Welcome to FS
Think better. Live better.
Farnam Street (FS) helps you master the best of what other people have already figured out.
Packed with timeless mental models, FS will teach you the mental tools you need to deal with whatever life throws at you.
Our readers include students, teachers, CEOs, coaches, athletes, artists, leaders, followers, politicians and more. They’re not defined by gender, age, income, or politics but rather by a shared passion for avoiding problems, making better decisions, and lifelong learning.
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Recent Articles
Tradeoffs: The Currency of Decision Making
December 09, 2019
Every decision we make carries an opportunity cost. If we don’t budget wisely, we end up wasting time and energy on things that don’t matter. Here’s how to do it right. *** Economics teaches you that making a choice means giving up something. — Russ Roberts The disregard of tradeoffs and opportunity costs play out […]
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Survivorship Bias: The Tale of Forgotten Failures
December 02, 2019
Survivorship bias is a common logical error that distorts our understanding of the world. It happens when we assume that success tells the whole story and when we don’t adequately consider past failures. There are thousands, even tens of thousands of failures for every big success in the world. But stories of failure are not […]
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How Performance Reviews Can Kill Your Culture
November 25, 2019
Performance reviews are designed to motivate and bring the best out of our teams, but they often do the opposite. Here’s how to bring out the best in your people. *** If you ask people what’s wrong with corporate workplaces, it won’t take long before you hear someone mention something about being put into a […]
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The Great Mental Models: General Thinking Concepts
The old saying goes, “To the man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” But anyone who has done any kind of project knows a hammer often isn’t enough.
The more tools you have at your disposal, the more likely you’ll use the right tool for the job — and get it done right.
The same is true when it comes to thinking. The quality of your outcomes depends on the mental models in your head. And most people are going through life with little more than a hammer.
Until now.
The Great Mental Models: General Thinking Concepts is the first book in The Great Mental Models series designed to upgrade your thinking with the best, most useful and powerful tools, so you always have the right one on hand.
This volume details nine of the most versatile, all-purpose mental models you can use right away to improve your decision making, productivity, and how clearly you see the world. You will discover what forces govern the universe and how to focus your efforts so you can harness them to your advantage, rather than fight with them or worse yet— ignore them.
Upgrade your mental toolbox and get the first volume today!
What People are Saying
I'm really glad this exists in the world and I can see that I will be recommending it often.
Matt Mullenweg
CEO of Automattic and founding developer of Wordpress
The Bible for better learning and decision making