Changes

While fresh starts can trigger positive change, they can also disrupt your progress if you’re already on the roll.

While fresh starts can trigger positive change, they can also disrupt your progress if you’re already on the roll.

When Major League Baseball (or MLB) players are traded across leagues mid-season, their statistics for the season are reset, However, the statistics are not reset for trades within leagues. One of Milkman’s pdH students analyzed 40 years of MLB data, and found that below-average players tended to improve after a statistical reset, whereas above-average players tended to do worse after a reset (since they must rebuild their records from scratch).

When Major League Baseball (or MLB) players are traded across leagues mid-season, their statistics for the season are reset, However, the statistics are not reset for trades within leagues. One of Milkman’s pdH students analyzed 40 years of MLB data, and found that below-average players tended to improve after a statistical reset, whereas above-average players tended to do worse after a reset (since they must rebuild their records from scratch).<ref>[https://readingraphics.com/book-summary-how-to-change/ Book Summary – How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be], ReadingGraphics.com</ref>}}

Similar outcomes were found in other performance studies. Resets can help underperformers to up their game, but they can also hurt people who’re already performing well. So, be careful when you use fresh starts.

Similar outcomes were found in other performance studies. Resets can help underperformers to up their game, but they can also hurt people who’re already performing well. So, be careful when you use fresh starts.