Lewis | Idea Illustrator
@mntlmodels.bsky.social
Mental Models & Behavioural Science
→ dblthink.substack.com
→ dblthink.substack.com
The most effective way to approach any new complex problem:
Start with the fundamental non-reducible principles, then build your way towards the problem from the bottom up — not from the top down.
Start with the fundamental non-reducible principles, then build your way towards the problem from the bottom up — not from the top down.
July 17, 2025 at 12:40 PM
The most effective way to approach any new complex problem:
Start with the fundamental non-reducible principles, then build your way towards the problem from the bottom up — not from the top down.
Start with the fundamental non-reducible principles, then build your way towards the problem from the bottom up — not from the top down.
You can just do things.
July 15, 2025 at 1:25 PM
You can just do things.
The important thing is not how many years are in your life, but how much life is in your years 🧵
July 14, 2025 at 8:52 AM
The important thing is not how many years are in your life, but how much life is in your years 🧵
"Learn to sell. Learn to build. If you can do both, you will be unstoppable."
— Naval Ravikant
— Naval Ravikant
July 13, 2025 at 9:27 AM
"Learn to sell. Learn to build. If you can do both, you will be unstoppable."
— Naval Ravikant
— Naval Ravikant
3 things that break your focus — and how to fix them:
1) Ideas → Keep a notepad at your desk
2) Notifications → Leave phone in another room
3) Meetings → Schedule ‘focus time’ in your calendar
1) Ideas → Keep a notepad at your desk
2) Notifications → Leave phone in another room
3) Meetings → Schedule ‘focus time’ in your calendar
July 12, 2025 at 10:24 AM
3 things that break your focus — and how to fix them:
1) Ideas → Keep a notepad at your desk
2) Notifications → Leave phone in another room
3) Meetings → Schedule ‘focus time’ in your calendar
1) Ideas → Keep a notepad at your desk
2) Notifications → Leave phone in another room
3) Meetings → Schedule ‘focus time’ in your calendar
Life Hack:
Stick some sticky notes on the cover of your book while reading so you can take notes and write down any distracting thoughts without having to bring an extra notepad.
Stick some sticky notes on the cover of your book while reading so you can take notes and write down any distracting thoughts without having to bring an extra notepad.
July 11, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Life Hack:
Stick some sticky notes on the cover of your book while reading so you can take notes and write down any distracting thoughts without having to bring an extra notepad.
Stick some sticky notes on the cover of your book while reading so you can take notes and write down any distracting thoughts without having to bring an extra notepad.
How did it get so late so soon?
It’s night before it’s afternoon.
December is here before it’s June.
My goodness how the time has flown.
— Dr. Seuss
It’s night before it’s afternoon.
December is here before it’s June.
My goodness how the time has flown.
— Dr. Seuss
July 10, 2025 at 10:06 AM
How did it get so late so soon?
It’s night before it’s afternoon.
December is here before it’s June.
My goodness how the time has flown.
— Dr. Seuss
It’s night before it’s afternoon.
December is here before it’s June.
My goodness how the time has flown.
— Dr. Seuss
The 5 Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom in 5 images:
July 9, 2025 at 8:11 AM
The 5 Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom in 5 images:
If you care enough, you'll find a way.
July 8, 2025 at 10:56 AM
If you care enough, you'll find a way.
Hanlon's Razor:
"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity"
"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity"
July 7, 2025 at 5:31 AM
Hanlon's Razor:
"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity"
"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity"
Instead of chasing success, you should be running from failure.
July 6, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Instead of chasing success, you should be running from failure.
James Clear popularised the idea of atomic habits.
Instead of chasing big overnight changes; try making small, consistent improvements.
• Want to get fit? Just do 5 push-ups.
• Want to read more? Just write one page a day.
• Want to be more productive? Just close one tab.
[Inspired by Ash Lamb]
Instead of chasing big overnight changes; try making small, consistent improvements.
• Want to get fit? Just do 5 push-ups.
• Want to read more? Just write one page a day.
• Want to be more productive? Just close one tab.
[Inspired by Ash Lamb]
July 5, 2025 at 1:28 PM
James Clear popularised the idea of atomic habits.
Instead of chasing big overnight changes; try making small, consistent improvements.
• Want to get fit? Just do 5 push-ups.
