Mental models may be new to you, and I hope so – because I LOVE giving you tools that can help you amplify your success across the board. Mental models are structures around the way that you think – planned, intentional decisions you make ahead of time about how you will handle certain situations or how you will go about evaluating opportunities and options.
Honestly, one of the greatest benefits I’ve found to using mental models is how they enable me to step back, evaluate where I (and my business) are REALLY at, then make adjustments and decisions based on what I see.
On this episode, I introduce you to the mental model of Inversion. It’s simple but powerful. It really can change the speed and accuracy of your decision-making prowess and amplify what you're doing in your business. Listen to learn more.
Why I’m so excited about mental models
Mental models are something I learned about from Warren Buffett’s partner at Berkshire Hathaway, Charlie Munger. Charlie is one of those people who can come into situations where complex things are being considered and make a good decision within 5 minutes. He does it by utilizing mental models.
I have 35-ish mental models I use regularly in my life and business. The main point of using them is to avoid stupidity – because there are a number of very dumb things we can do that are easy to avoid. Why not put things in place that assure that you’re not going to fall into those common but stupid traps? Mental models ARE those things.
How does the mental model of inversion work?
Inversion is a fancy way of saying that it’s helpful to learn how to look at the other side of an issue. For example, let’s look at the goal of building a successful business, something everyone reading this is concerned about.
Instead of trying to generate a list of things you need TO DO in order to build a successful business, the mental model of inversion is used to build a list of the things CONTRARY to or OPPOSITE OF what it would take to build a successful business.
So – if you DON’T want to build a successful business…
- Wait until you’re motivated to do the work
- Forget about marketing, it’s just hocus-pocus anyway
- Take your profits immediately and never invest them back into your business
You get the point, right? Inversion helps you outline the behaviors that will ruin your business (in this case). What’s the point of doing that? It helps you clarify the things you do NOT want to do – and from there you are able to generate a list of the opposite behaviors that WILL facilitate a successful business.
Use habits to allocate your decision-making power to important things
The more that you rely on habits or systems instead of will-power, the more you’ll be able to successfully do the things that matter by actually following through. Mental models are a great way to put those habits in place.
For example, I put routines in place to prevent me from making a lot of decisions early in the morning. I wake at the same time every day. I eat the same thing. I exercise and meditate at the same times every day. Why? So I don’t have to waste my decision-making energy on those kinds of things early in the morning. In fact, I try to put off making important decisions until as late in the day as possible, so I can be at my best when that time comes.
The point is, it’s the habits – the mental models I use – that enable me to do that. You can do the same thing in a variety of ways that fit your lifestyle and goals.
Try a mental model experiment for the next 90 days
At the end of this episode, I wrap things up with a challenge. Even though mental models and Inversion, in particular, may be foreign to you, I challenge you to try it. It doesn’t have to be something you commit to ongoing, but just something you’re willing to test to see if all I'm saying about it is true.
Choose a 90-day period and a few areas where you’ll apply the mental model of inversion – then stick with it for those 90 days. I’m confident you’re going to see a huge benefit to the way you think about things, the decisions you make, and the success you experience in life and business.
If you take the challenge, be sure to connect with me to let me know your results.
Outline of This Episode
- [0:35] Mental models may not seem related to eCommerce, but they are vital personally
- [8:47] Mental models are about avoiding stupidity
- [10:53] Applying the inversion mental model to your business in practical ways
- [13:18] The more you rely on habits and not willpower, the better off you’ll be
- [16:10] How you can be the person who drops bombs of insight to others
Resources & People Mentioned
- Charlie Munger – Warren Buffet’s partner at Berkshire Hathaway
Connect With Bryan Bowman
- On Facebook
Subscribe to Marketing For eCommerce on iTunes