> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.gilespcroft.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Correlations - URL: https://www.gilespcroft.com/correlations/ - Published: 2025-11-25T07:00:31.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-26T10:31:52.000Z - Description: How inspired do you have to be, to show up and produce your best work? ✨ - Author: Giles P Croft - Tags: Productivity, Writing, Neuroscience, Psychology, Careers, MECHANICS, Moods We've talked before, about the difference between correlation and causation, and how the mind not only chucks the whole idea into the bin as ‘not important/too much like school’ but also blurs the boundary between the two, in a way that sets us up to fail. Most recently we talked about how [‘bad’ feelings get lumped in](https://www.gilespcroft.com/causal-upgrades/) with what's happening, and a while back, we also looked at the other side of this outside-in coin – when we [innocently put our ‘good’ feelings onto something](https://www.gilespcroft.com/correlation-and-causation/) we're doing… which comes with its own particular set of issues. So today, I want to look at how both of those relate to making productivity a lot easier. Because we all like to Get Stuff Done™ don't we? ## Mood and Quality I was in conversation with a client, who was asking me about my process of writing, which, strangely enough, I hadn't really given *that* much thought. They wanted to know: - Whether I had a routine - Where my ideas came from - How easy or hard it was to write regularly - Did I do them one at a time, or in batches - Whether I saw variations in quality, from my perspective. To which my answers (in brief, here) were: - Not really, no. - Life. Can't seem to turn the tap off. - So much easier than the Giles Ego Construct 📦 had imagined (almost as if it was what I was put on this earth to do) - Mostly the former, but occasionally the latter (if I do too much of the latter, it's easy to get complacent and forget that I write for a living). …and then we got to the last one, and that was really interesting for me to consider. Because there are times when I feel absolutely inspired and what comes out floods the page with content that seems almost pre-written, and has me chuckling away to myself as I'm writing it, thinking *“Oh my god, they're so going to love this one!”* And then there are times when I feel absolutely inspired and yet what comes out is a jumbled, incoherent mess, that gets written, re-written and sometimes abandoned entirely. There are also times when I approach my computer almost in terror, such is the poor state of mind I'm in, and the best I can do is to drag up a meme I stored away for a rainy day, and have done with it. And then there are times when I'm in a really poor state of mind and as soon as I sit down and start writing, pure unadulterated genius comes pouring out. And of course what I'm trying to say here is that: 😮 ****THERE'S NO CORRELATION**!! There really does seem to be no correlation whatsoever between how I feel and the quality of what gets written. What shows up, shows up. Which kind of freaked me out for a while at first, but then I realised was a huge weight off my mind, because all I had to do was show up and write!! **It didn't matter how I felt.** Total game changer (an insight without which, I don't think the Daily Reminders would still be a thing)! And it's one for you to keep hold of. It will help you, going forwards. As always, don't believe me – look for the evidence in your own life. See the disconnect between how you feel and what's showing up. It's a correlation *at best*. (It's not causal, that's for sure.) ## Quality and Mood Of course there are dimensions to this, aren't there? What's ‘good’ in my eyes in one mood, will be ‘rubbish’ in another – the whole thing's entirely subjective. (And when I say ‘the whole thing,’ you know I'm not just talking about my writing yeah? I'm talking about *all of it* – life!) And as my client wisely pointed out, given the whole separate realities thing, what I (i.e. the Giles Ego Construct 📦) deem to be quality writing may leave others cold. Gratefully, I'm pleased to report it's usually the other way round: I'll put out something that feels like I could have done so much better… and an hour later, one of you will email me to say it's the best Daily Reminder I've ever written!! 😂 I love you guys, I really do. You keep me going with your enthusiasm, your love for the Daily Reminders and most importantly, your ability to stick a pin in any misconceptions of correlation I might innocently be holding! Thank you. 💝 Giles p.s. I'm serious about this being an important one to see – it's pretty life changing to get a handle on not needing to feel a particular way (e.g. enthused, inspired, alert, calm) before showing up and doing the work. SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY REMINDERS newsletter [![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/9b/f3/9bf3d316-7d32-494b-814f-a7d94d6358c3/content/images/2025/12/DR_Lockup-Black-1.png)](#/portal/signup) Want to start **your* days with helpful, insightful content like this? The Daily Reminder is a quick, lighthearted email that arrives in your inbox, to help keep you grounded in reality, so that you get to **‘Think less, and live more.’* **“They feel like a moment of stillness in a world of madness.” \~* Neil, UK **“One of those small things with big impact. Honestly, just sign up!”* \~ Paula, UK [GET YOURS NOW ](#/portal/signup) ### Related [The peril of “causal upgrades”What happens when a monkey-mind upgrades a correlation 🐒![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/9b/f3/9bf3d316-7d32-494b-814f-a7d94d6358c3/content/images/icon/DR_Lockup-Black-3-2c2e773f-84a3-4ef7-a01c-097067b0bff6.png)The Daily RemindersGiles P Croft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/9b/f3/9bf3d316-7d32-494b-814f-a7d94d6358c3/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1732704573802-8ec393009148-1ab0c309-4bfe-497e-8c57-c4f29060601e)](https://www.gilespcroft.com/causal-upgrades/) When it looks like BAD STUFF is ‘making us’ FEEL BAD [Correlation and causationWhy that thing you love to do, doesn’t actually “make you” happy. 🫠![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/9b/f3/9bf3d316-7d32-494b-814f-a7d94d6358c3/content/images/icon/DR_Lockup-Black-3-d36da48a-9296-48bd-8355-9f7f21c006be.png)The Daily RemindersGiles P Croft![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/9b/f3/9bf3d316-7d32-494b-814f-a7d94d6358c3/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1737046299437-da056a9440c5-bf2f0aaf-43a9-41ee-98fa-d7f2c26dd9e3)](https://www.gilespcroft.com/correlation-and-causation/) GOOD STUFF is great! Until you become dependent on it, to FEEL GOOD