• Want to read more? Just write one page a day.
• Want to be more productive? Just close one tab.
[Inspired by Ash Lamb]
Instead of chasing big overnight changes; try making small, consistent improvements.
• Want to get fit? Just do 5 push-ups.
• Want to read more? Just write one page a day.
• Want to be more productive? Just close one tab.
[Inspired by Ash Lamb]
Break your goals down.
• Turn goals into plans
• Turn plans into tasks
• Turn tasks into habits
Stick to those habits and you'll reach your goals in a manageable way.
• Turn goals into plans
• Turn plans into tasks
• Turn tasks into habits
Stick to those habits and you'll reach your goals in a manageable way.
July 4, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Break your goals down.
• Turn goals into plans
• Turn plans into tasks
• Turn tasks into habits
Stick to those habits and you'll reach your goals in a manageable way.
• Turn goals into plans
• Turn plans into tasks
• Turn tasks into habits
Stick to those habits and you'll reach your goals in a manageable way.
Without systems you're left relying on your memory.
Remembering something important pulls brainpower away from your current tasks. If your brain is filled with random junk, you'll never be able to give your full attention to anything.
This is known as 'cognitive load'.
Remembering something important pulls brainpower away from your current tasks. If your brain is filled with random junk, you'll never be able to give your full attention to anything.
This is known as 'cognitive load'.
July 3, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Without systems you're left relying on your memory.
Remembering something important pulls brainpower away from your current tasks. If your brain is filled with random junk, you'll never be able to give your full attention to anything.
This is known as 'cognitive load'.
Remembering something important pulls brainpower away from your current tasks. If your brain is filled with random junk, you'll never be able to give your full attention to anything.
This is known as 'cognitive load'.
Andre Agassi once said that tennis is mostly a mental game...
He was right.
Most points aren’t won — they’re lost.
He was right.
Most points aren’t won — they’re lost.
July 1, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Andre Agassi once said that tennis is mostly a mental game...
He was right.
Most points aren’t won — they’re lost.
He was right.
Most points aren’t won — they’re lost.
In 1922, Walt Disney started his first animation studio: Laugh-O-Gram Films.
It went bankrupt within a year.
He was broke, and sleeping in his office.
He ate canned beans and washed at the train station.
A few years later, Disney created a new character on the train.
He called him Mickey.
It went bankrupt within a year.
He was broke, and sleeping in his office.
He ate canned beans and washed at the train station.
A few years later, Disney created a new character on the train.
He called him Mickey.
June 30, 2025 at 9:39 AM
In 1922, Walt Disney started his first animation studio: Laugh-O-Gram Films.
It went bankrupt within a year.
He was broke, and sleeping in his office.
He ate canned beans and washed at the train station.
A few years later, Disney created a new character on the train.
He called him Mickey.
It went bankrupt within a year.
He was broke, and sleeping in his office.
He ate canned beans and washed at the train station.
A few years later, Disney created a new character on the train.
He called him Mickey.
Verschlimmbesserung:
A German word that describes a sincere attempt to improve something that goes wrong and accidentally makes it worse.
- Schlimm = Bad
- Verbesserung = Improvement
A German word that describes a sincere attempt to improve something that goes wrong and accidentally makes it worse.
- Schlimm = Bad
- Verbesserung = Improvement
April 7, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Verschlimmbesserung:
A German word that describes a sincere attempt to improve something that goes wrong and accidentally makes it worse.
- Schlimm = Bad
- Verbesserung = Improvement
A German word that describes a sincere attempt to improve something that goes wrong and accidentally makes it worse.
- Schlimm = Bad
- Verbesserung = Improvement
Know the difference.
March 31, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Know the difference.
Small change. Big impact.
March 25, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Small change. Big impact.
Turn goals into tasks, and tasks into habits.
March 18, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Turn goals into tasks, and tasks into habits.
Write it down.
March 17, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Write it down.
Goodhart’s Law:
"When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure"
"When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure"
March 15, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Goodhart’s Law:
"When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure"
"When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure"
“Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world”
— Arthur Schopenhauer
— Arthur Schopenhauer
March 14, 2025 at 4:18 PM
“Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world”
— Arthur Schopenhauer
— Arthur Schopenhauer
Classics are classics for a reason.
March 13, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Classics are classics for a reason.