Controlling your Output: The Concept of Correlation
by blogrdocIn my last post, I suggested that nature is the best thing you can rely on. The world can be thought of in terms of input and output. You give the input, you perceive the output. (e.g. I go to bed early, I wake up refreshed and avoid traffic. I give tweet updates; my productivity goes down.)
A Mental Sledgehammer
Often, when you find some behavior that causes a reproducible relationship between the input and output, that correlation can serve as a sledgehammer in your hands that you can use to smash through any barrier you come up against. How do you know when you’ve found the correlation: when you can control the output. We know we’ve finally grokked* the problem when we can turn the problem on and off at will. This process is extremely self-empowering and will propel you forward to reach your goals.
I’m using colorful language here to drive home my point, but let me show you an example.
Starting late July is the time when I first found how strong the correlation was between eating habits and weight. Then in late Dec, I turned the weight gain on and off.
Correlations:Mapping the Brain to the Desired Output
I do not rely on discipline to maintain my eating habits. I rely on this chart. This chart, which reflects the nature of my body which cannot change, tells me what will happen for a given input. Then, it’s no longer just me deciding whether or not I want a double cheeseburger, I am deciding whether or not I want to gain pounds and increase my blood pressure. Mapping the brain to the output variables instead of only the input variables is the trick. In mathematics, we call this a transfer function. One of the reasons I love math is that it allows you to recast problems in a different, more tractable way. Knowing and accepting the correlation is key.
* To have a thorough understanding of a subject.
Acknowledgements
Patricia Snyder, my high school calculus teacher that encouraged me to stick with AP Calculus when I asked her if I could quit. Later that year, she sent me to the state high school calculus competition, where I was crushed.
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10 Responses to “Controlling your Output: The Concept of Correlation”
By Alik on Mar 17, 2008 | Reply
I am security engineer. I use this technique - map brain to output - to promote security engineering. I show people how easy to hack their applications if they continue writing code as they write. Showing live hacking blows their brains and usually works. I think insurance agents use the same technique…
Did I get your post right?
By blogrdoc on Mar 17, 2008 | Reply
The element your example lacks is the quantitative nature of the correlation. (I realize I didn’t mention this in my post.) Perhaps the nature of software security does not lend itself to this type of analysis.
The physical world does all the time (e.g. F=m*a, E=mc2, etc..). What makes these equations so powerful is that they are *predictive*. You can quantify and anticipate. My point here is that the human body (and other aspects of our daily life) *ALSO* obey certain laws.
When I say ‘map mind to output variables’, I mean to say that you can rely 100% of the time that *nature* (which is unchangeable), will reward (or punish) you with it’s response. The relationship between your input and nature’s response is what I am referring to as ‘a correlation’ and this correlation can be used as a tool to obtain your desired results.
By Alik on Mar 17, 2008 | Reply
You won’t believe it but i do use simple metrics sort of risk=exploitability*impact to quantify it. Good stuff, i like it!
By blogrdoc on Mar 17, 2008 | Reply
In the manufacturing world (and I realize that the “real world” behaves differently)… if you can quantify it, you can control it (usually)
By Sam Crockett on Mar 18, 2008 | Reply
About a year and a half ago I changed my eating habits. I used to eat fast food and drink soft drinks quite often. Then I learned about this unnatural substance called high fructose corn syrup in chemistry/nutritional science class.
My diet has changed to fruits, grains, and veggies with the occasional meat. What I’m getting at is I never thought of using a chart like that to track my eating (the input) and the results (the output).
This method reminds me of one of the steps to financial independence in Your Money or Your Life. It involves putting a chart up on your wall where you can see it everyday. Then at the end of every month record your income and your expenses. It gives you a whole different outlook on your spending habits when you see that they are above your income.
By blogrdoc on Mar 18, 2008 | Reply
Just an FYI - even without the chart, I try to mentally keep these concepts in mind and it’s what keeps me in line as I drive past the fast food restaurants with a little grumble in my stomach. My mind goes through a nanoautomation :) of the logic I’ve described and for the most part - it works.
Like you said, this technique can be applied to other areas, like finance. The analytical mind will always look for the correlations.
By Rx4Life.info on Mar 21, 2008 | Reply
Hello Blogrdoc, I was looking for a contact page or email address but couldn’t find one…am I blind? So I guest I’ll post here. Anyways, I “stumbled” upon your site through a trackback from Steve Pavlina.com and I caught notice of this article of yours discussing life as “inputs” and “outputs”.
Kinda funny (LOA?), since I have a similar idea and posted it on my blog that I just started. If you have time, take a look. I find your posts insightful and would appreciate your thoughts. I’ve subscribed to your rss, looking forward to continue reading.
Thanks,
Tola
http://www.rx4life.info/managing-stress-part-1-a-new-perspective-on-stress
By blogrdoc on Mar 21, 2008 | Reply
Tola,
I read through your 3 part series and I like it. You’re methods of ‘growth’ and ‘throwing out what doesn’t work’ are very similar to what I’m saying. I don’t talk at all about ’stress’ which you seem to go into quite a bit of detail. In my view, I try to have the mindset that “I’ve got no time for stress.”
Being a Pharmacist, I’m sure, is very stressful. Wrong dosage or prescription could mean someone’s life.