Mental Models: Learn How to Think Better and Gain a Mental Edge

James Clear · by 12 Aug 2017

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Every claim below was made in this piece, quoted word for word and numbered in the order the piece makes them, so you can read it there rather than take our word for it. The sentence above each quote is our reading of the claim, not their wording. Each quote was checked against a stored copy of the page at build time; where the two differ, the quote is the fact.

Our reading
A mental model is an explanation of how something works, and each one helps in understanding a different part of life, such as markets, trust or decay.

Their wordsMental models help you understand life. For example, supply and demand is a mental model that helps you understand how the economy works. Game theory is a mental model that helps you understand how relationships and trust work. Entropy is a mental model that helps you understand how disorder and decay work.
Our reading
Learning a new mental model can give a person a new way to see the world, much as a new math technique does.

Their wordsMental models also guide your perception and behavior. They are the thinking tools that you use to understand life, make decisions, and solve problems. Learning a new mental model gives you a new way to see the world—like Richard Feynman learning a new math technique.
Our reading
Mental models are imperfect but useful: no single one explains everything, yet the best of them have let people build and travel.
Mental modelMany models, not one

Their wordsMental models are imperfect, but useful. There is no single mental model from physics or engineering, for example, that provides a flawless explanation of the entire universe, but the best mental models from those disciplines have allowed us to build bridges and roads, develop new technologies, and even travel to outer space.
Our reading
The best mental models are the ones with the most utility, and a broad base of them is needed to think clearly, rationally and effectively.
Mental modelMany models, not one

Their wordsThe best mental models are the ideas with the most utility. They are broadly useful in daily life. Understanding these concepts will help you make wiser choices and take better actions. This is why developing a broad base of mental models is critical for anyone interested in thinking clearly, rationally, and effectively.
Our reading
Of the thousands of mental models, the ones worth having are those that apply broadly to life.
Mental modelMany models, not one

Their wordsThere are thousands of mental models, but the best ones apply broadly to life and are useful in a wide range of situations.
Our reading
A few dozen mental models are enough to get a firm grasp of how the world works.
Mental modelMany models, not one

Their wordsOf all the mental models humankind has generated throughout history, there are just a few dozen that you need to master to have a firm grasp of how the world works.

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