How to think about decision-making: decision making mental models
When it comes to decision-making, certain mental models are more valuable than others. In this newsletter issue, I have compiled some of them, along with their sources.
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Keep the main thing the main thing. Pay attention to falling prey to “the tilt” (emotional reactions that sway your present self astray and let you lose clear-mindedness). When you make a decision—whatever its magnitude—do not forget about the main thing. That’s what truly matters. All the noise around you may lead you to lose sight of the main thing. But it is always there. And you can use your mental axe to cut through all the noise around you and keep the main thing at an arm’s length.
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Step back and detach. You can only truly understand a situation when you take a moment to detach from your current tunnel-focused narrowness. The more urgent and high-priority the decision may appear or be, the more valuable this ability becomes. Stepping back means scanning the whole environment around you while keeping in mind the main thing.
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Ask yourself: How can I approach this as an experiment? This approach can be especially beneficial for your personal life or lower-stakes decisions in business (to encourage innovation). Experiments can fail, which is why we call them "experiments" – like a group of scientists testing a new theory of human DNA in their lab. It's a new discovery and can fail, and society accepts failure when it's part of an experiment. You can reframe your endeavors as experiments, allowing you to take the plunge and try new things while becoming comfortable with the fear of potential failure.
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Veteran artists accept hitting the wall and persist with effortlessness and consistency. They don't give up but stay focused on the main goal, no matter how mundane it may become. At times, they may face "the dip" as Seth Godin puts it, but they keep facing the wall until they find a small window to the other side. On the other side is the finish line. And then the process starts again. Veteran artists are accepting of this cycle.
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Be aware of mimetic desires. They can be the cause of a decision you wouldn't normally consider. Take a deep breath and detach yourself from the situation to get a clear view of it before making a decision. Too many decisions can deplete your willpower and lead you astray. Mimetic desires can be confusing.
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Do not forget your finitude. Do not live as if you were an infinite being. Your existence is finite, and so is your attention. Accept this reality and drop any resistance to it.
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Thank you for reading,
best regards,
Simone