The hottest Mental models Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Education Topics

How to feel bad and be wrong

Experimental History • 40381 implied HN points • 21 Jan 25
📖 Philosophy Mental models
  1. Our brains often take shortcuts when facing tough questions, making it easier to answer simple ones instead. This can lead us to overlook important issues in our lives.
  2. Many people measure their worth and productivity based on how hard they feel they are working, instead of setting clear goals. This can cause unnecessary stress and feelings of inadequacy.
  3. When assessing things like the state of the economy or the quality of a school, we tend to rely on popular opinion rather than personal experience. This leads to judgments that may not reflect reality.

The Map is not the Territory

do clouds feel vertigo? • 59 implied HN points • 20 Jul 24
🚌 Education Mental models
  1. Understanding the difference between perception and reality is important. Different people have various ways to see the world, and it helps to have multiple perspectives.
  2. Mental models are valuable thinking tools that can help us make sense of complex situations. Organizing these models by subject can guide our decision-making.
  3. Learning about complex adaptive systems can provide a solid foundation for understanding how different parts of a system interact. It's a good starting point for anyone new to the topic.

Mixing Mental Arts

Polymathic Being • 56 implied HN points • 21 Dec 25
📖 Philosophy Mental models
  1. Slowicism blends Stoicism and Taoism: tame your emotions with reframing and use Wu Wei, or intentional non-action, to stop automatic reactions.
  2. Slowing down and refusing to react to every outrage or piece of information clears space to think more deeply and prevents cascading bad outcomes.
  3. You need steady practice because these habits build flow, restore your agency, and create compounding improvements that make life calmer and more effective.

On Education

Smarter Thinking • 39 implied HN points • 01 Mar 23
🚌 Education Mental models
  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.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

The Two Creatures Inside Us

The Ruffian • 184 implied HN points • 20 May 23
📖 Philosophy Mental models
  1. Life is full of trade-offs between exploring new opportunities and exploiting current knowledge.
  2. The 'explore/exploit' trade-off is a common dilemma faced by individuals, organizations, and organisms.
  3. Understanding and balancing the 'explore/exploit' trade-off can help in personal, work, and social situations.

A Kingdom of Wisdom

CTOrly • 39 implied HN points • 08 Aug 22
📖 Philosophy Mental models
  1. Leadership requires philosophy, not just logic, to navigate people's irrationality.
  2. Being reasonable often trumps being purely rational in dealing with people.
  3. Mental models are better tools than logical formulas for understanding and interacting with people.

#9: Tradeoffs

The Uncertainty Mindset (soon to become tbd) • 79 implied HN points • 01 Jan 20
📖 Philosophy Mental models
  1. Life is full of tradeoffs. When you want something, like a stable job or a big house, you may have to give up other freedoms, like moving easily or having more free time.
  2. It’s important to clearly define what tradeoffs you are okay with. This helps you make better decisions, whether it’s about what to eat or where to live.
  3. Instead of just asking what you want, think about what you are willing to sacrifice. This question helps you understand your priorities and can lead to clearer choices.

Novitate

Vic's Verdict • 4 implied HN points • 01 Oct 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Mental models
  1. Conformity in the contemporary paradigm is rooted in fear, but we can renew our minds by understanding and using Girard's mimetic theory to shift beliefs from fear to faith.
  2. Our beliefs are shaped by causal mechanisms such as mimetic desire and programming, as well as acausal mechanisms that introduce new ideas seemingly out of nowhere.
  3. To combat fear and find faith, we must actively question our beliefs, select positive mimetic models, filter mental models, and work on deprogramming negative conditioning through reflection and manipulation of our unconscious beliefs.

Letter to a Burned Out Founder

Bit by Bit • 3 HN points • 23 Apr 23
💼 Business Mental models
  1. Burnout can slowly build up and affect your joy, will, and ability to work.
  2. Startups often face burnout in the early stages before and after achieving product-market fit.
  3. Consider the mental models of 'looking for gold' and playing an 'infinite game' to prevent burnout and make strategic decisions.

