> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.noteofdaring.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The power of finding patterns - URL: https://www.noteofdaring.com/the-power-of-finding-patterns/ - Published: 2026-03-23T22:05:41.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-09T15:42:43.000Z - Description: And the weather forecast - Author: Rachel Thompson - Tags: Strategy ## When Knowing Weather Forecast is Enough During the wheat harvest when I was young, I remember my dad coming in from the fields each day to watch the weather report during the evening news. Weather has a huge impact on farming and knowing the forecast helps with decision making and planning what work to do when. You can’t harvest the wheat if it’s too wet - not just the ground but the wheat itself. Forecasting the weather only works with a lot of computing power and world wide data inputs, and the more reliable models are relatively recent. (H/t to this [99% Invisible podcast episode](https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/the-weather-machine/?ref=noteofdaring.com).) And yet, it’s often still a crapshoot. Crunching data and finding patterns is a powerful tool - and one of AIs strong suits - but then what? *What do you do with the patterns which have been uncovered for you?* With the weather, being aware of the output - the forecast - is usually all we need to make decisions about what to wear, when to harvest the wheat, or when to prepare for a storm. *What if - in some cases - it’s the *process of finding the patterns* that makes the output meaningful and actionable?* ## When the Work of Finding Pattern is Necessary In 2015 or so, I reread 15+ years of my personal journal, taking notes about the patterns of my life. I noticed recurring wishes, wants, struggles, and challenges. I moved through a montage of changes and growth over time. I found patterns and from that insight. The process of crunching the data from my past was helpful to make sense of it and to find meaningful patterns that led to insights about what I want to do with my life and time. A lot changed for me in 2015-2016 and I think it was partially because of that deep dive and the pattern finding work I did. A big shift was starting Daring Studios in 2016 and quitting my W2 job to start out with official self-employment. I also moved into a studio apartment and lived alone for the first time. Now-a-days, I could hypothetically load the data from my journals into AI and ask it to find themes, make notes, and notice patterns. It might take less time and effort than manually reading and processing the last 10 years of journal entries, but there would be a loss of meaning and random insights would likely slip through the cracks. AI wouldn’t have the information that comes from a memory anchor expanding the details from the experience in my mind, nor would it be able to read between the lines of what I wrote versus what I meant or the emotional weight behind certain entries. I think that unlike the weather forecast, an AI summary wouldn’t be enough to power the decisions required to make meaningful shifts in my work and life. The power of those decisions comes from the process and work of finding the patterns myself. Otherwise it’s a document that withers in the virtual noise and inspires zero meaningful changes. Right now, I feel myself being in the midst of doing more pattern finding work for my life and business. ## Spheres of Control The weather system operates outside of our control on the micro level.[1](#footnote-1) Knowing the upcoming weather patterns means we can only control how we respond and prepare ourselves to navigate the weather of the day. But we have more agency over our businesses, careers, and lives. We can make decisions with intent, design strategic plans and act with the goal of producing a certain effect. It just requires that we do the work to finding patterns to power those decisions, plans and effort that hopefully lead to what we want. I don’t think just having the knowledge is enough to make strong choices and provide the emotional backbone to deal with the tradeoffs required. Forecasting and finding patterns always a dynamic process though, impacted by outside elements and the chaos of humanity. And also - knowing is often not enough even with the weather forecast. I still get caught out with the wrong layers, inappropriate shoes, or missing sunscreen. *So, how’s the weather near you?* --- 1. *FYI March 23 is [World Metrological Day](https://wmo.int/site/world-meteorological-day-2026-23-march?ref=noteofdaring.com). And the [World Metrological Organization](https://wmo.int/?ref=noteofdaring.com) has resources about the macro level of weather and climate change.* [↩](#footnote-anchor-1 "Jump back to footnote 1 in the text.")