Upgrade your brain, think smarter!
The Great Mental Models Volume 1: General Thinking Concepts
by Shane Parrish
Philosophy
TL;DR
This book is essentially a brain upgrade kit, teaching you how to think smarter by using proven frameworks. You'll learn to deconstruct problems like a pro, identify root causes instead of just slapping band-aids on symptoms, and make better choices by understanding how things really work. It's all about applying these mental shortcuts to avoid common traps, predict outcomes, and optimize your daily grind for less stress and more wins.
Action Items
Pick one goal you have. Now, list 3-5 ways you could absolutely screw it up. Today, actively avoid doing one of those things.
Pick a problem you're facing. Ask "Why?" five times about it, digging deeper each time until you hit a fundamental truth.
Think of a strong opinion you hold about a person or situation. Challenge it by asking: "What if my 'map' of this is incomplete or wrong? What's the actual 'territory' like?"
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Key Chapter
Chapter - Breaking Down Bullshit (aka First Principles Thinking)
Ever feel like you're just doing stuff because "that's how it's always been done"? This chapter slaps you awake. It's about stripping away all the assumptions and getting down to the absolute, undeniable truths. Think of it like trying to build a sandwich: instead of just buying a pre-made one, you ask, "What is a sandwich, really?" Bread, filling, maybe some sauce. Then you build it from scratch, maybe even making your own bread. This isn't just for rocket science; it's for figuring out why your dating life sucks or how to actually save money. You break the problem into its most basic components, then rebuild your understanding from the ground up. It's how you innovate and stop blindly following the herd.
Key Methods and Approaches
Don't Be a Dumbass
(AKA: Inversion)
Description:
Instead of figuring out how to succeed, figure out how to fail and then avoid that shit.
Explanation:
Your brain usually tries to solve problems by going forward. "How do I get rich?" Inversion says, "Nah, fam. How do I go broke?" Then you list all the ways: gambling, buying dumb shit, not working. Once you know how to fail, you just... don't do those things. It's like trying to win a game by figuring out all the ways to lose and then just avoiding those moves. Way easier than trying to find the perfect winning move every time.
Examples:
Want a good relationship? Instead, think: "How do I absolutely ruin a relationship?" (Lie, cheat, ignore, be selfish). Then, don't do that.
Want to get fit? Instead, think: "How do I become super unhealthy?" (Eat junk, never move, sleep 3 hours). Then, avoid that.
Want to ace an exam? Instead, think: "How do I totally bomb this exam?" (Don't study, pull an all-nighter, scroll TikTok during lecture). Then, don't do that.
Today's Action:
Pick one goal you have. Now, list 3-5 ways you could absolutely screw it up. Today, actively avoid doing one of those things.
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