The Power Of Impossible Thinking

1. Your Mental Models Define Your World

To change your world, you first have to change your own thinking.

Models shape perception. Our mental models, or mindsets, are the internal frameworks our brains use to make sense of the world. They are not passive reflections of external reality but active constructions that determine what we see, how we interpret it, and what actions we believe are possible. These models are deeply ingrained and often invisible to us.

Profound implications. These internal models have significant consequences for every aspect of our lives, from personal health and relationships to business strategy and societal challenges. They can either limit our possibilities, like the perceived barrier of the four-minute mile, or open up new opportunities, like the vision for Starbucks or the Palm Pilot.

Invisible influence. We often don't question our mental models until they fail us, such as when a business model becomes obsolete or a personal approach to health proves ineffective. Recognizing that our perception is shaped internally is the crucial first step toward understanding and potentially changing our world.

2. What You See Is What You Think

Most of what we see is in our minds.

Internal construction. Neuroscience research suggests that our brains discard the majority of sensory information received from the outside world. Instead, this external input evokes internal patterns and experiences, which the brain uses to construct our perception of reality. This means our internal world heavily influences what we "see."

Examples of internal construction:

• Believing you met Bugs Bunny at Disneyland after seeing a manipulated photo.
• Failing to notice a gorilla walking through a scene because your attention is focused elsewhere (inattention blindness).
• Experiencing a "phantom limb" after an amputation.

Efficiency vs. accuracy. This process is incredibly efficient, allowing us to make quick sense of complex situations. However, it can lead to significant errors when our internal models don't accurately reflect the external world, causing us to miss crucial information or misinterpret events.

3. Keep Your Models Relevant in a Changing World

There is no absolute right model for all time, just the right model for a certain time.

Models become obsolete. Mental models, whether personal or organizational, can become outdated when the environment changes. Sticking to an old model in a new reality can lead to being left behind, like companies that failed to adapt to the rise of the internet or personal computers.

The risk of change. However, abandoning an old model too quickly or adopting a new, unproven one can also be disastrous. The dot-com bubble showed the dangers of betting heavily on poorly understood new models.

Avoiding pitfalls:

• Pay attention to "just-noticeable differences" and outliers that don't fit the old model.
• Create early warning systems based on key indicators, but be aware they can miss unanticipated changes.
• Understand your own tendencies (e.g., sticking too long to the old vs. jumping to the new).

The challenge is knowing when your current model is worn out and when a potential new model is truly viable, navigating the space between clinging to the past and leaping blindly into the future.

4. See the World Differently to Unlock Possibilities

Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.

Breaking cognitive lock. We often become fixed in a single view of the world, filtering out conflicting information. To see new possibilities, we must actively challenge our perspective and overcome this "cognitive lock."

Strategies for seeing differently:

• Listen to radicals and outsiders whose ideas challenge the status quo.
• Embark on "journeys of discovery" into new areas, disciplines, or cultures.
• Look across different disciplines to find new connections and perspectives.
• Question routines and deliberate disrupt your habits to force new observations.
• Practice "flying upside down" by considering scenarios far outside normal experience.

Gradual immersion. Adopting a new way of seeing often requires gradual immersion and effort, like learning to appreciate abstract art. It's about training your perception to make sense of the unfamiliar.

5. Sift Sense from Complexity by Zooming In and Out

We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge.

Information overload. In today's world, we are bombarded with vast amounts of information, making it difficult to discern what is important and relevant. Simply accumulating more data doesn't guarantee better understanding; it can lead to "information fatigue syndrome" and paralyzed thinking.

The power of context. Information is often meaningless without context. The same data point can be interpreted completely differently depending on the surrounding information, like seeing "B" or "13" depending on the letters or numbers around it.

Zooming process. To make sense, we need to cultivate the ability to:

• Zoom in: Focus intently on specific details, engaging in rigorous analysis and categorization.
• Zoom out: Step back to see the broader context, recognizing the limits of our vision and avoiding cognitive fixation.

This continuous process of shifting perspective allows us to see both the necessary details for action and the larger picture for understanding, avoiding the pitfalls of being either too nearsighted or too farsighted.

6. Engage in Continuous Experimentation: R&D of the Mind

All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better.

Testing hypotheses. Our mental models should be treated as hypotheses about reality, not absolute truths. Continuous experimentation is necessary to test the relevance of our existing models and validate potential new ones in a constantly changing world.

