It is the fundamental building block of an idea, the most indivisible part that we know to be true and that we can use to build more complex thoughts.
π Frist Principles: Not a New Idea
Thinking from first principles is not a new idea. It's actually the single most consistent factor among great thinkers.
For example, Aristotle believed that you could not possess true knowledge without first understanding the first principles. He thought that everything could be divided into categories and sub-categories (the smallest of them being the equivalent for first principles).
πReason and Experience
An empiricist is a person that believes all true knowledge is based and obtained through experience.
The process of seeking knowledge through experience and making use of reason to give it structure it how we can find the first principles of a subject.
π Conventional And Unconventional Thinkers
- Conventional thinkers: their knowledge consists of proof that is on display.
- Unconventional thinkers: they use experience and reason to organize their knowledge; they ask questions and make analogies to get to the roots of am idea.
π The Art of First Principles Thinking
Once a first principle is understood, we can look and improve each component (from the simple to the more complex) of a subject or a product.
If every part is remarkable, then the total is remarkable.
π Become A First Principles Thinker
Write down and organize information. Create hierarchies and mind maps.
Most ideas are nested outside or inside one another. You have to learn to map out how these ideas are linked.
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βIf you dwell with a lame man, you will learn how to limp.β Itβs a pretty observable truth. We become like the people we spend the most time with. Thatβs why we have to be so careful about the influences we allow into our life.
π Is this in my Control?
What is in our control is primarily our thoughts, emotions, desires, choices, and actions (or at least certain aspects of them), and that everything else strictly speaking lies outside of our control - is consistent.
5 Journaling Ideas for Self-Improvement by [Jack Cao]
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Journaling has been endorsed by top performers from all fields: from the stoic sage emperor of Rome, Marcus Aurelius, to the Benjamin Franklin or the modern Tony Robbins. They have stacks and stacks of paper written with their thoughts and observations throughout their life.
Journaling helps you become a better thinker, a more productive result-maker and generally a happier person. If you have already understood how to start a journal, this article will give you 5 journaling ideas to: