Models Thinking

Models Thinking

Models thinking is based on the concept that the world is too huge and vast for anyone to grasp fully. And it would be terribly difficult to go about your day thinking deeply about every little choice or decision you make throughout the day. Each of us has a different perspective on the world around us and we view the world through our own lens which has been years in development through the life experiences we have. This perspective is but one simplified map of the overall world. And when you face problems of different intensities, it helps if you can the problem from a fresh perspective or a different map. Having just your own map or model of the world is like having just one tool in your toolkit. It helps to have different models of the world so that you can approach each problem with its appropriate set of tools. These models are ways of thinking about a given situation or circumstance in life. These are simplified maps for different views of world. One might inform you about the terrain while one might inform you about the kind of creatures/problems you can encounter in that terrain. Together they synthesize a better view of the world. For Ex – One way to solve a problem is to break it down to its bare foundations, its first governing principles, where it can be stated without any assumptions whatsoever and reason up from there. This is called First principles Thinking.

There are tons of resources for learning about a lot of mental models which will help you on your journey. I stumbled on a golden class on Coursera by Michigan University a few years back which was a true eye opener. Recently, I came across the mental models book by Shane parrish. which is also pretty clear in it writing style.