Follow the Incentives and You'll Predict the Behavior
To understand behavior, look at incentives, not stated values — people respond to what they are rewarded for.
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Self-awareness
You can't change what you don't see. Self-awareness is the unglamorous skill of noticing your own patterns — what triggers you, what drains you, which stories you tell yourself. The advice here helps you observe yourself honestly without drowning in self-analysis.
Before Removing a Rule, Understand Why It Was Created
Understand a rule's purpose before you decide it's unnecessary.
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Look at What's Missing, Not Just What's Present
What's absent often reveals more than what's present.
13
Good Thinking Often Feels Like Discomfort
When you feel resistance to an idea, that is often where the real thinking begins.
6
Not Every Problem Needs Your Opinion
Selective engagement is wisdom, not apathy — you do not need a view on everything.
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Ask What Would Change Your Mind
Every honest belief has a condition for revision — if nothing could change your mind, it is dogma.
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Treat Your First Thought as a Draft
Your first reaction is a reflex, not a conclusion — give yourself permission to revise before acting.
5
Notice When You're Rationalizing vs. Actually Reasoning
If you already know the conclusion before examining the evidence, you are rationalizing, not reasoning.
22
Naming a Bias Does Not Remove It
Knowing about a bias does not protect you from it — you still need active systems to counteract blind spots.
7
It's Harder to Think Clearly About Things You Care About
Emotional investment bends your thinking — you need the most clarity precisely where it is hardest to achieve.
8
What Has Lasted Long Will Probably Last Longer
Time is the most ruthless filter — what survived it has proven its worth.
12
Separate Observation from Interpretation
Most conflicts start when we treat interpretations as facts — learn to notice the gap.
8
"I Disagree" and "I Don't Understand" Feel the Same but Aren't
Before debating, make sure you truly understand the other position — disagreement and confusion feel alike.
15
The Mark of a Good Thinker Is How Often They Say "I Don't Know"
Intellectual humility opens the door to real learning — pretending to know closes it.
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If You Can't Explain It Simply, You May Not Understand It Yet
The real test of understanding is the ability to explain something simply.
8
What You Choose Not to Do Is Also a Decision
Inaction is a choice too — every yes carries a hidden no, and every no carries a hidden yes.
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Before Starting, Imagine This Already Failed — Then Ask Why
Assume the project has already failed and work backwards to find the blind spots optimism hides.
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Ask What Problem This Solution Creates
Every solution creates new problems — the key is identifying the trade-offs before you commit.
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