John, Thanks for your description of calibrating that commodity trader. You emphasise the physical elements of the trader's behaviour in that description. What struck me all those years ago was something that you said about the trader's strategy. As I recall it was something like this: The effective trader listened to music as they worked. When something in the music 'seemed' out of register, to the trader, then they would note a change on the screen respond via the keyboard and make the necessary transaction. This action would result in the restoration of a sense of equilibrium from which they would be able to resume listening to the music in comfort.* The strategy might therefore be notated: Ae/Ai ~ comparison Ve ~ Seeing a pattern on the VDU screen Ke ~ Making a trade on the keyboard Ki ~ Feeling a sense of equilibrium I think you commented that this was precisely the strategy of a hunter. The hunter quietens the internal dialogue and pays attention to the surroundings using the 360 sense of sound, (Ae). When the hunter notes a pattern in the sound signifying a change they look to see what is occurring (Ve). The arm moves and the spear is released (Ke). As it strikes the prey the hunter identifies with it at the moment of death (Ki). A maimed beast will cry out prolonging the hunters identified (2nd position) agony. Hunters therefore ensure the animal is not in pain in the initial throwing of the spear. The power in your description then, (in which I now acknowledge that I deleted emphasis on the physical components), was its ability to reframe the idea that effort/pain/conscious focus = productivity, (no doubt originally inculcated into my being by reasons of familial and educational history. My folks were well meaning but of the type likely to clutch disaster out of the jaws of victory). Instead the effort/pain/conscious focus trinity was replaced with the idea that sound and alert comfort provide a suitable background through which focus and action may occur, when appropriate. So in other words I no longer over-perform at a general level, thus conserving energy and effort, but now perform better and with far less effort when a particular opportunity registers. I hope that I have answered your general request for elaboration in respect of productivity and effort. But if in your inimitable way you have a 'bone' that you wish to throw to me, I'll do my best to catch it. Best regards, Stephen *As I recall it makes no difference what kinds of music traders listen to, provided that they are generally comfortable with the choice.