impossible, the two qualities are mutually exclusive. What’s important is the timing. There are times to be optimistic and other times to unleash the pessimistic qualities. Either through luck or thinking ahead, what separates success from failure is often choosing the right attitude and using its qualities.
Goals from the week:
No review, I was sick. It would be brutal.