First-Principles Thinking
Reason up from what you know is true instead of by analogy. Boil a problem down to its irreducible facts, then rebuild — the engine behind every breakthrough.
Builds on: What Are Mental Models?
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What's next on the build queue — the courses being added to the zero-to-expert ladder, in the order they'll arrive.
See where they land on the full ladder →Reason up from what you know is true instead of by analogy. Boil a problem down to its irreducible facts, then rebuild — the engine behind every breakthrough.
Builds on: What Are Mental Models?
Coming soon
“Invert, always invert.” Instead of asking how to succeed, ask how to fail — then avoid that. One of the most powerful and underused thinking tools.
Builds on: What Are Mental Models?
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“And then what?” Trace the consequences of the consequences. First-order answers are easy and usually wrong; the edge is in the ripple effects.
Builds on: Inversion: Think Backwards · First-Principles Thinking
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The real cost of anything is the best thing you gave up to get it. The single idea that turns every choice into a comparison.
Builds on: What Are Mental Models?
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Swap true/false for odds. Base rates, expected value, and the habit of asking “how likely?” instead of “is it possible?”
Builds on: What Are Mental Models?
Coming soon