Applying the First Principles Thinking
Identify the Problem
What is something that I want to change in my life?
Deconstruct the Problem
What are the causes of my problems? How does it affect my life?
Solve the Problem
Start creating your new framework. You could think of multiple ways to achieve your goals easily.
MORE IDEAS FROM THE ARTICLE
Moving away from analogy = Removing iterative steps based on other or older experiences and biases and prejudices
Determination. Do something that you have willingly chosen to do. Have a sense of autonomy and self-empowerment.
Bring on companions. Shared memories and experiences are far stronger motivating factors.
Be impatient. achieve your goals as quickly as you can.
Stay curious. Do not just dream, but see the benefits for yourself.
Avoidance. Make the most out of your time and win the final pay off.
- Allows for a more personal, customized mode of thinking and application.
- A key to doing any sort of systemic inquiry.
- Even though it does take far more mental energy to work in this mode, the results can be quite staggering.
- A new and innovative way of thinking.
Comparison Thinking (reason through analogy)
When you make decisions and judgement calls based on what you or others have experienced. An easy mode of thinking but also offers no innovation or large changes.
First Principles Thinking (new perspective)
When you take a problem and break it down to its fundamental parts and truths, you think of a way in solving it in a new and innovative way. A harder mode of thinking, but does offer better results, is far more effective and creates recognizable change.
RELATED IDEAS
Method used by René Descartes in which he would “systematically doubt everything he could possibly doubt until he was left with what he saw as purely indubitable truths."
...is a foundational proposition or assumption that stands alone. We cannot deduce first principles from any other proposition or assumption.
Reasoning by first principles removes the impurity of assumptions and conventions. What remains is the essentials.
The First Principles Thinking can be applied in our daily life:
- Starting a business requires first principles thinking to build a fundamentally better product or service.
- On a busy day, first principles thinking makes us do what's essential while not being bogged down with time constraints.
- Applying the first principles toward good health will make us feel considerably better than obeying some diet or exercise routine that we hate.