The Most Powerful Mental Model - Inversion

Are you looking for a better way to approach problem-solving? Do you want to take your critical thinking skills to the next level? If so, then mental model inversion may be just the technique you need.

In this video, we'll explore the concept of mental model inversion and how it can help you approach problems from a different perspective.

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Sources:
Shane Parrish -"The Great Mental Models: General Thinking Concepts"

[mdreid]

“Always invert”. Therefore I should “never invert”. Got it.

[darkridge]

I'm reminded of when Arthur Dent learned that anyone can fly, all you have to do is throw yourself at the ground and miss.

[easlern]

Whenever I’m about to do something, I think, “would an idiot do that?” And if they would, I do not do that thing.
- Dwight Schrute

[StepDub]

I call this the “one minus” method. The mathematical example is where you have a complex probability problem involving multiple interactions of probabilities which makes it very difficult to calculate. Instead of tackling the problem head on, and working through all of the combinations leading to the probable outcome, you focus on the probability of the even NOT occurring, which is usually much easier, and then take this value (which in probability terms will be some fraction) and subtract it from one, leaving you with your desired result. It’s a great favourite lesson of mathematics teachers and the are lots of examples out there. It’s surprising how often you can apply this principle this to everyday life situations as well if you are aware of it.

[HHHGeorge]

Thank you for a worthwhile video explained very well. The Sherlock Holmes example at the end demonstrated the concept you were explaining very well.

[thelovenavigator]

🙌"Inversions" - Definitely worth it. A very informative video.

[johneyon]

don't map out a path to your goals - instead - determine how to fail - then list the acts that will lead to that failure - and avoid them - the assumption is that after dodging the bad - you'll somehow arrive at your goal

[bonnie]

Both of these options seem useful, and I appreciated the video. More examples of how to apply the second one would be helpful.

[DexterHaven]

You explained this like you didn't understand it, though. If you did, you relate it to disjunctive syllogism, material implication, reductio ad absurdum.

[lucafoppoli]

The video is well made and clear, yet you should have given credit to Shane Parrish, as the depiction you provide (down to the exact examples and explanation flow) is EXACTLY the same that Shane provides in his book The Great Mental Models vol. 1.

Taking from others’ work is fine (this is all Shane does by the way, as per his own admission), but referencing the original source should go with it.

[jamesparker]

Note that we did not search for this video

[everyoneisthinkingtheexactsame]

Great mental model and nifty illustrations. How do you do those without showing your hand?

[puddintame]

There once was a man with a goal,
How to get there he just didn't know,
Inversion dingalings,
By not doing things,
That would move him away from it though.

[harrypearle]

AVOID TRUMP in 2024 ?
Democrats might focus on how to AVOID TRUMP MANIA in this election...
(Have IDEA CONTESTS, asking people to submit messaging ideas, now)
TNX

[DXTR_likesrap]

Wasn't a phone, they didn't have cellphones back then

[jamesbarringer]

In general this a very good video, but the Charlie Munger example was a terrible one. In the US (and even more so in Europe) the place where you are most likely to die is at HOME. The second most likely place to die is in a hospital. Between HOME and a HOSPITAL, Americans are about 65% likely to die in these two places. Does Charlie never go home? If he has a reversible life threatening condition, does he not seek medical help? Unfortunately the Einstein example is bad as well, but I'll write about that separately.

[thetruthrenegade]

Actually, the world is not that complex to the trained individual, to the untrained, yes, very complex, why? because your untrained. All animals require training.

[billmarshall]

This was worthless as far as being of any practical use goes. It's not even a coherent introduction to the topic.

[TickleMeTimbers]

No offence but this was bad. First I will say that if this is the advice you follow to get rich (to avoid things that make you poor) then you will die poor. More importantly, you give no practical examples. You say "can you think of other situations" without prompting your viewer with more examples, which honestly feels extremely lazy on your part. Double the length of your video. And spend more time on concrete things and less on abstract. The mind will put the abstract together on its own. If it doesn't, you're destined to stay poor forever.