Independent Thinking

How do we develop independent thinking?

When faced with situations with no solution, how do we think and find a way out?

A few (unstructured yet well-researched) thoughts 👇

Independent thinking is a muscle that develops over time. The easiest way to start is: Read other people's thoughts. Find great thinkers and follow them.

For deeper learning, we need to have deeper conversations. So we need to network and make good friends.

How to network? Julie Zhou has some excellent advice.

👉 Help others constantly, be honest about what we need help with and network with someone we are genuinely interested in.

To solve any problem, we can apply an assortment of mental models.

👉 For anything on mental models - one person to follow: Shane Parrish and the excellent Farnam Street blog.

To think well, we need to understand human nature.

👉 The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene is the best recommendation that keeps coming up. The study of human psychology is underrated.

Here are the 3 key lessons from the ‘Laws of Human Nature‘:

1. Overcoming Self-Sabotage: The most significant barrier to success often comes from within ourselves. Greene highlights the importance of maintaining a positive attitude to avoid self-imposed limits on our potential. This concept echoes Anton Chekhov's story of overcoming a traumatic childhood by developing empathy and letting go of negative emotions, which enabled him to pursue a successful writing career.

2. Embracing Both Feminine and Masculine Traits: Greene discusses the 'Law of Gender Repression' through the story of Caterina Sforza, an Italian noblewoman who defied gender stereotypes. He emphasizes that both men and women possess unique traits traditionally associated with the opposite gender. Embracing this duality can enhance our ability to process and understand the world, leading to a more balanced and comprehensive approach to life.

3. Impact of Generational Values: Greene explores how generational cycles, first identified by the scholar Ibn Khaldun, influence our lives. These cycles, consisting of revolutionaries, orderlies, pragmatists, and sceptics, shape societal attitudes and personal values. Recognizing which generational traits we embody can provide insights into our behaviours and life choices, and understanding these patterns can help us navigate our place in the world more effectively.

Last step, yet most important.

Apply the various frameworks and practice them regularly.

👉 The more times we do, the more we learn.

👉 The more we learn, the more we get better.

👉 As we get better, we find the right solutions.

We will get knocked down many times. Brush the dust, tend to the bruises and get back to work.

Grit comes from learning you can get back up after being knocked down. Keep going and improve to become a better thinker.