Ww 8 mental models you can use to make decisions After wasting 1,000 hours reading about mental models, these are the only 8 | actually find useful: Made with Typeshare.co2/1 Let's start with a harsh truth. 99% of mental models are a waste of time. And reading about them is nothing but procrastination disguised as productivity. Why? Because most aren't actionable. Luckily, here are 8 you can start using in the next 3 minutes: Made with Typeshare.co3/11 1. "Which decision would the person I'm trying to become make?" You don't magically become the strongest version of yourself. You become that person by: ¢ Taking actions that person takes ¢ Making decisions that person makes Picture your ideal self—what would they do? Made with Typeshare.coain 2. "Which path is more difficult in the short-term, but better in the long term?" Everything good in life comes from compounding. And the key to compounding? Delayed gratification. When faced with two paths, you will never regret taking the one that's more difficult to start. Made with Typeshare.co5/1 3. "Which path will | regret not taking when I'm 80 years old?" This is the mental model Jeff Bezos used to quit his job as a hedge fund trader and start Amazon. Fast forward to your 80-year-old self and think: Which decision would they want me to make? Then, make that one. Made with Typeshare.co6/11 4."Which path would the average person take?" The average person is: ¢ Overweight « Unhappy ¢ Indebt And the brutal truth? It's a result of their tiny decisions compounded for a long time. So figure out the path the average person would take—then, do the opposite. Made with Typeshare.co7M 5. "Which decision is in this person's best self-interest?" This is useful when anticipating other people's decisions. You can simplify the world if you assume they will act in their best interest. As Charlie Munger says: "Show me the incentives and I'll show you the result." Made with Typeshare.co8/11 6. "Which path is simpler?" This is Occam's Razor: the simpler solution is usually the correct one. When given two paths, choose the one that sticks to the basics. There's no need to overcomplicate it. Success comes from doing somewhat monotonous things every day for years. Made with Typeshare.co9/11 7. "What would | advise my best friend to do in this situation?" Most people are 10x better at giving advice to a friend than they are at giving advice to themselves. So picture yourself talking to your best friend. What would you advise them to do? Then, make that choice. Made with Typeshare.co10/11 8. "What would | do if | wasn't concerned about the opinion of others?" The fear of other people judging them holds back 95% of people. But everything changes when you realize: No one on Earth is thinking about you as much as you think they are. Make decisions accordingly. Made with Typeshare.coWN And that's it! The key realization here? Mental models are nothing more than questions you ask yourself when making a decision. The answers to those questions guide your actions. So stop reading about mental models. Start collecting good questions instead. Made with Typeshare.co