I get the difference you see between First Principles and Best Practices. The baby and the bath water dilemma comes with how does one get from not acceptable to mediocre on the path to improvement. I can think of my golf game—which I would love to be just mediocre. Can I get better by copying other, better golfers? Well that depends if their physique, tempo, and motions are at all compatible with my own ingrained golf habits. Should I try to start from how to get the golf ball airborne and traveling in the right direction (First Principles) without studying how other successful golfers do it? I think the answer lies in (a) getting a pro/coach to look at my situation and suggesting where I could make progress, and/or (b) choosing a model golfer that fits my current game.
I can think of two productive uses for Best Practices. The first may be to lift performance from not acceptable to mediocre. The second may be as a “state of the world” study of solutions others have found to their challenges.
Returning to my less than mediocre golf game, it all comes back to what works for others may not work for me—as I have found out many times. Practice, patience and finding what works for me is a path that shows improvement when I can do that somewhat regularly and consistently.
I get the difference you see between First Principles and Best Practices. The baby and the bath water dilemma comes with how does one get from not acceptable to mediocre on the path to improvement. I can think of my golf game—which I would love to be just mediocre. Can I get better by copying other, better golfers? Well that depends if their physique, tempo, and motions are at all compatible with my own ingrained golf habits. Should I try to start from how to get the golf ball airborne and traveling in the right direction (First Principles) without studying how other successful golfers do it? I think the answer lies in (a) getting a pro/coach to look at my situation and suggesting where I could make progress, and/or (b) choosing a model golfer that fits my current game.
I can think of two productive uses for Best Practices. The first may be to lift performance from not acceptable to mediocre. The second may be as a “state of the world” study of solutions others have found to their challenges.
Returning to my less than mediocre golf game, it all comes back to what works for others may not work for me—as I have found out many times. Practice, patience and finding what works for me is a path that shows improvement when I can do that somewhat regularly and consistently.