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Super Thinking: The Big Book of Mental Models

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Description

A WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER! "You can't really know anything if you just remember isolated facts. If the facts don't hang together on a latticework of theory, you don't have them in a usable form. You've got to have models in your head." - Charlie Munger, investor, vice chairman of Berkshire HathawayThe world's greatest problem-solvers, forecasters, and decision-makers all rely on a set of frameworks and shortcuts that help them cut through complexity and separate good ideas from bad ones. They're called mental models, and you can find them in dense textbooks on psychology, physics, economics, and more. Or, you can just read Super Thinking, a fun, illustrated guide to every mental model you could possibly need. How can mental models help you? Well, here are just a few examples... • If you've ever been overwhelmed by a to-do list that's grown too long, maybe you need the Eisenhower Decision Matrix to help you prioritize. • Use the 5 Whys model to better understand people's motivations or get to the root cause of a problem. • Before concluding that your colleague who messes up your projects is out to sabotage you, consider Hanlon's Razor for an alternative explanation. • Ever sat through a bad movie just because you paid a lot for the ticket? You might be falling prey to Sunk Cost Fallacy. • Set up Forcing Functions, like standing meeting or deadlines, to help grease the wheels for changes you want to occur. So, the next time you find yourself faced with a difficult decision or just trying to understand a complex situation, let Super Thinking upgrade your brain with mental models. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Portfolio


Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 18, 2019


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Print length ‏ : ‎ 352 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0525533583


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 80


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.44 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 1.22 x 9.42 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #382,076 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #203 in Cognitive Psychology (Books) #294 in Business Decision Making #483 in Decision-Making & Problem Solving


#203 in Cognitive Psychology (Books):


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Top Amazon Reviews


  • Good, but not just mental models. Cognitive biases too.
Format: Hardcover
This book promises to discuss mental models and does a good job of that. That's what I was most interested in, as they provide frameworks for thinking and are highly valuable. Partway through, the book starts to include cognitive biases and other quirks of how people think. For that, I wanted to dock a star. These non-model concepts are valuable in themselves but not what I'm here for. They might help you think in a new way, but aren't frameworks for thinking. For example I found the the concept of inertia/momentum/a flywheel personally helpful: “any personal or professional project can be viewed from the perspective of a flywheel. It is slow when you get started on the project, but once you gain some momentum, it seems easier to make progress... when we multitask, we never get enough momentum on any one task for it to start to feel easier.” I ended up giving the book 5 stars because it does help you think differently. Mental models are better for this, but knowing these quirks of human nature help too. It's a good read. Free resources - I also recommend "Model Thinking" on Coursera, some of Nicky Case's "Explorable Explanations", and James Clear's article about mental models. For cognitive biases, look that up on Wikipedia, there are an impressive number there. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2019 by Burton Kent

  • Might be the most important book in your life
Format: Hardcover
I wish this book was written a bit earlier. 3 years ago when my husband and I moved to the US I started reading as many books on self-development/self-improvement as I could fit in my free time. By this time I've read more than 50 bestsellers on these topics. In 2016 I stumbled upon Gabriel's article on Medium called "Mental models I find repeatedly useful" which is a compilation of many concepts with a short explanation of each one. I would say it's been the best article I've read so far (and I read a lot of them). So, of course, I ordered the book as soon as it became available. I learned some new important concepts from it, but if this book had been available earlier it could have saved me a lot of time. Sure, reading a whole book on one topic could give you more insights and examples to better grasp the concept but at the end of the day you can't retain all nuances in your head and are left with the most important idea from the book. This is what "Super Thinking" is all about - it gives you an array of useful ideas with vivid examples so you could understand every concept without you reading an elaborate 300 pages explanation on every single concept. I would suggest not just read this book and put it on the shelf thinking "okay, I got it, it's simple" (actually all well-explained concepts are fairly simple), but to refer to it as many times as needed until you are completely satisfied with your life and can be proud of yourself. The main point is - we know so much more in theory than we apply in practice. Even the models which look like buzzwords and you think you're already familiar with them - ask yourself if you actually use them. There was a saying of Richard Feynman in the conclusion of this book that there is a difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something. I strongly believe that every person could reach their fullest potential if really applied these models to their every single step, every single decision. If you want to achieve success in every area that's important to you, take "Super Thinking" seriously. Thank you Gabriel and Lauren for this amazing book. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2019 by Ksenia G

  • Good content, poor production
Format: Hardcover
The book immediately strikes me as super useful to learn about and consider different mental models. It has a good index where the models are bolded. It's a thick book but surprisingly light, because the paper weight is disappointing - the words on the flip side bleed through. A bit disappointing for a book I expect I'll want to revisit as a significant resource. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2025 by Dave Columbus

  • Go from thinking to Super Thinking fast with this book!
Format: Hardcover
Gabriel Weinberg's return with - Super Thinking, will have you thinking different in a more profound way. Now partnered with his wife and author Lauren McCann - it is a book that will give you great models to navigate life both personally and professionally. Be prepared to up your game with thinking in general and have a keen thought process with the decisions you make it everyday life. Once I started on this journey by opening the book and reading, it was hard to put down. I found myself using both the hardcover and Kindle edition depending where I was just to get to the end of the book. I wanted to see in anticipation of the next model to the next model and think about how I could apply this to my everyday life. It was a joy to read and I find myself now doing mental exercises on the concepts I picked up in Super Thinking. If you feel like life is full of complexities and you want a solid framework of how to navigate then I strongly suggest you pick up this book. Gabriel is the founder of DuckDuckGo.com and that should tell you enough of the thought he has put into thinking of our world and the privacy issues now coming to light in the world of information we live in. As a bonus, the artwork is great throughout the chapters. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2019 by Kevin

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