The Great Mental Models Vol. 2
Shane Parrish
Summary
The second book in Shane Parrish's series on the Great Mental models to think from first principles.
Rating: 4/5
Notes
Perspective influences what we perceive as reality and how we understand the world
Understand the value and complexity of multiple perspectives because that reduces blind spots and gives you a better understanding of reality
When it comes to reciprocity, we are driven more strongly to avoid losses than achieve gains
Reciprocity based on self-interest is still reciprocity
Become what you want to see in the world and it will be so
Once something is moving in a direction, it’s much easier to keep it in motion
The hardest part of starting but the larger the mass, the longer it takes to slow down
Reducing resistance is easier than adding force. Rather than catch up to competition, add resistance to them
Speed is just movement, velocity has direction
Leverage is achieving results significantly greater than the force you put in
Don’t sell yourself short and keep people wanting what you have. Understand when to use leverage and when not to
You need to put in enough activation energy to start multiple new reactions and if you don’t you won’t get the results you want
3 critical interventions can change countries from poor to rich: maximize output from agriculture, direct investment towards manufacturing and having financial policies that supports these things
Creating lasting change is harder than creating change. Don’t underestimate the activation energy required to break apart existing bonds and create new ones
Invest more than you think, you need to because real change takes effort
Knowledge comes from theory and experience. Be a disciple of experience and receive wisdom
You need to adapt to the environment you’re in, not the one you wish
Adaptation requires being forced out of your comfort zone and into a place where you observe and experience new threats to your security’ - Ragee Sagarin
Longevity does not protect against extinction. You must adapt or die
What matters is not the speed of adaptation but what problems it helps you solve and what problems arise as a result of the enemy’s adaptations
We don’t always know the value of something from the outset and there doesn’t have to be a justification for everything
In any ecosystem or team or organization, everyone has a role to play
Nothing exists in isolated and everything is connected
The environment makes the organism. You never know how/why someone does something until you’re in their shoes
Replication is necessary but not sufficient for survival
The rail industry and telegraph perfectly worked together
Dunbar’s number: 150 is the number of people we can maintain a relationship with
Incentives shape behaviour in all animals
An incentive is a key: a tiny object with an astonishing power to change a situation
Don’t follow incentives that don’t align with your values
Humans innately want to use the least energy possible but if we want to develop our thinking and maximize our environment, we have to be aware of the natural tendency to minimize output and correct for it where doing so creates value
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Make Something Wonderful
Steve Jobs
Summary
The life of Steve Jobs in his own words
Rating: 5/5
Notes
Make something wonderful and put it out there
‘You appear, have a chance to blaze in the sky, then you disappear’
When you’re a stranger in a place, you notice thing you don’t otherwise (Jobs after India trip)
Whenever you start with nothing, always shoot for the moon. You have nothing to lose.
You never achieve what you want without falling on your face a few times
Never be afraid to fail. You never achieve what you want without falling flat on your face a few times
We are never taught to listen to our intuitions, to develop and nurture them. But if you do pay attention to these subtle insights, you can make them come true
Creativity equals connecting previously unrelated experiences and insights others don’t see
Believe that some of what you follow with your heart will come back and make your life richer. And it will. And you will gain even firmer trust on your instincts and intuitions
Make your avocation your vocation. Make what you love your work.
The journey is the reward. The reward isn’t in the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, it’s in crossing the rainbow
To find A+ talent, if experienced, look at their track record and results
The world we know is a human creation and we can push it forward
The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do (read whole ad ‘here’s to the crazy ones)
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit - Aristotle
Hire people better than you are
You can’t plan to meet the people who will change your life
It’s impossible to connect the dots looking forward, but they make sense looking backwards so you have to trust the dots will somehow connect in your future
Everything around you that you call life was made up by people no smarter than you
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