Have you ever found yourself playing video games for hours without feeling any pressure, but reading a book for even a short period becomes tedious? This is because of the feedback cycle.
Understanding the Feedback Cycle
The feedback cycle is the time between performing an action and receiving feedback on its results. Video games provide immediate feedback within seconds, making it easy to continue playing for an extended period without feeling any pressure. On the other hand, reading a book has a more extended feedback cycle. It requires time to read and process the information before any feedback can be received, making it difficult to remain engaged in the activity for a prolonged period.
Shortening the Feedback Cycle
Many important things require repetitions or iterations of small actions, each of which contains feedback and correction. Shortening the feedback cycle makes it easier to get started, and with each iteration, there is a continuous improvement in performance. This approach is useful not only for learning but also for many other activities.
The learning cycle comprises reading, thinking, applying, and correcting. Shortening this cycle makes learning easier and more efficient. Perseverance is essential, but it does not determine what we can or cannot learn. The ability to persevere determines how long we can endure a feedback cycle.
Adopting a mindset that prioritizes shortening the feedback cycle can make many things more approachable. For example, taking notes while reading and reviewing them regularly or breaking down a lengthy book into shorter sections and giving oneself feedback after each section can make it easier to remain engaged in the activity.
Conclusion
In summary, the feedback cycle plays a significant role in making an activity feel easy or challenging. By adopting a mindset that prioritizes short feedback cycles, we can approach many activities more efficiently and with less pressure. Shortening the feedback cycle can help improve performance and make an activity more engaging and enjoyable, enabling us to endure it for a longer period.
