Know When to Decide Fast and When to Decide Slow
Move fast on decisions you can undo and slow down on decisions you cannot.
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Thinking
Critical thinking, cognitive biases, decision-making, and learning to see clearly. The operating system behind everything else.
137 advices
Attack the Argument, Not the Person Making It
Judge the argument on its own merits, regardless of who delivers it.
9
"If We Allow This, Everything Will Collapse" Is Rarely True
One change rarely triggers an unstoppable chain reaction — each step has its own decision point.
12
If the Problem Keeps Returning, It's Probably a System
Recurring problems are structural symptoms — redesign the system, don't just fix the instance.
10
No Plan Survives Contact with Reality — But Planning Still Matters
The value of planning is the preparation to adapt, not the plan itself.
13
Replace "I Think" with "I Currently Believe Because..."
Stating your reasoning out loud keeps your mind open to changing it.
13
The Map Is Not the Territory
Treat your understanding of the world as a working draft, not a finished document.
16
Strong Opinions, Loosely Held
Have the courage to commit to your ideas, and the honesty to abandon them when proven wrong.
12
You Don't Know What You Don't Know
Build the habit of asking what you might be missing before you decide.
12
Most Problems Look Different When You Write Them Down
When a problem feels overwhelming, write it down — clarity usually follows.
10
Think from First Principles
When the usual approach fails, break the problem down to what you know for certain and reason up from there.
7
You See What You Want to See
Actively seek out evidence against your beliefs — your brain will not do it for you.
22
Solve Problems Backwards
Instead of asking how to succeed, ask what would guarantee failure — then avoid those things.
12
Don't Keep Digging Just Because You Already Dug the Hole
Past investment should not dictate future decisions — ask whether you would start the same thing today.
12
Think About the Consequences of Consequences
Before making a big decision, ask \"and then what?\" at least twice to see past the immediate outcome.
9
Argue Against the Best Version of the Other Side
Before you argue against an idea, make sure you can state it in a way its supporters would endorse.
5
See the System, Not Just the Parts
When something keeps failing, look at how the parts interact rather than blaming individual pieces.
22
Think in Probabilities, Not Certainties
Assign rough probabilities to outcomes instead of pretending you know what will happen for certain.
9