By Jim Fitch
Practicing Oil Analysis Magazine
The hot stove effect was first given to learning and management science by Mark Twain. He observed that if a cat happens to jump on a hot stove, he will never jump on a hot stove again. This of course is a good thing. However, not so good is the fact that he will not jump on a cold stove either, or perhaps anything the bears the slightest resemblance to a stove
Many of us still harbor frightful childhood memories of attempts to ride a bicycle or learning to swim. Yet despite our scrapes, bruises and fear, most of us prevailed in mastering these simple skills. It is sometimes stated that perfection begins with imperfection and we’ve all heard that practice makes perfect. Imagine the number of dropped baseballs needed for the average child to learn how to play catch. But suppose, if after just one missed swing of a bat a young little leaguer tells his coach, “I’m not very good at baseball so I’m not going to play it any more.”