The Nerdist Way_ How to Reach the Next Level (In Real Life) - Chris Hardwick [89]
MEASUREMENT
Data. The key to mastering anything is data. Lucky for YOU we live in a time when data is so easy to acquire. It should then be your pursuit to be an information gatherer. So much of the time I would find myself making choices and/or decisions based on assumptions that my brain was SURE were accurate. But how could they be? There was no real data. As previously stated, in the warmly titled The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Steven R. Covey postulates that we must “seek first to understand.” His definition of this seems to be more in the way of listening to others blab on about their crap so we can see where they’re coming from to make a mutually beneficial agreement. Being a science-liker, I interpret this maxim to also mean that we must listen to numbers and data so we can form a relationship with them. Through this empirical understanding, we are able to take this tangible information and manipulate it to suit our wants, needs, and goals.
Example time! I have a friend who was recently in the market for a new car via a trade-in. She asked for my advice. She was looking for a used car with low mileage, and possibly an SUV so she could cart her dogs all over the place. “What kind of car do you want?” I asked. “Well, I’m not sure. I like the Audi wagons, but the Cadillac SRX seems good, too. I just don’t think I could afford either of them.” “Really? How much are they?” “I’m not 100 percent sure.” “OK, how much is your car worth?” “I dunno. Not too much, I think.” “Have you taken your car into a dealer to see what they’d give you?” “No.” “Have you gone onto the Blue Book site kbb.com to see AROUND what it is?” “No, I’m afraid to. What if it’s way lower than I think it is?”
I know what you’re thinking. This woman is not very bright. But that’s not true! She’s a supersmart lady-Nerd! I feel like this is not remotely uncommon. People form ideas based on assumptions and avoid actual info oftentimes for the same reason they don’t like to go to the doctor for fear of getting “bad news.” But I’m here to tell you that information is your salvation. Maybe her car is worth nothing and the Caddy is out of reach. BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW UNTIL YOU GET THE NUMBERS??? At least then you can formulate a plan. Information avoidance leaves you in this purgatory of inactivity because you’re too afraid of the unknown. It’d be like never turning the lights on in your house and being too afraid to move because you don’t want to trip over anything. Information gathering is flicking on the lights.
Be a scientist with your life. This is all they do! Measure, process, experiment, measure again, keep working until desired results are achieved. If Jonas Salk was all like, “I just don’t know how much of the poliovirus I’d need to put in the vaccine . . . what if it’s stupid?” WE’D ALL HAVE FUCKING POLIO. (Slight exaggeration with expletive assist for effect.)
Measure, manipulate. Quantify, modify. Track this, record that—time, weight, accomplishments, happy days—take a regular personal inventory. SPREADSHEET THAT SHIT. Pull data points onto the page so you can get a bird’s-eye view of your life. Then give yourself numerical goals to shoot for. This is a major reason why video games can have a practical value: They teach us to keep score and aim higher next time. (This was never a valid argument to make to my parents when I was blowing off chores, of course, but it is a salient point.)
The secondary benefit to measuring where you ARE is tracking where you’ve BEEN. After a while you have accumulated data that you can go back and compare to the present day. You can even make graphs, dress your pets in ties, and give them a PowerPoint presentation on the performance of the product of YOU. If you do, please take video of it and send it to me at Chris Hardwick Web Soup, 5750 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036. In your presentation you will be able to experience undeniable proof of your progress.