Types of experiments:

• Planned experiments: Controlled studies designed to test specific hypotheses.
• Natural experiments: Learning from events occurring in the real world.
• Adaptive experimentation: An ongoing process of trial, assessment, and adjustment.

Learning from failure. Post-mortems of failures and "near misses" are crucial for learning. Simulations and thought experiments allow us to test ideas and prepare for scenarios without the high costs or risks of real-world mistakes.

Balancing performance and learning. Experimentation requires time and resources, which must be balanced against the need to act and perform under the current model. A conscious commitment to "cognitive R&D" is necessary to avoid being left behind.

7. Dismantle the Old Order to Build the New

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.

Inertia of infrastructure. Changing mental models is difficult not only because we are averse to loss but also because our lives and organizations are built around the old models. Infrastructure, processes, relationships, and investments reinforce the status quo.

Revolution vs. evolution. Change can be sudden and dramatic, like a revolution, or slow and gradual, like evolution. Dramatic breaks can be costly, requiring the dismantling of the old infrastructure.

Strategies for change:

• Recognize how expectations and existing infrastructure tie you to the old model.
• Be cautious with irreversible investments in a single model.
• Start with small changes that affect perceptions and actions in the broader system.
• Use hard analysis and visible metrics to erode old models and support new ones.
• Align incentives to encourage new behaviors.
• When possible, repurpose elements of the old infrastructure ("beat swords into plowshares").

Implementing a new model requires building a new foundation and often letting go of the old, which can be a painful but necessary process.

8. Bridge Adaptive Disconnects to Share New Ideas

The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has brought progress.

Divides in perception. Adaptive disconnects occur when individuals or groups change their mental models at different rates, leading to communication barriers and conflict. These divides exist between generations, disciplines, cultures, and within organizations.

Unlearning is key. Bridging these gaps requires "unlearning" old beliefs and being open to new ones. This process is difficult because our brains create internally consistent worlds, making it hard to accept conflicting views.

Strategies for bridging disconnects:

• Create a dialogue to open lines of communication.
• Emphasize the utility and benefits of the new model from the other person's perspective.
• Change the culture to be more receptive to new ideas.
• Find "boundary spanners" or interlocutors who understand both worlds.
• If necessary, precipitate a crisis to raise the stakes and encourage a shift in mindset.

Progress often depends on "unreasonable" people who can carry their radical views across these disconnects and make them seem "reasonable" to others.

9. Develop and Trust Your Intuition (But Validate It)

There is no logical path to these laws; only intuition, resting on sympathetic understanding of experience, can lead to them.

Intuition for quick action. Intuition is the ability to access deep knowledge and mental models subconsciously, allowing for rapid sense-making and decision-making, especially under pressure or with limited information. It's a "gut feel" based on extensive experience.

Intuition vs. analysis. While analytical decision-making is formal and explainable, intuition is often emotional and difficult to articulate. In fast-paced environments, intuition can be more effective than slow, deliberate analysis.

Dangers of intuition:

• Intuition can be wrong if based on outdated or irrelevant experience.
• It can be reinforced by "wicked" learning environments that don't provide clear feedback.
• It is often hard to communicate and coordinate with others based solely on intuition.

Cultivating intuition:

• Practice in your area of expertise.
• Learn to trust your gut feelings.
• Practice making decisions under stress and with inadequate data.
• Keep your intuition relevant by maintaining curiosity and an external focus.
• Cultivate a practice of "letting go" to listen to your inner voice.
• Combine intuition with rigorous analysis for better decision-making.

10. Transform Your Thinking to Transform Your Actions

What you think is what you do.

Thinking precedes action. The ultimate goal of understanding and challenging mental models is to change our actions and, consequently, transform our world. Our models shape what we believe is possible, and our actions flow from these beliefs.

Putting impossible thinking into practice:

• Consciously recognize your mental models and their influence.
• Actively seek out and explore alternative models.
• Use tools like zooming and experimentation to refine your understanding.
• Address the structural and human barriers that prevent change.
• Leverage intuition while validating it against reality.

The power of possibility. The world is more adaptable than we often perceive. The primary limitations are often self-imposed by our own thinking. By cultivating the ability to think "impossible thoughts"—ideas that challenge current models—we can unlock new opportunities for transformation in our personal lives, businesses, and society.

Last updated: May 22, 2025