Read on Twitter
1/ I don& #39;t normally read Dominic Cummings& #39; blog - but someone sent me a link to this piece from a couple of years ago. https://donotlink.it/oV152
In">https://donotlink.it/oV152&quo... it, he talks about domains that involve "real expertise" and "fast feedback".
In">https://donotlink.it/oV152&quo... it, he talks about domains that involve "real expertise" and "fast feedback".
2/ He talks admiringly about examples from mixed martial arts, music and maths. Reading this feels odd, because these are all things I& #39;ve done a fair bit of, to a pretty reasonable standard. At least, I feel qualified to make some comments.
3/ One of the most important lessons I learned from doing these things is the importance of balancing self-belief and self-criticism. To get within shouting distance of the top of any field requires an ability to project confidence.
4/ But sooner or later that inevitably comes into contact with reality. If you& #39;re all bullshit and bluster, these are places where there& #39;s nowhere to hide.
5/ Getting good at things is (to a very large extent) an exercise in being able to identify where your faults are & then working out how to fix them. Without the humility to not just acknoweldge but to actively seek out those faults, that process is never going to get very far.
6/ Surrounding yourself with people who aren& #39;t afraid to give honest feedback helps. As does being able to take criticism on board without shooting the messenger or becoming defensive. Knowing when you need to persist a bit longer & when it& #39;s time to go back to the drawing board.
7/ For all Cummings may like to talk about the terrain that I& #39;ve spent my life in, by looking at it on a map he may have missed some key features. I see little evidence of this kind of reflection or self-awareness coming from Number 10. Now would be a really good time for it.
