The Decision Book: Fifty Models for Strategic Thinking (Fully Revised Edition)

Pay attention to your thoughts, because they become words. Pay attention to your words, because they become actions. Pay attention to your actions, because they become habits. Pay attention to your habits, because they become your character. Pay attention to your character, because it is your fate.

Substitute? Substitute people, components, materials. • Combine? Combine with other functions or things. • Adapt? Adapt functions or visual appearance. • Modify? Modify the size, shape, texture or acoustics. • Put to other use? Other, new, combined uses. • Eliminate? Reduce, simplify, eliminate anything superfluous. • Reverse? Use conversely, inver

Whenever you have an important decision to make, write down what you expect to happen. After a year, compare your expectation with the actual outcome.

The psychology professor Barry Schwarz has a simple recommendation: reduce your choice. For example, in a restaurant, pick the first dish on the menu that you like the look of, and then immediately close the menu. Because the more options you juggle in your mind, the more dissatisfied you will be.

“The most urgent decisions are rarely the most important ones.”

Recognizing this blind spot enables second-order observers to become know-alls.

But in many cases, focusing too strongly on the flaws of an idea or project stifles the open and positive approach that is essential for good working practices. The basic principle is to take an idea that is not yet fully developed and to continue developing it, instead of prematurely abandoning it.

Concentrating on weakness creates a negative impression from the outset.

It is an art to recognize the boundaries between cowardice and madness.

We are increasingly surrounded by “black boxes,” complex constructs that we do not understand even if they are explained to us.