Giorgio Delgado

Your Mind Is An Input Output Machine

March 31, 2015

Something I constantly remind myself of is that my brain, like any ordinary computer, functions to process input data (sound, visual, taste, touch, etc...), interpret [or disregard] the data and then do something with the interpretation (output).

With that analogy in mind, it would benefit one to notice what they are feeding their mind. If you are constantly feeding your mind negativity, then your behaviours and interpretation of the world around you will most likely contain some form of negativity (whether you notice it or not).

I was reading Brad Feld's new book (of which I highly recommend if you're looking to validate a venture idea) and read a very neat passage that I'd like to paraphrase:

As any statistician would tell you, any interpretation of data that consists of a sample size of less than ~46 is statistically insignificant and must be taken with a grain of salt. Similarly, one must realize that our beliefs and values are constructed through an interpretation of a sample size of 1 (you).

Allow your mind to be more flexible and open to new ideas (as damaging as they may be to your ego) because even the beliefs we hold most firmly in our hearts are oftentimes not founded on fact.

I see a lot of value in objectively analyzing the thoughts in my head and the information that I seem to hold firmly in my heart. In doing so I can then start to slowly reject rules (heuristics) that I've assumed are optimal, as much as human nature may attempt to undermine my effort to change these beliefs & habits.

Thinking this way has allowed me to consciously decide on better alternatives (i.e. reading a book over watching tv) because I know that the quality of the input determines (partly) the quality of my output.

Just a thought.

Liked this post? Consider buying me a coffee :)