| How Clear Thinking transformed my approach to decision-making Shane Parish is one of my biggest influences. His podcast, The Knowledge Project, has been a rich source of ideas for nearly a decade. The podcast, which features a diverse mix of business and thought leaders discussing decision-making, is his primary platform for sharing information. Shane used to work in intelligence for the Canadian government, sparking his interest in decision-making. He initially started a blog named Farnam Street, after the address of Berkshire Hathaway, located at 3555 Farnam Street, Omaha, NE 68131. Charlie Munger, a hero of Shane’s, is associated with this address. Shane introduced me to new ways of thinking and different applications of the mental models I frequently use. I first became interested in Shane through his exploration of mental models. I liked the idea of having a toolbox filled with ideas and methods to help solve problems and make better decisions. He recently released a new book, Clear Thinking, which is notable for its focus on developing critical and consistent thinking. As discussed in my previous series, and as I will further explore in this one, much of our behavior is driven by habit and unconscious influences. Most of the time, we react and have little control. Creating the space, discipline, and process to make thoughtful decisions requires considerable effort.
 Remember back in article 24 when I asked you to write out how you would like to act in daily situations from memory? My affirmation was, “When a stimulus arises, that is a moment where I would normally react unconsciously. I will recognize it and pause, as it’s a teaching moment for me to demonstrate love, courage, wisdom, and temperance in my words and actions.” How did that exercise go for you? Did you find that you had more presence of mind to do the right things rather than just react? Did you realize that often, your immediate response isn’t the most constructive one? This has been an important practice for me because, in today’s world, it is too easy to get sucked into someone else’s fear and reactive state. When you execute a paradigm-shifting plan, many people will question your plan and your sanity. Why are you choosing this or that? When you recognize that much of the criticism comes from others seeking to preserve their interests or, more often, to protect their ego, you can begin to let it wash over you. It’s much harder when your own interest or ego is at stake. Clear Thinking provides some of the latest methods for becoming aware of your triggers and habits, as well as identifying the mental shortcuts you take when deciding. We live in a world where making snap decisions is praised, but in most cases, you don’t need to decide now. You have plenty of time to collect further information and change your mind. For those who have been on the subscription for some time, you’ll remember the Decision Log. This idea came from Shane. I recently used this tool with the Author Nation team to process a big decision. We did it in Notion and as a collaborative effort. The result was I could let go of worry because I knew we had done our best to analyze the situation.
 The results won’t be known for some time, but I have made space by letting go. Having that space is vital because if you fill your days with second guesses and fretting, you will have no energy to create. Another important component I’m recognizing for my clear thinking is acting and living in the present. What the largest multi-genre reader and author event looks like in the future doesn’t matter. What matters is doing the work today required. Too often, the focus is on daydreaming and visualizing what we want. Yes, you need to know what the milestones will look like to stay on track, but you need to be in the present to do the work that creates the future. You may dream of millions of dollars in sales, but what has to be done today to achieve that? Are you doing that with maximum effort, or are you doing things that make you look busy but have nothing to do with your plan? The final piece that resonated with me and my current efforts is the idea of a circle of competence. Having people who are experts and support you while pushing you. Let’s get real clear on what support looks like. Having people who agree with you isn’t support. Having people who understand your vision and can support it in a positive way is the secret sauce. |