14 Of the Most Useful Razors and Rules.

Rules of thumb that simplify decisions.

Curated by @george__mack, visually remixed with pizza.

A visual thread

Bezos' Razor:

If unsure what action to take, let your 80-year-old self make it.

Skinner's Law:

• If procrastinating on an item, you only have 2 options:

1. Make the pain of not doing it greater than the pain of doing it.

2. Make the pleasure of doing it greater than the pleasure of not doing it.

Discomfort Razor:

• The more uncomfortable the activity, the more likely it will lead to growth.

• The more comfortable the activity, the more likely it will lead to stagnation.

1000 uncomfortable hours > 10,000 comfortable hours

Occam's Razor:

• Simple assumptions are more likely to be correct than complex assumptions.

Joe Rogan's Razor:

• If you're intensely passionate about something and nobody around you is interested in it - assume the scale of the internet might help you find them.

Bragging Razor:

• If someone brags about their success or happiness, assume it’s half what they claim.

• If someone downplays their success or happiness, assume it’s double what they claim.

Hofstadter’s Law: 

• It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter’s Law.

Every project costs 2x as much and takes 3x as long - even when you factor this into your projections.

Elon's Law:

• If you have a project, combat Hofstader's Law by setting a ridiculously ambitious deadline.

Even if it takes 3x longer than the deadline, you're ahead of everyone else.

Naval's Razor:

• If you have 2 choices to make and it's 50/50, take the path that’s more painful in the short term - @naval

Checkhov's Gun:

• When telling a story, if it's non-essential - don't include it.

Luck Razor:

• If stuck with 2 equal options, pick the one that feels like it will produce the most luck later down the line.

Pick going for drinks with a stranger over watching Netflix.

Munger's Law:

• Never allow yourself to have an opinion on a subject unless you can state the opposing argument better than the opposition can.

Taleb's Surgeon:

• If presented with two seemingly equal candidates for a role, pick the one with the least amount of charisma.

The uncharismatic one has got there despite their lack of charisma.

The charismatic one has got there with the aid of their charisma.

Walt Disney's Rule:

• If struggling to think clearly about a subject, draw it out.