The mental model notes are quite interesting to read but applying them is another matter. I have been reading mental models for a couple decades now and I honed in on one - invert always invert. This <i>one</i> simple rule has been really hard to apply.<p>Let me give an analogy of trying to reason about physical properties from first principles. This is another popular exhortation - think from first principles just like Feynman or Fermi. I can think from first principles in one extremely narrow field where I happen to have half a decade of education and 20 years of experience. To reason from first principles like Fermi or Feynman in a broad domain like physics requires a world class mind, a world class education and a world of experience.<p>Most mental model writing is akin to consuming youtube fitness porn. It looks easy to do, you look cool doing it and the end results are just spectacular. However, like Arnold or David Goggins it requires an inhuman dedication, purpose, ability to withstand pain, bounce back from trauma and just keep sacrificing. Most of the time the only person benefiting is the video creator from the ad-roll.<p>I appreciate the posts but I now believe these mental models are incredibly hard to do and like most of the self-improvement/growth hacking genre is just good for entertainment and commerce 99.99% of the time.