The Art Of Clear Thinking

4 lessons that I learned from James Clear, Scott H. Young, and Shane Parrish

Feb 25, 2024

For centuries, the pursuit of living our best lives has captivated great thinkers.

Reflecting on the wisdom of philosophers through history, we witness their relentless exploration of ideas, behaviours, and habits to improve and optimize their lives.

Socrates famously said:

“The unexamined life is not worth living.”

I love scrutinizing life to live my best version of my self; understanding the “why” behind my actions, defining my core values, and identifying guiding principles for my life.

Simply put, the ultimate goal is what the ancient Greeks termed eudaimonia— a state of flourishing and living the good life.

Today, I find inspiration in influential thinkers like James Clear, Scott H. Young and Shane Parrish for their valuable insights on productivity, behavioural psychology, forming habits, and improving performance.

The Art Of Clear Thinking

Often, we’re unaware of how we think. Our perspectives are coloured by biases and assumptions, often unquestioned.

We hastily form opinions, sometimes ignoring evidence. Decisions are made without thorough understanding or a structured approach to knowledge.

I believe clear thinking is tied to how much we know about the world, our ability to learn continuously and building a latticework of mental models.

As noted by Shane Parrish:

“The quality of our thinking is proportional to the models in our head and their usefulness in the situation at hand.”

4 Lessons That I Learned From James Clear, Scott H. Young, and Shane Parrish

1. Making Smart Decisions Without Getting Lucky

We often find ourselves investing significant time and energy into decision-making, yet the outcomes don’t always meet our expectations.

Making decisions is challenging, and it’s a skill rarely taught in school. However, the process can be improved through the application of various tools and frameworks rather than being an inherent talent.

In the article “How to Make Smart Decisions Without Getting Lucky”, Shane Parrish shares a practical framework for improving decision-making skills. By drawing on established ideas from diverse fields and employing general thinking frameworks, you can significantly elevate your decision-making prowess.

2 . First Principles — The Power of Thinking for Yourself

First Principles thinking, pioneered by philosopher Aristotle and adopted by modern innovator Elon Musk, offers a powerful method for independent thinking.

When faced with complex issues, relying solely on existing data can obscure the true nature of the problem. Without clear measurement, solutions remain elusive.

In the article “First Principles: Elon Musk on the Power of Thinking for Yourself”, James Clear underscores the importance of First Principles thinking. It involves breaking down problems to their fundamental components, enabling a fresh perspective and the discovery of optimal solutions.

3 . The Pot-Belly Of Ignorance

In our daily lives, what we feed our minds matters as much as what we feed our bodies.

In “The Pot-Belly of Ignorance”, Shane Parrish compares our minds to libraries, highlighting the importance of what we store in them, how easily we access information, and our ability to use it effectively.

This article addresses these questions and serves as a valuable guide to building a reservoir of knowledge in your mind, refining your filtering process, and applying what you learn with confidence.

4. Making The Hard Life Decisions

In the article “How to make hard life decisions”, Scott H.Young suggests that decision-making becomes clearer when options are simplified into binary choices.

Here are the methods that Scott Young proposes:

1 — Find a model. Formalize the decision.

2 — Go with your gut. Then double-check it.

3 — Simulate the decision. Do your research.

4 — Would the person who made this decision do it again?

5 — Ask future-you whether it’s a good idea.

Ultimately, if all five methods converge on one choice, it likely indicates the best option. Yet, when two or three methods offer different results, we need to weigh their strengths carefully to make a decision.

Bonus: Intellectual Humility — Knowing You Might Be Wrong

Intellectual humility goes beyond honesty and sincerity; it’s about recognizing the boundaries of our knowledge.

It means staying open to new ideas, fostering productive discussions, and enhancing our capacity to learn.

In the article “Intellectual humility: the importance of knowing you might be wrong”, Brian Resnick highlights the importance of intellectual humility in countering overconfidence and arrogance in our culture.

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Thank you for reading. I hope you learned a lot today!

Best,

Ben Mumme