Feedback Loops

Humans are stupidly simple sometimes. I've been thinking about how if we're not careful, we can be run by our own feedback loops. A feedback loop is the process of doing a certain action to then get a reward. This could be anything from learning a new trick, to doom scrolling reels. These two obviously have very different feedback loops and I want to explore the process of transitioning from one type to another and how to use them to access more drive towards a goal.

So there are two main factors contributing to these loops. They are perceived effort applied to the input action, and the perceived time between the action and the reward. If we think about the two examples I gave of learning a new trick and doom scrolling, the effort applied is very different, and the time between input and reward also differs a lot. 

So how do we use this information to our advantage? The key is in the word perceived. How hard does the action you want to take feel in comparison to your normal feedback loops you go through in everyday life? And also in the time aspect, where I think there is more leverage. How long do you have to wait for the reward compared to your normal life?

So I don't think the solution is to cut out short feedback loops completely, but to be conscious of the ratio of short/delayed loops in your life. For me, where I compete in an environment that has a lot of delay, I need to make sure that my everyday life has a good amount of longer loops, to prevent turning up to an event with a lack of drive and motivation and wondering what to do. By then it is too late.

The best part is that this doesn't just help my riding. When my life is mostly built around higher effort, longer delayed loops, anything else feels like a walk in the park. Your brain adapts to it's environment just like a muscle. Put it under stress and make it wait for a reward, and its ability to carry drive through those situations will become stronger. So moving forward, I am going to try and keep things simple and keep the ratio at a balance between shorter loops and delayed rewards. Yes, mainly for my riding, but this also makes me ready to endure and solve any other challenges that come my way.

"You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems." - James Clear

I think we fall even deeper. To the speed of the feedback loops in those systems.