beware the siren song of the checklist

Everyone wants a guide, a clear checklist of how to be good at a task. Take parenting as an example. Every parent is constantly get their hands on the perfect checklist for raising their child. We buy books by the dozens, listen raptly to every "child expert" on the news, and get into intense arguments with other parents about the "right way". But everyone knows that there isn't any real "answer" to parenting. It's our fear of failing at such an important task that motivates us to look for a checklist with the answer. It's an empty quest.

Checklists are excellent for preparation and review, not so much execution. Pilots use a checklist to ensure their aircraft is prepared for flight and again when shutting down to ensure everything is functional. Checklists are great for creating an mechanism for your external brain. But they can lull you into a false sense of security by making you think you've got a foolproof, step-by-step system to get the best solution. Close to that? Yes, but not foolproof. Accidents, mishaps, Murphy's law all play a part. The enemy always gets a vote. No checklist helps a pilot avoid a flock of geese or an enemy plane's missile. Or gives a parent the exact guide to raise the perfect child.

Besides, where's the fun in already having the answers?