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First principles thinking

First principles thinking is the art of breaking down complex problems into their most fundamental truths. It’s a way of thinking that goes beyond the surface and allows us to see things from a new perspective.

Thinking in terms of first principles allows us to

1. identify the root causes and
2. strip away the layers of complexity and
3. focus on the most effective solutions.

Reasoning from first principles allows us to step outside the way things have always been done and instead see what is possible.

First principles thinking is not easy. It requires a willingness to challenge the status quo. This is why it’s often the domain of rebels and disrupters who believe there must be a better way. It’s the thinking of those who are willing to start from scratch and build from the ground up.

In a world focused on incremental improvement, first principles thinking offers a competitive advantage because almost no one does it.

First principles thinking is one of the best ways to reverse-engineer complicated situations and unleash creative possibility. Sometimes called reasoning from first principles, it’s a tool to help clarify complicated problems by separating the underlying ideas or facts from any assumptions based on them. What remain are the essentials. If you know the first principles of something, you can build the rest of your knowledge around them to produce something new.