Love this Q and A format. A note on the sled push/drag: I live in Austin, TX and there is a gym here called Atomic Athlete (https://atomic-athlete.com/) that certainly incorporates sled pushes and drags in their programming, but they also lean HEAVILY on tire drags. By getting an old tire, loading it up with a sandbag or weight plates, you can have the effectiveness of the sled drag without spending much money.
I always appreciate your takes on these things Michael! I feel like the optimization craze led me to develop some fairly unhealthy habits and some anxiety when things weren't perfectly "optimized" (whatever that means). Having a more intuitive and flexible approach while still greatly respecting the research has not only made me feel much healthier, but also has made life a lot more enjoyable.
I manage the produce department at a supermarket, so I use "sleds", which are pallets of produce that we have to pull/push around the store. I am fortunate to not have to invest $$ for a sled, and get paid to do sled pulls! lol
I disagree about the term optimise. You've defined it as "make as good as possible" but then criticised it for setting unrealistic standards, saying there's no such thing as perfect. But that definition doesn't say anything about perfection.
I agree that many optimisation techniques are silly, but I think that's a failure of them not living up to the word, not a problem with the word itself. Bullet proof coffee isn't dumb because it's optimal, it's dumb because it claims to be optimal but isn't.
Thanks for your smart comment, Shane. I think the word "optimize" shifted a bit since the 1940s. I should have been more clear on that. I also think the idea to make a biological system as good as possible is a tough one. It's very hard to measure day to day.
This is a great topic to think about. I get caught up in these buzz words sometimes, so I really appreciate you’re no bullshit approach to such topics. Now thinking of “optimizing” almost seems silly, like unattainable. But! I am all on board with continued self improvement and growth and most importantly leaning into the suck of discomfort🙌🏽
Very nice article on optimization! thank you for presenting this new perspective and for pointing out the uniqueness of human being . We take for granted things that are under our eyes and that are magnificent. I recognize myself in this
TL;DR in the quest to optimize, people put blind faith in questionable tech and/or little to no data.
I think the real problem with optimizing is questionable data. I use an Oura ring religiously (which is to say, I wear it all the time) to optimize my sleep. At the same time, I know that--for instance--my deep sleep % is an educated guess at best on the part of the device. It’s much more effective to provide a starting point and then to see how behaviors change +/-. For instance, more than a glass of wine and my deep sleep number is trash, and my resting heart rate is higher. I’m putting faith in the direction the numbers are moving, not the actual numbers. I’d put “smart” scales in the same boat. Anything beyond your weight is a hopefully good guess on the part of the scale.
And then there’s the multitude of people taking vitamin supplements without even knowing--for instance--what their starting vitamin D3 number is.
Great article Michael. I am a huge fan of the act of optimization, but not the word. I like your idea of viewing it as the solution to a problem because I think many people attempt to solve non-existent problems by following someone else's path. I'll be looking forward to your future thoughts.
My sled push is my running stroller with toddler in it, when I forget to pump up the tires or just going up hill. The thing is sixty pounds! But obviously not cheaper than a sled situation, but a nice reframe if you’re a parent with a young kid. I also feel like kid carrying is the original ruck (plus someone kicking you while you’re doing it!)
Love this Q and A format. A note on the sled push/drag: I live in Austin, TX and there is a gym here called Atomic Athlete (https://atomic-athlete.com/) that certainly incorporates sled pushes and drags in their programming, but they also lean HEAVILY on tire drags. By getting an old tire, loading it up with a sandbag or weight plates, you can have the effectiveness of the sled drag without spending much money.
Fantastic comment. I totally agree about tires. This is why I love the comments section.
I always appreciate your takes on these things Michael! I feel like the optimization craze led me to develop some fairly unhealthy habits and some anxiety when things weren't perfectly "optimized" (whatever that means). Having a more intuitive and flexible approach while still greatly respecting the research has not only made me feel much healthier, but also has made life a lot more enjoyable.
I don't think your experience is uncommon. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I manage the produce department at a supermarket, so I use "sleds", which are pallets of produce that we have to pull/push around the store. I am fortunate to not have to invest $$ for a sled, and get paid to do sled pulls! lol
Haha amazing!
Great article. Couldn’t agree more about the over use of optimisation. Brilliant as ever.
Thanks for reading, Jon!
Hey Michael, great post.
I disagree about the term optimise. You've defined it as "make as good as possible" but then criticised it for setting unrealistic standards, saying there's no such thing as perfect. But that definition doesn't say anything about perfection.
I agree that many optimisation techniques are silly, but I think that's a failure of them not living up to the word, not a problem with the word itself. Bullet proof coffee isn't dumb because it's optimal, it's dumb because it claims to be optimal but isn't.
Thanks for your smart comment, Shane. I think the word "optimize" shifted a bit since the 1940s. I should have been more clear on that. I also think the idea to make a biological system as good as possible is a tough one. It's very hard to measure day to day.
This is a great topic to think about. I get caught up in these buzz words sometimes, so I really appreciate you’re no bullshit approach to such topics. Now thinking of “optimizing” almost seems silly, like unattainable. But! I am all on board with continued self improvement and growth and most importantly leaning into the suck of discomfort🙌🏽
Keep up the great work!
Very nice article on optimization! thank you for presenting this new perspective and for pointing out the uniqueness of human being . We take for granted things that are under our eyes and that are magnificent. I recognize myself in this
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I’m still thinking about this topic. Hopefully it gives you something to think about as well!
TL;DR in the quest to optimize, people put blind faith in questionable tech and/or little to no data.
I think the real problem with optimizing is questionable data. I use an Oura ring religiously (which is to say, I wear it all the time) to optimize my sleep. At the same time, I know that--for instance--my deep sleep % is an educated guess at best on the part of the device. It’s much more effective to provide a starting point and then to see how behaviors change +/-. For instance, more than a glass of wine and my deep sleep number is trash, and my resting heart rate is higher. I’m putting faith in the direction the numbers are moving, not the actual numbers. I’d put “smart” scales in the same boat. Anything beyond your weight is a hopefully good guess on the part of the scale.
And then there’s the multitude of people taking vitamin supplements without even knowing--for instance--what their starting vitamin D3 number is.
Yes! I think those devices can give some useful general trends, but they're definitely not gospel.
Great article Michael. I am a huge fan of the act of optimization, but not the word. I like your idea of viewing it as the solution to a problem because I think many people attempt to solve non-existent problems by following someone else's path. I'll be looking forward to your future thoughts.
Excellent! Thanks for reading the work. I appreciate your thoughts.
My sled push is my running stroller with toddler in it, when I forget to pump up the tires or just going up hill. The thing is sixty pounds! But obviously not cheaper than a sled situation, but a nice reframe if you’re a parent with a young kid. I also feel like kid carrying is the original ruck (plus someone kicking you while you’re doing it!)