Hi All! Here is my weekly wrap-up newsletter. If you love this content please share it! What’s in today’s newsletter? Goodhart’s Law Idea: How do you measure the best version of yourself? Question: Argue Well Quote: Sam Adeyemi, Theresa Depasquale, Hindsight Bias Podcast: Here’s How to Join the Top 1% in Any Field Article: Idea: Goodhart’s Law Have you ever heard the story about a village where they wanted to rid themselves of the pesky cobra problem? They decided to reward anyone who brought a dead cobra, hoping it would motivate the villagers to help eliminate them. It worked until it didn't. People began breeding cobras just to kill them and claim the reward. The measure became the target. And when the reward was withdrawn? The breeders released the cobras. The village had more cobras than ever. noted, True, yet fraught with pitfalls if misunderstood. Peter Drucker “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.” Enter: Goodhart's Law. Says who? Anthropologist highlighting a truth known to many yet overlooked by more. “When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.” Marilyn Strathern, We’ve all seen it. The story of the nail factory in the Soviet Union? Targets set on the number led to useless tiny nails. When the measure shifted to weight, giant useless nails emerged. Politicians? Their success, often swayed by approval ratings, can push them to opt for popularity over substance. Schools? Exams dominate, with the real essence of education often lost amidst the chase for grades. Hospitals? Patient recovery rates become the focus, sometimes leading to a decline in actual quality of care. And our researchers? The pressure to 'publish or perish' can sometimes overshadow the value of genuine, impactful research. Goodhart's isn't the only law in town. But here’s a twist: Remember that cobra story? It finds resonance in the , where the solution becomes the problem. Cobra Effect The pressure to corrupt or cheat data to make it fit the desirable measure. But let’s not throw the measurement baby out with the bathwater. Goodhart didn't discount measurement. His focus was on the misuse of such metrics, especially when they become the goal themselves. So how do we move forward? Before establishing a metric, play devil's advocate. What could go wrong? How could this metric be misused? Pre-Mortems: Use proxies that represent the goal more accurately. It’s harder, yes, but more reflective of the real objective. Authentic metrics: Use two metrics that counterbalance each other, providing a fuller picture. Tension in numbers: Don't rely on a single metric. Look for a mix, of qualitative and quantitative, to get a true representation. Broaden your scope: are a tool, not the endgame. Metrics In the end, let’s not be the villagers breeding cobras. Let's be aware, adaptive, and always ready to question our measures. Because while if you don’t measure wisely, you might just end up worse off. "If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it," Who Brings Out the Best in You? Question: You want to be your best self, both at work and at home. But how do you measure it? You can get results from your projects. And feedback from your peers. But who evaluates you in both? It’s hard to be objective, Whether with your own performance or your potential. But the improvement? A few places to start. Find what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. The Ikigai Framework. Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals. The SMART Goals Method. Embrace challenges, learn from feedback, and see failures as opportunities to improve. The Approach. Growth Mindset Assess your overall well-being and satisfaction with your life. The Happiness Index. It’s in the reflection where you really grow. The question isn’t doubt. It’s an exploration. So, as you pursue your goals and your dreams ask: How do you measure the best version of yourself? Quote: Argue Well - Dr. Caroline Leaf “Argue well It is incredibly important to remember that, in any argument, it's not you against the other person. Rather, it's you and the other person against the issue. Separate the human from the problem.” Listen more, argue less. It's not you vs. them. It's us vs. the problem. Seek understanding, not victory. Together, find the solution. ( ) Share On Twitter Podcast: Sam Adeyemi, Theresa Depasquale, Hindsight Bias 1. Sam Adeyemi - Global Speaker & Strategic Leadership Expert | | YouTube Spotify Apple Sam Adeyemi is a renowned leadership expert and global conference speaker with over two decades of experience in shaping high-impact leaders. He founded the Daystar Leadership Academy (DLA), which has graduated over 40,000 individuals since its establishment in 2002. In addition to his role at DLA, Sam serves as a mentor to numerous CEOs in Nigeria and around the world, offering his expertise in leadership development. 2. Theresa Depasquale - CEO at Capture Social Group LLC | | YouTube Spotify Apple Theresa Depasquale is a fitness instructor, social media influencer, and entrepreneur who has been featured on Discovery Life Channel, Forbes, and The i on MSN.com. Theresa is a 1stPhorm Elite Trainer and a WBFF competitor who has inspired thousands of women with her fitness and modeling content. With Capture Social Group, she’s leveraged her own experience building out a massive social audience and community to teach others to do the same. 3. Why You Can't Learn From Your Mistakes (Hindsight Bias) | | YouTube Spotify Apple In this Lessons episode, I dissect the intriguing concept of "Hindsight Bias" — the tendency to believe, after an event has occurred, that we would have predicted or expected it. This cognitive distortion affects various aspects of our lives, from personal decisions to societal judgments. Article: Here’s How to Join the Top 1% in Any Field To join the top 1%, do the opposite of the 99%. You need to be impossible to be impossible to explain. Here’s the playbook. Read it here. The culmination of studying the uncommon habits of ultra-successful outliers across fields, clear patterns emerge. A list of counterintuitive principles forged in the fires of intense obsession. Also published . here

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Goodhart’s Law, Self-Measurement, and the Art of Arguing Well 

Goodhart’s Law, Self-Measurement, and the Art of Arguing Well

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Scott D. Clary

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Goodhart’s Law, Self-Measurement, and the Art of Arguing Well

Too Long; Didn't Read

Scott D. Clary

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