Systems Thinking

How do you learn to think better?

System - Technique	Description
Knowledge Schema	Context, Linking Thinking
First Principles	Break things down to smallest components and purpose
Mapping Flow of Value
Matrix Thinking	Audit, Creative
Decision Frameworks	Not described in detail, but listed as a system.
Inversion Technique	Prompts you to solve the opposite of a problem when you're stuck; for instance, instead of pondering how to create a successful project, think about what would make it fail, and then avoid those pitfalls.
Design Thinking	Not described in detail, but listed as a system.
Second Order Thinking	This concept involves considering the possible reactions and consequences of your actions beyond the immediate results. This foresight can help you avoid unintended negative outcomes.
Triarchic Intelligence	This process promotes interdisciplinary thinking and synergistic problem-solving, which can lead to more comprehensive and effective solutions. The Triarchic Theory of Intelligence breaks down human intelligence into three main components:Analytical, Creative, Practical.
Outside In	Take an outsider's perspective of the situation.
Connection Circles	Understand relationships and identify feedback loops within systems
Iceberg Model	Uncover root causes of events by looking at hidden levels of abstractions
Balancing Feedback Loop	Mechanism that pushes back against a change to create stability
Reinforcing Feedback Loop	Understand the force behind exponential changes

Clear Thinking

Clear thinking is a skill that can be learned and improved with practice for making better decisions.

Anticipate problems Most problems arise from inertia, social pressures, emotions, and ego. Creating rules to form a new default decision will reduce the likelihood of big problems accumulating in your life.
Simplify Clarify the most important factor in a decision. By determining the most important factor, decisions become easier. When facing multiple options, identify the most important factor to optimize, empowering confident decision-making.
Think independently Clear thinking can help you shift your perspective to ensure that what you want is worth getting. Also, it is important to set your own goals and objectives.
Slow down Slowing down gives you time to spot an obvious place to make the next move. To properly evaluate significant decisions, decisions should be made either ASAP (as soon as possible) or ALAP (as late as possible). Waiting as long as possible allows you to collect vital information, talk to experienced people, and run test trials before deciding.

Focus on visualizing relationships and interconnections between concepts.

Start: Begin by formulating a clear question you want to explore.
Identify Key Concepts: Determine the most important entities or concepts related to your question.
Sort Concepts: Arrange these concepts from the most general to the most specific.
Outline the Map: Start structuring your concept map.
Place Main Concept: Put the central idea or topic at the top of your map.
Arrange Concepts Hierarchically: Organize the other concepts in a descending order of importance or specificity below the main concept.
Connect Related Concepts: Use lines or arrows to show how the concepts are related to each other.
Label Relationships: Add linking phrases to these lines to describe the nature of the relationship.
Add Cross-Links: Include connections between different sections of the map to highlight interdependencies.
Review and Revise: Check the map for accuracy and completeness.
Ensure Clarity and Logical Flow: Make sure the map is easy to understand and follows a logical progression.
Identify Knowledge Gaps: Note any areas where your understanding is incomplete.
Use Color Coding: Optionally, use color to group related concepts.
Keep Concepts Concise: Use short phrases (1-3 words) for concepts and labels.
Iterate and Refine: Continuously update the map as your understanding grows.
End: The result is an improved understanding of the topic and the relationships between its key components.