Let’s say you look at your To Do list and feel overwhelmed, “There’s a framework for that.”
The Pareto Principle is a framework that states that 80% of outcomes come from 20% of causes. It’s a rule of thumb used to identify where to focus effort for maximum impact. In this case, eyeball that To Do list and identify the few items that will have the greatest impact.
The most practical thing in the world is a mental framework.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” – Albert Einstein
It takes courage to think differently, and that is what we want for you—a sharper mind. Mental frameworks are everywhere, but we’re creating something special—a book series titled How to Think Smart, coming soon. In the meantime, explore our blog series to dive deeper into mental frameworks, also widely known as mental models.
But wait, What are Mental Frameworks or Mental Models?
Mental frameworks or mental models are thought structures we use to understand the world around us, make decisions, and solve problems.
The term “mental models” is believed to have been introduced by Kenneth Craik in his 1943 book The Nature of Explanation. Craik proposed that the mind constructs small-scale models of reality to anticipate events and aid in reasoning.
Later, Philip Johnson-Laird expanded on the concept in his 1983 book Mental Models: Towards a Cognitive Science of Language, Inference, and Consciousness. His work focused on how people use mental models to reason and solve problems.
If you’d like to explore the origins and meaning of the term in more depth, you can find additional insights on Science Direct by clicking here.
Successful people often follow distinct patterns of thinking—mental models—that help them make decisions and solve problems effectively. One of the best examples of this is Charlie Munger, the legendary investor and longtime business partner of Warren Buffett. Munger is known for his multidisciplinary approach to decision-making, using a wide range of mental models to navigate complex problems.
One of his most famous mental models is “Inversion“, which he describes as “Invert, always invert.” Instead of only focusing on what you want to achieve, inversion encourages thinking about what you want to avoid. For example, rather than asking “How can I be successful?”, Munger suggests asking “What behaviors lead to failure?” and then avoiding them. This approach helps eliminate bad decisions and refine strategies.
Mental Frameworks: cognitive shortcuts in action
They function as “cognitive shortcuts,” helping us interpret complex situations with more clarity and efficiency.
Each framework or model offers a specific lens through which to see reality — for example, the “cause and effect” framework helps us understand consequences, while “incentives shape behavior” explains human motivation.
The more mental frameworks you know and master, the more tools you have to analyze situations strategically.
Practical ways to identify Mental frameworks:
Let’s delve into practical ways to recognize these frameworks by examining the recurring patterns that shape actions, systems, and successful decisions.
We all use mental frameworks (often unconsciously)
Mental frameworks are not exclusive to experts or great thinkers — we all develop them throughout life.
From an early age, we learn ways to interpret and respond to the world based on our experiences, culture, education, and environment.
Every time you form an opinion, make a decision, or try to understand someone’s behavior, you’re using a mental framework — even if unconsciously.
They’re born from everything we go through: advice we hear, mistakes we make, patterns we observe.
The difference lies in who refines, expands, and chooses to use them consciously to think better, act more wisely, and achieve more consistent results.
The Importance of evaluating the source of frameworks
Observing who you’re adopting mental frameworks from is essential to assess whether those ideas truly benefit your journey.
After all, every mental framework carries the baggage of its creator: their experiences, beliefs, goals, and even limitations.
That’s why, before adopting a perspective or way of thinking, it’s worth reflecting on who is sharing that framework and in what context it has worked successfully.
Ask yourself: does this person have results I admire?
Does this way of thinking apply to the problem I’m facing or the project I’m working on?
Not every viewpoint needs to be followed, but some are worth considering as reference — especially when conducting research, learning something new, or searching and applying real-world solutions.
Choosing wisely who you learn from is a crucial part of thinking more clearly and critically.
Observing consistent results
Identifying a mental framework in practice begins with carefully observing patterns that repeat in decisions, behaviors, and systems that work well.
Whenever you notice that a person or organization is achieving consistent results, it’s worth asking: what’s guiding this action?
What logic underlies it?
For instance, if you see a successful company investing more in listening to its customers than in massive ad campaigns, you may notice the mental framework “constant feedback leads to relevant innovation.”
The key is to go beyond the surface and seek the thought structure behind the behavior.
Recognizing powerful simple ideas
Another approach is to pay attention to recurring phrases and simple ideas that carry powerful logic behind them.
Expressions like “less is more,” “what gets measured gets improved,” or “incentives shape behavior” are clear clues that mental frameworks are being applied.
When these phrases guide actions and decisions — and deliver results — they reveal efficient ways of interpreting the world.
The secret is to ask: can this idea be applied to other contexts? Does it frequently explain or predict behavior? If so, you’ve probably identified a valuable mental framework.
Using Comparative Analysis
The practice of comparing different situations can reveal hidden mental frameworks.
By analyzing what successful, diverse contexts have in common, you begin to see the principles behind their success.
For example, when you realize that high-performing athletes, renowned artists, and successful entrepreneurs all value discipline and constant training, you recognize the mental framework that “consistency beats isolated talent.”
Over time, this comparative analysis sharpens your perception and strengthens your ability to identify — and apply — mental frameworks with more intention and wisdom.
The role of bias in mental frameworks
Understanding mental frameworks is also essential to recognize that they often carry the biases of those transmitting them.
This means that behind every mental framework, there may be a limited perspective, a specific experience, or even an agenda being promoted.
Once you understand this, you begin to analyze not only the logic behind the idea more clearly but also the motivations, contexts, and possible distortions embedded within it.
After all, every mental framework is a lens — and every lens, no matter how good, has its blind spots.
Most natural phenomena, for example, follow a normal distribution — the well-known “bell curve” — but some people choose to ignore this pattern to highlight only extreme cases or manipulate perceptions.
Knowing this makes you better equipped to analyze information with discernment, separate relevant data from noise, and make decisions based on a more solid understanding of reality.
Instead of being easily influenced by seductive arguments or striking visuals, you develop a more questioning mindset, capable of filtering ideas, recognizing biases, and building a more independent and strategic way of thinking.
The power of diverse perspectives in expanding your frameworks
Studying and exploring different perspectives — including those from areas outside your own — is one of the most powerful habits for achieving success in a solid and creative way.
When you expose yourself to different ways of thinking, you expand your repertoire of mental frameworks and develop a more strategic, critical, and adaptable mindset.
Many of the most impactful innovations arise precisely from the combination of knowledge from diverse fields — such as when principles from biology inspire technological solutions, or when ideas from psychology transform marketing approaches.
Even if you’re focused on improving in a specific area, exposure to different ways of thinking helps you view your own field with fresh eyes.
- An entrepreneur who studies philosophy, for instance, may develop a more refined argumentative ability.
- An engineer who understands art may improve their aesthetic sensitivity.
- A tech professional who understands human behavior will have more empathy when creating user-centered solutions. It is at this intersection of knowledge that many opportunities emerge.
Therefore, make room to learn from people outside your bubble, explore content beyond your comfort zone, and connect seemingly unrelated ideas.
Diversity of thought is fertile ground for creativity, and the more varied the mental frameworks you gather, the better prepared you will be to face real-life challenges, make intelligent decisions, and lead projects with originality and consistency.
Getting to know different perspectives is not a distraction — it’s a long-term strategy.
Want to delve deeper into understanding powerful mental frameworks and learn how to apply them to think smarter and achieve your goals? Join the waitlist for my upcoming book, “How to Think Smart,” and be among the first to unlock these valuable insights!
