Determine the Mental Model You Need
To change your existing mental model, you need to identify which new mental model to adopt. Keeping a thought diary to write down and analyze your thoughts can help reveal problems in your thinking and guide you toward a growth mindset.
THE IDEA
Determine the Mental Model You Need
Keep a thought diary to examine how you interpret events. Look for recurring thoughts, assumptions, and conclusions that may be limiting your choices.
Use those observations to decide which mental model might help. For example, if you treat ability as fixed, a growth mindset offers a way to focus on learning and improvement.
When to use it
When you feel stuck in a negative thought loop, use a thought diary to externalize and analyze your thinking.
When attempting to develop a new mental model (e.g., growth mindset), start by documenting current thoughts to identify resistance.
When making a major life decision, write down the mental models influencing your choices to ensure they are helpful.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Career Stagnation Analysis
A professional feeling stuck in their career uses a thought diary for a week. They notice recurring thoughts like 'I'm not qualified for a promotion' and 'Others are more talented.' This reveals a fixed mindset. They then decide to adopt a growth mindset mental model, focusing on learning and improvement rather than innate ability.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
What recurring thoughts or patterns do you notice in your thought diary?
Are there any underlying assumptions or beliefs that are holding you back?
How can you reframe a limiting thought to align with a growth mindset?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Thinking in Systems and Mental Models Think Like a Super Thinker (Dawson, Marcus P)