A Novel Approach
I’ve been reading a very interesting book: Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned, by Kenneth O. Stanley and Joel Lehman. The authors' research in Artificial Intelligence (AI) has yielded new perspectives on what it takes to achieve important breakthroughs in terms of innovation. I think they also apply to decision-making in life.
What they have learned basically boils down to this: Trying to “train” an AI to become better at a specific task yields inferior outcomes compared to allowing the AI to simply wander around. Eventually the “wanderers,” who haven’t been steered in any particular direction stumble upon superior solutions compared to those who received some direct “coaching.” I can’t really do their technical work justice, so I won’t try.
The book offers a couple of general frameworks that are easy to understand, though. The first is a metaphor. Think of life as a journey across a river, in a fog. The fog limits your vision - you can’t see all of the stepping stones across the river, but you can see a few. As you step on one stone, new options are revealed. In this metaphor, all we can do is choose the best option available to us, based on our current location. This should thaw any “analysis paralysis” that we might experience. Make a choice and keep moving!
The second framework is one of perspective. It compares two modes - the first is the comparison of the status quo (now) to our desired end-state (future), and selects options that move themselves toward their goal. In the second mode there is no target end-state, no specific desired future that we are driving toward. In Mode 2, we simply choose the most novel options available to us (when compared to the status quo). So in Mode 1, all of our choices are intended to move us toward some "North Star." In Mode 2, we are simply trying to maximize the novelty of each choice.
Intuitively, I like what this implies, and it jibes with my own life experience. The person who is fixated on creating some future state is always experiencing some degree of dissatisfaction until they arrive at their destination. The person with no "North Star" hops to the most novel available stone, enjoying the ride to whatever new options that may appear. This speaks to the eastern philosophical notion of non-attachment. By not attaching one's self to a particular outcome, it is harder to be disappointed. The authors go further - they believe that the end state tends to be better for the Mode 2 operators. They both enjoy the ride more, and arrive at a superior destination.
Consider the story of Johnny Depp - he was a musician, playing in a band, with no aspirations of becoming an actor. His girlfriend was a hair stylist, doing this work on movie sets. As he became more familiar with people in the movie business, he saw it as a novel stepping stone, and jumped onto it. You can’t pre-plan or engineer Johnny Depp. Johnny Depp just happens - and is far more genuine and interesting than someone who is currently dreaming and scheming of replicating Depp’s accomplishments.
To whatever extent this more intuitive, seemingly aimless approach to life is superior, it is not prescriptive for everything. Companies can and should still do annual planning, striving for 10% growth, or cost reduction, etc. Refining existing systems incrementally is perfectly rational, and should still be done in most instances.
I can see this Mode 2 approach applying really well to young adulthood, when one is embarking on their life’s journey. They have a nice long time horizon to let this approach play out. This allows me to ease up on any “Tiger Dad” tendencies I may have, and adopt the likely approach of someone who has a bumper sticker on their car that says “Not All Who Wander Are Lost.” Who am I to say what stones my adult children should be selecting as they cross the river of Life? Why not let them choose the stones that are intrinsically more interesting?
At a minimum, I think it will always be beneficial to take a moment and appreciate how far we've come, even if we are far from our desired destination.
Sunday Supper
I purposely chose not to stand on a scale during the holidays. I indulged with the full intention of reigning things in after the first of the year. Well, here we are - so this Brussels Sprout Salad w/ Anchovy Tahini and Za’atar Chickpeas is right up my alley this week. It's a pretty convenient sheet pan meal - if you are looking for additional protein, you could easily add in some boneless chicken thighs, adjusting your cook time to accommodate.
Sunday Music
This Sunday I am pleased to share this live performance by Carlos Santana at the House of Blues in Las Vegas, Nevada. I had the privilege of seeing Santana perform in Las Vegas many years ago with dear friends - a great memory! Enjoy.
Have a great week ahead! Offer support to others. Make good use of this day. And let me know how I can help.
Peace & Love,