Smarter Thinking

Smarter Thinking is a newsletter aimed at enhancing cognitive abilities and fostering personal improvement through practical advice and mental models. It covers note-taking strategies, stoicism, education principles, mindset cultivation, and the application of systems and routines for better productivity and decision-making. The newsletter emphasizes continuous learning, self-reflection, and effective habit formation.

Personal Development Productivity Mental Models Education Stoicism Cognitive Biases Mindfulness Habit Formation Decision Making Learning Techniques

The hottest Substack posts of Smarter Thinking

And their main takeaways

How to take better notes

137 implied HN points • 07 Aug 22
  1. The Zettelkasten method involves taking fleeting notes, making literature notes, and then creating permanent ones.
  2. Establishing a good note-taking system is essential to capture ideas and improve retention.
  3. Writing can enhance thinking, and using a system like Zettelkasten can help generate new ideas.

On Education

39 implied HN points • 01 Mar 23
🚌 Education Mental models Knowledge Skills
  1. Getting a degree is important, but education is an ongoing process beyond school.
  2. Building accurate mental models through education is crucial for better reasoning.
  3. Education not only imparts knowledge but also equips you with skills to apply what you've learned.

Stories and Structures

19 implied HN points • 30 Mar 23
📖 Philosophy Human behavior Belief systems
  1. Stories play a crucial role in shaping how individuals and societies perceive and behave in the world.
  2. Structures, both literal and figurative, act as restrictions that influence our actions and behaviors.
  3. Stories and structures are interconnected, with stories creating the foundation for structures to exist and vice versa, guiding our perceptions and behaviors.

Get Uncomfortable - Part 2, and new year stuff

19 implied HN points • 25 Jan 23
  1. Consider being systems-oriented rather than goal-oriented in achieving success.
  2. Experiment with a 'No-complain Challenge' to improve your mindset and happiness.
  3. Challenge yourself to embrace discomfort occasionally to avoid dependency and fragility.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Mind as a garden

19 implied HN points • 28 Aug 22
  1. Think of your mind as a garden where you control what grows.
  2. Choose carefully what you 'plant' in your mind by reading enriching books.
  3. Take responsibility for maintaining and nurturing your 'garden' of thoughts.

Zeigarnik Effect and your Memory

19 implied HN points • 12 Feb 22
  1. Zeigarnik Effect impacts memory by focusing on unfinished tasks.
  2. Server at restaurant showing memory ability by not writing down orders.
  3. Subscription needed for full access to blog post on Zeigarnik Effect.

The power of systems and routines

19 implied HN points • 23 Jan 22
  1. Systems are habits that you consistently perform.
  2. Good systems lead to achieving goals more effectively than just setting goals.
  3. Building a personal system requires identifying what's important to you and finding a process that works for you.

Some ideas to challenge your mind for 2022

19 implied HN points • 30 Dec 21
  1. Reading books is important for personal growth and learning.
  2. Writing, especially online, can help improve thinking and communication skills.
  3. Take on challenges like a no-complain challenge and seek discomfort to grow and improve.

Let your morning routine push you

19 implied HN points • 01 Dec 21
  1. Try using your non-dominant hand to brush your teeth to become a bit more ambidextrous.
  2. Switching up your routine can help form new habits and increase mindfulness.
  3. Use shower time to practice mindfulness and focus on sensory experiences.

Get Uncomfortable

0 implied HN points • 26 Dec 22
  1. Seek discomfort to make yourself stronger and more resilient.
  2. Small doses of discomfort can be beneficial for personal growth.
  3. Developing a tolerance for discomfort can help you navigate unexpected challenges with ease.

The two types of hard work

0 implied HN points • 29 Jun 22
  1. There are two types of hard work: solving difficult problems and putting in long-term effort.
  2. The first type requires intelligence and short-term effort, while the second type demands grit and perseverance.
  3. Success often comes from both types of hard work, with the second type being crucial for long-term progress.

The Planning Fallacy

0 implied HN points • 26 Apr 22
  1. The planning fallacy is when people underestimate the time and resources needed for a project.
  2. We tend to focus on the positives and are overconfident in our abilities when planning.
  3. To combat the planning fallacy, consider potential setbacks, learn from others, and make project details concrete.

Why Read Books

0 implied HN points • 28 Mar 22
  1. Reading books offers high-quality knowledge distillation from expert authors.
  2. Books help you master a subject deeply, enriching your mental models.
  3. Reading books can help you learn and cultivate the lost art of focusing.

Curves of Competence

0 implied HN points • 20 Mar 22
  1. Circle of Competence helps you understand what you know vs. what you don't know.
  2. Curves of Competence show how much you know about a topic - peak represents expertise.
  3. Increasing the peak of expertise is difficult and involves deliberate practice, but can lead to exponential growth.

Don't be the lion when it comes to focus

0 implied HN points • 20 Feb 22
  1. Stop multitasking to avoid reduced efficiency and mistakes.
  2. Adopt a stop-doing list to prioritize tasks and make time for what's important.
  3. Find the one thing you need to focus on to stay on track and avoid distractions.

The additive cognitive bias

0 implied HN points • 24 Oct 21
  1. People tend to add new elements instead of taking away existing components, known as the additive cognitive bias.
  2. Examples include preferring to add training wheels rather than using balance bikes for kids to learn biking or adding blocks instead of removing them for a wobbly bridge puzzle.
  3. Being aware of the additive cognitive bias can help in making decisions, problem-solving, and achieving simplicity in various aspects of life.

