Thinking From First Principles

Start at the basic rules of the universe...

Photo by Tengyart on Unsplash

Thinking from first principles helps you find creative approaches to problems that don’t ignore the laws of the universe but do help you sidestep false assumptions.

To think for myself from first principles, I worked through this reasoning chain:

• The components of any choice that you make are (a) the skills you bring to the selection, (b) random chance/luck, and (c) your starting position.

• I am a committed lifelong learner, so I’m doing most of what I can do about my skills.

• Nothing can be done about random chance other than positioning to avoid or reduce risk and increase the upside of any choices.

• I need to clearly define my values and priorities. Those will guide what positions I will work toward.

• Once I know my direction, what actions are needed to move toward those aspirations?

• What are the most important values to me? Here are some of my starting points:

  1. Start with health. No health, no good options.

  2. Spend less than I make.

  3. Take care of family and friends.

  4. Change my environment to make positive movement easier, and negative movement harder. (e.g. add friction for snacking, buddy up for exercise, automate savings)

• Develop an “operating system” for myself to make myself as resilient and adaptable as possible. Pre-commit myself to most routine decisions while I’m at my best. Engrain good habits that move me toward my aspirations.

In my next post, I’ll drill down into the things that go into the operating system.