20 ideas that will change your way of thinking

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

These theories, laws, and paradoxical observations will help you become more effective, inspire, or spark curiosity.

1. The principle of inversion

Avoiding stupidity is easier than trying to be brilliant. Instead of asking the question, "How can I help my company?" Think, "What is most harmful to my company and how can I avoid it?" Identify the most obvious failure scenarios and avoid them.

2. Theory of Constraints

A system is only as strong as its weakest link. Oddly enough, if you break the system down into small parts and optimize each of them separately, efficiency in general will decrease. Focus on the “neck of the bottle,” that is, the factor limiting growth, and remove the obstacle.

3. Faustian deal

Faust sold his soul in exchange for knowledge. At first it seemed like a good deal, but in the final it turned out to be a loss. As it turned out, what he lost was much more valuable than what he gained. Evaluate your decisions in the long run so that you don't end up winning the battle but losing the war.

4. The theory of mimetic desire

People don't know what they want and imitate the wishes of those around them. The entire advertising industry is built on this idea. Think about it the next time you think you really want something.

5. The rule of vain competition

Don't copy what others are doing by competing with them. Focus on questions and tasks that no one is taking on. Life becomes easier when you don't compete with others.

6. The wisdom of the paradox

Logic is the key to scientific truths, but paradoxes reign in psychology. When it comes to human nature, the deepest truths often run counter to common sense. For example, we try to hide our vulnerabilities, being afraid to appear weak. But when other people show weakness in public, we consider them brave and strong.

7. Cost of lost profits

To accomplish one thing, you have to give up the other. When you read a post on a social network, you make a choice at this moment not to read something else. And so with any occupation that takes our time.

8. The law of triviality

A group of people working on one project will mostly and most often argue about the most trivial things, and ignore the difficult ones. Because discussing difficult issues requires more effort. For example, when designing a spacecraft, people will be more willing to discuss the color of astronauts' suits, rather than the design of the engine.

9. Table selection

Don't compete with the best. If you want to win, go for a simple table. This idea came from poker, in which it is especially important to carefully select your opponents. You don’t have to be good at doing something difficult if you’re good at avoiding complexity.

10. Gall's law

A successfully working complex system evolves from a simple working system. If you try to create a complex mechanism from scratch, it will not function and it will not even be possible to repair it. You still have to start all over again, that is, with a system that consists of a small number of elements and does not have a hierarchy. The law also applies when developing a product, building a startup, and purchasing sophisticated equipment. For example, it is not for nothing that they advise not to take a new car model in the first year after release: while creating it, the manufacturers probably made mistakes, so it will take time to identify and eliminate them.

11. Parkinson's law

The work is stretched to fill the allotted time. We do not want to seem lazy, and we find additional things to do, even if they are not important. Consider this when setting your deadlines.

12. Occam's Razor

The simplest explanation for the event is most likely the correct one. This is also called the principle of economy of thought. In science, it helps not to introduce new complex laws if the old ones fully explain what is happening. In everyday life, we use this principle when we need to make a choice or make a decision.

13. The phenomenon of hormesis

The same phenomenon in high and low doses can have the opposite effect. A lot of stress is harmful, and a small amount of it invigorates. Lifting the barbell for half an hour a day is good for your muscles, but if you do it for six hours a day, you will harm your body. Do everything in moderation.

14. Postel's Law

Be strict about what you do yourself and be generous about what you receive from others. This is a rule of thumb for software development, but it’s also useful in life: Apply higher standards to yourself than to others.

15. Horseshoe theory

People on opposite ends of the "horseshoe" (of some kind of phenomenon) are more similar to each other than to the people in the center. For example, ultra-right and ultra-left movements can be equally violent and aim at similar goals.

16. Cascade of available information

It is a cognitive bias that is responsible for generating public opinion. The more often an idea is repeated in society, passing from one person to another, the more people begin to believe in it. Not because she is true, but because she is popular.

17. Circle of competences

Define the boundaries of your knowledge, this will help to avoid mistakes when making decisions. Chances are, your circle will be smaller than you thought. This is normal, because it is impossible to be an expert in everything. The main thing is to understand what you know and what you don’t, and build on that.

18. Personal monopoly

Corporations reward people for uniformity, and the Internet for uniqueness. If you work in a creative field, strive to be the only one who does exactly what you do. Find your own style and develop it.

19. Window of Opportunities

Gaps between fast-paced technology and outdated social norms are creating new lucrative business opportunities. But they are only available for a short period. It is important to notice and not miss such a window in time. For example, 2007 was the perfect year for the iPhone launch, but the Google Glass headset came too early.

20. Principle of denial

When faced with a problem, we immediately try to introduce a new way to deal with it or buy a solution. But sometimes you can improve your life without acquiring, but giving up something. For example, what foods you avoid is more important than what you add to your diet.