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‍ Thought experiment: If the reward for solving the problem was a trillion dollars, and the consequence for not solving the problem was the death penalty -- would you find a way to solve the problem?

Tool 4 - Ask For Help

‍ "I have three mentors.

When I’m stuck on a problem and need their help, I take the time to write a good description of my dilemma, before reaching out to them. I summarize the context, the problem, my options, and my thoughts on each. I make it as succinct as possible so as not to waste their time.

Before sending it, I try t... See more

If stuck between two potential options, ask: What is the best story?

"Life is a form of self storytelling. We're continually retelling ourselves our life story, but very few people think of themselves as authors of their story, not mere subjects. People with extraordinary high-agency realize this early in life and start maximizing the interestingne... See more

The Swedish House Mafia Technique

Step 1 - Collect the smartest people you know.

Step 2 - Tell them about your 3rd world jail cell. (Problem you're stuck on)

Step 3 - Lock the door. Block out the outside world.

Step 4 - Keep rallying ideas back and forth like a tennis game. Take immediate action on the best ideas.

One tool to make this easier is to reframe decisions as experiments . You’re no longer a perfectionist frozen on stage with everyone watching your every move, you’re a curious scientist in a lab trying to test a hypothesis. E.g. “ I’m 60% certain that moving to New York is better than 40% of staying in Doncaster...Ok. It’s time to Blitzkrieg. ” Boo... See more

‍ Rumination Trap Escape Route: How can I take action on this now?

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Rumination can be reframed as a smoke alarm for action. If you catch yourself ruminating, reply with How can I take action on this?

‍ Attachment Trap Escape Route: What would I do if I had 10x the agency?

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This question from Nick throws a first principles grenade into your mind. It forces you to start the problem again from a fresh perspective free of past assumptions. You often realise the real problem wasn’t the problem itself. It was the assumptions you were viewing it throu... See more

Film director Kevin Smith tells a story of his father who lived his life playing by the rules:

‍ "My father was a good guy. Not many good men in the world, but this was a good guy. He worked at a post office, canceling your stamps - what a soul-killing, horrible job that is - for years, just to pay for a family. Who knew if he had dreams?...

I get a... See more

Normal is forgotten. Only weird survives.