The role of first principle thinking in personal and professional life
Right now you might be asking yourself, "These first principles sound like fun to think about, but how do they fit into my life?" What a great question! So you see, thinking from first principles isn't just for thinkers and rocket scientists.
This method is useful and practical, and it can make anyone's life better in many ways, both individually and professionally.
Let's say you are at a turning point in your daily life. You need to make a tough choice, like picking between two job offers that seem great.
You might compare the job descriptions, commute times, salaries, and perks because they both look good on the surface. Having said that, you should think about first concepts before going any further.
First, you figure out what your most important beliefs and goals are. Do you value having a good work-life balance? Do you care about having chances to learn and grow? Or maybe the chance to make a difference is what drives you?
Once you know what these important things are, you can use them to evaluate your options, which will help you make choices that are more in line with your values.
That same approach can be a breath of fresh air at work, where we often have to deal with problems that are so complicated they look like knots. Let's look at a simple business problem: how to make more money.
When you think like everyone else, you might get stuck in the old "cut costs or raise prices" habit. Wait, there's more than one way to skin a cat!
You can get rid of your old ways of thinking by using first principle thinking. You get to the heart of the matter by looking at your goods, your market, and your customers. After that, you'll come up with creative ways to deal with these basic issues.
You might be able to make your products better, give better customer service, or enter new markets. When you don't accept things as they are and ask yourself why they can't be different, the options are endless.
So, whether you're making a big job decision or trying to solve a business problem that won't go away, first principles thinking will help you think outside the box, break free from old habits, and come up with new solutions. You have a secret tool that you didn't know about that is ready to be used!