On the Importance of Mental Models in Investing

Equal Ventures • 0 implied HN points • 14 Dec 23
💰 Finance Mental models
  1. Venture investing can be unstructured with limited data, requiring investors to develop independent conviction in opportunities.
  2. Successful investors use mental models to structure thoughts and make better decisions, developing a unique approach based on a latticework of models.
  3. Leveraging mental models inspired by seasoned investors can significantly impact professional growth and decision-making, creating structure in the chaotic venture environment.

Book Review: "The Great Mental Models: General Thinking Concepts" Vol. I - by Farnam Street 4/5

Poczwardowski Notes • 0 implied HN points • 22 Jul 22
🚌 Education Mental models
  1. The book presents 9 mental models with many examples and illustrations.
  2. It's the first volume in a series focusing on general thinking concepts, serving as a great introduction to the world of mental models.
  3. Implementing these concepts can enhance decision-making and problem-solving skills, benefiting personal growth and understanding.

Be aware: Linear Thinking

Marcio Klepacz • 0 implied HN points • 21 Jun 24
📖 Philosophy Mental models
  1. Linear thinking is when people keep using the same solution, hoping for better results, but that often doesn't work. It can even lead to worse outcomes when pushed too far.
  2. Just because you put in more effort doesn't guarantee you will get more results. Sometimes, it's about working smarter, not harder.
  3. Be mindful of the limits of things that seem positive, as pushing them too far can lead to unexpected negative results. Always consider possible consequences before acting.

✋If you want to avoid costly mistakes

The Wisdom Project • 0 implied HN points • 15 Dec 24
📖 Philosophy Mental models
  1. To make better choices in life, focus on avoiding mistakes instead of just trying to achieve goals. This means thinking about what to stay away from.
  2. Instead of asking how to be fitter, richer, or happier, ask what habits or choices can lead you to be unfit, poor, or sad.
  3. Use the idea of 'inversion' to guide your decisions. If you know what leads to negative outcomes, you can avoid those paths to improve your life.

📈 Achieve more by doing less?

The Wisdom Project • 0 implied HN points • 08 Dec 24
🚌 Education Mental models
  1. Most of your results come from a small part of your efforts. Focus on the most impactful actions.
  2. Identifying the key tasks that make a big difference is important. Spend more time on those.
  3. Sometimes, doing less can actually help you achieve more. It’s about working smarter, not harder.

⏪︎ 2024 Recap

The Wisdom Project • 0 implied HN points • 22 Dec 24
🚌 Education Mental models
  1. First principles thinking helps you break down complex problems into basic elements. It makes finding solutions easier.
  2. Slow productivity encourages focusing on important tasks without rushing. This approach helps you work more effectively and avoid burnout.
  3. Using a decision matrix can help you make better choices. It organizes your options and clarifies which path to take.

Book Review: "The Great Mental Models: Physics, Chemistry and Biology" Vol. 2 - by Farnam Street 4/5

Poczwardowski Notes • 0 implied HN points • 01 Feb 23
🔬 Science Mental models
  1. The second volume of 'The Great Mental Models' explores physics, chemistry, and biology, offering practical and timeless concepts that can improve our thinking.
  2. The second book maintains the high quality aesthetic of the first volume but feels more practical and grounded in the laws of nature.
  3. Exploring concepts from various scientific branches, such as those presented in the book, supports multidisciplinary thinking, helping us solve problems better and avoid repeating mistakes.

Charlie Munger is dead; Long live his ideas!

Moaty Stocks Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 17 Dec 23
💼 Business Mental models
  1. Remember and apply the concept of "What would Charlie do?" when faced with tough problems.
  2. Break down complex problems into ideas, find relationships between them, and identify self-reinforcing loops for better problem-solving.
  3. Charlie Munger's legacy includes a network of mental models for enhancing business analysis and decision-making.