11 powerful mental models

written by JOSH GESSNER | The Curious Competitor

Mental Models are the secret behind getting the most out of your life.

But there are a million of them...

Here's the 11 most powerful I found:

1) The power of Contrast:

When you compare yourself against people on Instagram:

You feel worse about yourself.

But what if you compared yourself to those with serious illnesses in hospitals?

Be wary of what you are contrasting against.

2) Black and white thinking:

We operate at our best when we operate at the extremes.

An example from Connor Mcgregor:

Connor Mcgregor's coach wants his fighters thinking like a loser during training:

So that they get obsessed with improvement.

But as soon as it’s time to compete, he wants fighters to think they’re invincible.

3) High Agency Thinking

If you were in a third world prison, which friend would you call to break you out?

That person - is probably high agency.

High agency people find a way when conventional wisdom tells them otherwise.

4) Asymmetry

Asymmetrical Risk:

The upside of texting while driving is responding with ‘LOL’ in your group chat.

The downside is potentially becoming paralyzed, or killed.

Asymmetrical Opportunity:

The upside of DMing people is building a new, significant connection.

The downside is 30 seconds of your time.

Do things that have asymmetrical opportunity.

5) Second, Third Order thinking

What are the downstream effects of your actions?

For example:

Would you take the stairs? Or the elevator?

If you take the stairs:

1) It feels like sh*t

2) You get a cardiovascular benefit

3) Wiring your mind to take the difficult option

Most habits with high second and third order benefits:

Have no immediate reward - they are hidden downstream.

6) Pinpoint your values:

Who would you invest in?

Who would you short?

Why would I invest in him?

Now work out the traits of those you would invest in, and do more of that.

Eliminate traits of people you would short.

7) Inputs vs outputs

You can't expect to put in the same inputs and get different outputs.

Extreme people get extreme results.

Average people get average results.

Embracing being weird can be the most powerful mental model for life.

8) First Principles:

Popularized by Elon Musk, thinking in first principles is deconstructing something to reconstruct it.

An example with Tesla batteries:

Common belief:

Batteries will always be expensive.

First principles:

• Let’s break down the ingredients

• Buy those individually

• Assemble it ourselves

9) The Lindy Effect:

The minimum lifespan of something is how long it has already existed.

For example:

A book that has been around for 100 years will be around for another 100 years.

Yet - Most people consume content that has been made in the last 24 hrs.

The most valuable information has existed for centries.

10) Map vs terrain

Maps are an artificial version of reality.

Terrain is actual version of reality.

For example:

Having an MBA is having a map.

Starting a startup is terrain.

When possible - seek out action over theory.

11) Inversion:

From Charlie Munger, inversion is looking at a problem from the opposite view.

Instead seeking excellence, focus on avoiding stupidity.

For example:

Instead asking: How do I become happy?

Ask: How would I make a happy person depressed?

• Bad sleeping schedule

• Terrible nutrition

• Isolate from friends

• Unhappy with job, no purpose in life

Avoid those.