https://ghafoorsblog.com/tags/goodharts-law/Recent content in Goodharts-Law on Ghafoor's Personal BlogHugoenhello@ghafoorsblog.com (AG Sayyed)hello@ghafoorsblog.com (AG Sayyed)Copyright © 2024-2026 AG Sayyed. All Rights Reserved.Thu, 12 Nov 2026 15:58:40 +0000https://ghafoorsblog.com/shorts/psychology/06-motivation-and-decisions/001-rewards-and-motivation/Sun, 01 Nov 2026 00:00:00 +0000hello@ghafoorsblog.com (AG Sayyed)https://ghafoorsblog.com/shorts/psychology/06-motivation-and-decisions/001-rewards-and-motivation/<p class="lead text-primary"> Why we do something often matters more than what we do. Targets can replace the goals they measure, payment can replace enjoyment, effort can create love, comfort can stop growth, and asking for help can win a friend. </p> <hr> <h2 id="when-the-number-replaces-the-thing-it-measures">When the Number Replaces the Thing It Measures</h2> <p><em>Published 2026-08-31 · <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/o_M06ts25bM" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Watch the short</a></em></p> <p>The short opens with three examples. A grade can ruin learning, views can ruin creativity and money can ruin value, because once people are rewarded for a number they begin to serve the number instead of what it was meant to measure. This pattern is called <strong>Goodhart&rsquo;s law</strong>, and the simple version is that when a measure becomes a target, it stops being a good measure.</p>