The Personal Elimination Experiment
Remove one overlooked input, replace it, and watch what changes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 90%
Audit the inputs that occur every day, especially those excluded from previous attempts to solve the problem. Select one high-frequency candidate, inspect what it contains or how it works, and remove only that variable for a defined period. Replace the function it served so the trial is sustainable; in Goldin's case, water replaced diet soda as hydration. Observe changes in the outcomes that prompted the experiment, then decide whether the old input belongs in your routine. The method turns a vague suspicion into a bounded personal test. It does not establish causation for everyone and should not substitute for medical care, but it can reveal a practical clue that broad, simultaneous lifestyle changes would obscure.
Origin
After diets, exercise, and dermatology visits did not explain her weight, skin, and energy problems, Goldin noticed she had never audited the eight to twelve diet sodas she drank daily. She stopped for a short trial, replaced them with water, and observed substantial changes.
Core principles
- 01Repeated inputs deserve scrutiny even when labels imply safety
- 02Change one major variable before changing everything
- 03Replace the removed habit so the experiment remains practical
- 04Use observed changes as clues rather than universal proof
How to run it
- 1
Audit the ignored inputs
List frequent foods, drinks, routines, and exposures, including those marketed as harmless. Find something used often but never tested.
Pro tip Frequency can matter more than how noticeable the input feels.
Watch out Persistent or serious symptoms require qualified medical care.
- 2
Choose one safe variable
Select one plausible nonessential input that can be removed without avoidable risk. Define the duration first.
Pro tip A single-variable test produces a clearer signal than many changes.
Watch out Do not stop prescribed medication or essential nutrition.
- 3
Replace the function
Identify what the old habit provided and substitute a simpler option. Make the replacement easy to use consistently.
Pro tip Goldin lined up glasses of water to make the replacement concrete.
- 4
Observe defined outcomes
Track the symptoms, behaviour, or performance measures that motivated the test. Note other major changes.
Pro tip Look for a pattern rather than reacting to one day.
Watch out A personal result is not proof of a universal health claim.
- 5
Decide what stays
Compare the trial with the baseline. Keep the replacement, cautiously retest, or seek expert help based on risk and clarity.
In the wild
Goldin had tried diets, exercise, and dermatologists but had not examined her drinks. She stopped diet soda for a couple of weeks and began drinking water instead.
→ She reported losing 24 pounds in two and a half weeks, clearer skin, improved energy, and a lasting habit change.
A manager notices phone notifications are the one frequent input omitted from previous productivity changes. She disables nonessential notifications for two weeks and records uninterrupted work blocks.
→ She compares a defined baseline and trial without changing her schedule, tools, and workload together.
Common mistakes
Changing everything together
Multiple changes obscure which input mattered. Start with one plausible high-frequency variable.
Ignoring the replacement
Removing a habit without replacing its function creates another problem and weakens adherence.
Generalising a personal result
One person's outcome does not prove the same mechanism or result for everyone.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for a low-risk habit that can be safely removed and replaced while outcomes are observed.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal for diagnosing illness, changing prescribed treatment, or making medical claims without professional advice.
From the transcript
“while i was reading labels through this whole process i never was doing anything with my drinks”
“let me just stop drinking and see what happens”
“two and a half weeks later i lost 24 pounds my skin cleared up my energy levels had totally changed”
From the episode
Kara Goldin, CEO of Hint: Building an Empire
Kara Goldin