Mental Models

0 implied HN points • 28 May 22
  1. Mental models are the models we build in our minds to navigate the world and make decisions.
  2. Models are representations that help answer questions, like how a map helps navigate from one place to another.
  3. Having good mental models is essential for making accurate predictions and decisions in various aspects of life.

How to get better at predicting the future

0 implied HN points • 11 Jun 22
  1. Forecasting is crucial for businesses, countries, and personal decision-making.
  2. Our brains are constantly predicting outcomes, big or small, and detecting surprises.
  3. Developing expertise and mental models in a specific domain can improve your ability to forecast the future.

On War and Madmen

0 implied HN points • 14 Mar 22
  1. The News doesn't provide a framework for thinking about war, just information.
  2. Game Theory helps understand how competing actors make decisions.
  3. Different warfare mental models like Fabian Strategy and Pyrrhic Victory can be applicable in real-life scenarios.

2021 habits in review

0 implied HN points • 11 Jan 22
  1. Developing good systems and structures is key to acquiring new habits
  2. Consistency and starting with small tasks are crucial for maintaining habits
  3. Using tools like spaced repetition can enhance learning and habit formation

Reframe like Edison

0 implied HN points • 19 Nov 21
  1. Reframing a situation can lead to a different perspective and positive outcome.
  2. Changing 'have to' to 'get to' can shift your mindset towards gratitude and motivation.
  3. Viewing success and failure as trying and growing can reduce fear and open up possibilities.

Tools for thinking: Icebergs and Undercurrents

0 implied HN points • 07 Nov 21
  1. Iceberg analysis helps to identify the root causes of problems by looking beyond the surface.
  2. Utilizing levels of thinking - events, patterns, systems/structures, and mental models - can lead to deeper problem-solving.
  3. Undercurrents play a role in our lives, influencing our successes and challenges.

The silicon valley of the 13th century

0 implied HN points • 02 Oct 22
  1. Silicon Valley's innovation thrives on free flow of ideas and friendly competition.
  2. In the 13th century, Murano in Venice had a similar setup for glassmakers, leading to rapid innovation.
  3. The invention of clear glass in Murano revolutionized various industries and technologies.

On Assuming Good Intentions

0 implied HN points • 19 Dec 21
  1. Be slow to judge and assume the best intentions of others.
  2. Give others the benefit of the doubt and consider the full picture before passing judgment.
  3. Don't worry about being judged, take feedback positively for self-improvement.

On Border Crossing, Prioritization and Slow Productivity

0 implied HN points • 17 Jul 22
  1. Border crossing changes people's perspectives and behaviors
  2. Prioritization is key - focus on important tasks and let go of the rest
  3. Quality, focused work is more important than long hours of work

Sharp Mental Models

0 implied HN points • 17 Apr 22
  1. Occam's Razor: Simplest explanation is often the best.
  2. Hanlon's Razor: Don't attribute to malice what can be explained by stupidity.
  3. Alder's Razor: If you can't verify something, it's not worth debating.

The hidden prices of everything you do

0 implied HN points • 09 May 22
  1. Consider the hidden costs of everything you buy or acquire, beyond just the initial price
  2. Paying with your time is a significant cost for many acquisitions
  3. Prioritization is a superpower that helps in understanding and managing costs better

On the convexities of everyday life

0 implied HN points • 11 Apr 22
  1. Making smart decisions early can lead to significant benefits later on.
  2. Convexity in life can result in exponential rewards compared to linear efforts.
  3. Investing time and resources in areas with convex curves can maximize returns.

Bikeshedding, yak shaving and no brown M&Ms

0 implied HN points • 10 Sep 22
  1. Bikeshedding is wasting time on trivial details instead of focusing on important matters.
  2. Yak shaving is when one task leads to another, distracting you from your original goal.
  3. Demanding no brown M&Ms, as done by Van Halen, was a smart way to ensure attention to detail and promoter reliability.

Tragedy of the Commons

0 implied HN points • 18 May 22
  1. Tragedy of the Commons explains how individual actions can harm the collective good.
  2. Setting up structures and policies can prevent the Tragedy of the Commons.
  3. Education and societal structures play a key role in preventing detrimental behaviors.

How to read books

0 implied HN points • 03 Apr 22
  1. Reading many books just to boast numbers may not help in truly learning and retaining knowledge.
  2. Use spaced repetition to interrupt forgetting and revisiting highlights is important for long-term retention.
  3. Employ analytical or syntopical reading methods, revisit content periodically, and take quality notes to enhance learning experience.

Learning to Learn

0 implied HN points • 06 Mar 22
  1. Learning is a lifelong process that happens in various aspects of life, not just in formal education.
  2. Retrieval, self-testing, and reflection are key methods to improve learning and retention.
  3. Elaboration, such as explaining new material in your own words, can enhance learning and deepen understanding.

On Goodhart's law and Boeing

0 implied HN points • 27 Feb 22
  1. Goodhart's law states when a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.
  2. Boeing's focus on stock price growth over safety led to the Boeing 737 Max crashes.
  3. Incentives and targets can lead to unintended consequences and shortcuts in organizations.