Inefficiency is where we learn best

Written: March 23, 2020 at 8:32 PM
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There's a phrase "squeaky wheel gets the grease" which is used to mean something like "the person that is the loudest is the person that gets what they want."

This principle can be generalized quite broadly. For example, on a Kanban board, it's important to limit the number of cards in each column because it makes it easier to see where the inefficiencies in the system are occurring.

That part of the system - which originally wasn't squeaky - becomes "squeaky," and subsequently gets the attention it needs to be fixed. Yoga naturally strengthens weakest muscles

In a similar vein, we've spent a bunch of time trying to make the learning process as efficient as possible. But it's when things don't align with our current understanding of the world that we pay most attention to it. These are the places we have questions. Because it's getting our attention, this is where the deepest learning occurs.

202312261030 be careful that you don't place too much emphasis on standardized testing, because this will give an unimportant metric to much squeak.

By building a system of learning that focuses on the inefficiencies, we are able to grow faster. You should build a system that thrives on randomness (Antifragility) so you can learn better more often.

Citations

#learning #toolong