We have a natural tendency to favour the inside view—our own independent solution to a problem that incorporates all of our hidden biases.
To make better decisions, we should favour the outside view—one that incorporates the best available data.
Most people suck at decision-making.
Let's change that.
Here are 15 of the best decision-making mental models I've found 🧵
We have a natural tendency to favour the inside view—our own independent solution to a problem that incorporates all of our hidden biases.
To make better decisions, we should favour the outside view—one that incorporates the best available data.
Describes the thinking process we go through—often subconsciously—to get from a fact to a decision or action.
To make better decisions, we should move slowly and deliberately from the bottom of the ladder to the top of the ladder.
h/t (image) - @amrancz
The more confidence you have in the importance of a problem and your understanding of its solution, the more you should focus on quality.
However, if you need to learn more, move fast and break things.
h/t - @BrandonMChu
The antidote to confirmation bias.
It involves forcing yourself to view a decision from the opposite viewpoint or finding people who disagree with you.
It forces you to create a more compelling argument.
Don't take my word for it:
Involves assuming that your decision has failed and working backwards to determine what the potential causes were.
This process has multiple benefits:
• Removes overconfidence and irrational optimism
• Reveals blind spots
• Simplifies thinking
h/t @KleInsight
Regardless of success or failure, this can be used to drive continuous improvement in your decision-making.
Here, you ask:
• What went well?
• What went poorly?
• What can be improved next time?
With the answers, future decisions will be better informed.
These are tree-like graphs with the branches showing results of possible choices for a given decision or action.
The decision tree allows options to be compared against each other, for both risk and return.
They're particularly helpful for financial decisions.
Information overload is when you have too much information at hand.
This causes decisions to take too long.
It also leads to 'analysis paralysis' where your decision-making suffers paralysis because you over-analyze the body of information available.
It's the paradox of choice: having too many good options slows us down because the best one isn't clear.
Remember: by not making a choice, you are actually making a choice: the status quo.
A model to cope with this: reversible vs. irreversible decisions.
Irreversible decisions are 'one-way doors.'
They must be made slowly and deliberately.
Reversible decisions are 'two-way doors.'
These decisions can and should be made quickly.
https://t.co/IEwHegYCyB
The @JeffBezos Reversible Vs. Irreversible Decisions Framework is a powerful mental model for unlocking growth in your career, business, relationships, or life.
— Alex Brogan \U0001f6a2 (@_alexbrogan) May 4, 2022
A short thread on what it is and how it can improve your life: pic.twitter.com/GjgikKWTHm
If stuck with 2 equal options, pick the one that feels like it will produce the most luck later down the line.
Should I stay in tonight or should I go and meet this interesting stranger?
Choose to increase your surface area of luck when you have the choice.
Your 80-year-old self helps you makes decisions you won't regret when you're old.
Your 10-year-old self reminds you to stay foolish and have some fun along the way.
h/t - @SahilBloom
A concept from tennis, 'unforced error' is a metaphor for any situation where an avoidable mistake is made.
The first goal of decision-making should always be to minimize unforced errors.
How?
Sound judgement and decision making techniques.
The biggest mistake when judging performance is only looking at the outcome.
Instead, we should focus on the process used.
It's possible to win with a bad decision making process (luck) or lose with a good process.
What's important is knowing the 'Why.'
We're all guilty of making decisions without thinking about long term consequences.
To avoid this, ask:
• How will I feel about this 10 minutes from now?
• 10 months from now?
• 10 years from now?
This helps clarify the decision that results in a win/win/win.
Tell me, what would you add?
If you enjoyed this thread:
1. Follow me @_alexbrogan for more mental models, concepts, and frameworks
2. RT the tweet below to share this with others who might enjoy it :) https://t.co/DUuiG7bnyY
Most people suck at decision-making.
— Alex Brogan \U0001f6a2 (@_alexbrogan) May 7, 2022
Let's change that.
Here are 15 of the best decision-making mental models I've found \U0001f9f5
More from Alex Brogan 🚢
Apple Mac apps are the most powerful productivity tools on earth.
Use them properly and they'll save you hours, days, even weeks.
Here are 10 of the most useful Mac apps in existence:
Cold Turkey
Cold Turkey is the most versatile website and application blocker for Mac’s.
It’s got advanced scheduling features, clever barriers to unblocking sites, and doesn’t collect any of your data.
https://t.co/ylt9e4gF9G
CheatSheet
CheatSheet helps you memorize keyboard shortcuts for all your favourite Mac apps.
Just hold the Command Key for a few seconds and you’ll get a list of every shortcut available in that app.
https://t.co/n8SV5URNUM
Meeter
Join Zoom, Google Meet, or other virtual conference meetings faster with Meeter.
Meeter automatically pulls your upcoming calls and puts them in your menu bar, letting you manage them all in one place.
https://t.co/VJL0vr9RDJ
Fantastical — Calendar
Fantastical is the best calendar available for Mac.
It’s got everything you’d expect from a modern calendar app and a little bit extra, including Time Zone sync, reminders, weather forecast, and more.
https://t.co/Q9ecOq6MOp
Use them properly and they'll save you hours, days, even weeks.
Here are 10 of the most useful Mac apps in existence:
Cold Turkey
Cold Turkey is the most versatile website and application blocker for Mac’s.
It’s got advanced scheduling features, clever barriers to unblocking sites, and doesn’t collect any of your data.
https://t.co/ylt9e4gF9G
CheatSheet
CheatSheet helps you memorize keyboard shortcuts for all your favourite Mac apps.
Just hold the Command Key for a few seconds and you’ll get a list of every shortcut available in that app.
https://t.co/n8SV5URNUM
Meeter
Join Zoom, Google Meet, or other virtual conference meetings faster with Meeter.
Meeter automatically pulls your upcoming calls and puts them in your menu bar, letting you manage them all in one place.
https://t.co/VJL0vr9RDJ
Fantastical — Calendar
Fantastical is the best calendar available for Mac.
It’s got everything you’d expect from a modern calendar app and a little bit extra, including Time Zone sync, reminders, weather forecast, and more.
https://t.co/Q9ecOq6MOp
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BREAKING: @CommonsCMS @DamianCollins just released previously sealed #Six4Three @Facebook documents:
Some random interesting tidbits:
1) Zuck approves shutting down platform API access for Twitter's when Vine is released #competition
2) Facebook engineered ways to access user's call history w/o alerting users:
Team considered access to call history considered 'high PR risk' but 'growth team will charge ahead'. @Facebook created upgrade path to access data w/o subjecting users to Android permissions dialogue.
3) The above also confirms @kashhill and other's suspicion that call history was used to improve PYMK (People You May Know) suggestions and newsfeed rankings.
4) Docs also shed more light into @dseetharaman's story on @Facebook monitoring users' @Onavo VPN activity to determine what competitors to mimic or acquire in 2013.
https://t.co/PwiRIL3v9x
Some random interesting tidbits:
1) Zuck approves shutting down platform API access for Twitter's when Vine is released #competition
2) Facebook engineered ways to access user's call history w/o alerting users:
Team considered access to call history considered 'high PR risk' but 'growth team will charge ahead'. @Facebook created upgrade path to access data w/o subjecting users to Android permissions dialogue.
3) The above also confirms @kashhill and other's suspicion that call history was used to improve PYMK (People You May Know) suggestions and newsfeed rankings.
4) Docs also shed more light into @dseetharaman's story on @Facebook monitoring users' @Onavo VPN activity to determine what competitors to mimic or acquire in 2013.
https://t.co/PwiRIL3v9x
