The Cobra Effects of Life

In colonial India, a bounty on cobras was supposed to reduce the snake population. Instead, people started breeding cobras for profit — and when the policy ended, they released thousands into the streets. The result? More cobras than ever. 

This is Goodhart's Law: when a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure. And it's not just a business problem — it's happening in your life right now. 

From sleep scores to morning routines to money, the things we measure can quietly start to own us. Here's how to spot it and fix it...

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