Trial and Error

Temporary experiments lower the perceived risk of change. Experiments help counter catastrophic assumptions about changing long-standing routines. A new path can emerge through testing multiple possible futures rather than starting with perfect clarity. Evidence-based or previously successful interventions still require testing against the current person's response. Experimentation lets people test changes without making permanent identity-level commitments. Trial and error is necessary because clinicians and coaches cannot know ahead of time whether a specific intervention will work for an individual. Experimentation should remain within low-risk boundaries. Fear of failure can interfere with experimentation in clinical work. The article presents delayed morning email as an experiment that improved mornings after feared consequences failed to occur. Clinical decision-making should prioritize outcomes over adherence to a familiar or conventional method. A failed cue can be useful because it tells the coach to change the input.