#FACT: Your Thinking Needs A Tune Up
Factfulness — and Other Book Recommendations on Refining Our Thinking
Do you want to be right or do you want to win? These are two very different things in life, and in business. That question is often asked with a slight variation when couples seem to be in disagreement — do you want to be right or do you want to be happy? Not that they are mutually exclusive, but in society today so many people are ready to make a point in a handful of characters and try to outsmart or out-meme their “opponent”, that winning often overcomes the idea of being accurate. Just look at what that urge has done to the political climate in the United States.
Years ago I found myself in New York City, sitting in the living room of a very successful real estate developer and investor. I had made it a goal to surround myself with individuals who had achieved results I was seeking, and more importantly who would model a new way of thinking for me. I was in awe of the way this man managed his energy, where he invested, how he managed to offer insight without attachment, and how grounded he was for having accomplished so much. He was a ravenous reader, consuming multiple books a week. At that time he had just finished a book that he claimed was transformative — “Thinking Fast, & Slow” by Daniel Kahneman. He insisted that I read it, and sure enough it was a reminder not just of various ways that we approach analyzing the world, but more importantly a reminder of HOW TO THINK.
This reminder popped up regularly in my work in the personal development world. At the Anthony Robbins Mastery University programs people are introduced to Keith Cunningham. You may have come across Keith and not even know it. He was a mentor, truly a “Rich Dad’’ to Robert Kiosaki , and has taught business seminars for decades. He authored his own book a few years ago called “The Road Less Stupid: Advice from the Chairman of the Board”. One of the deeper lessons that Keith teaches at Business Mastery as well as Wealth Mastery is the lesson on HOW TO THINK. Inspired by Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich”, Keith emphasizes that thinking is a practice that we must refine, and often correct. His lesson on what he calls “thinking time” came from a chance meeting he had as a young man with Michael Milken (yes THAT Mike Milken) where he learned how to think.
Yes — all of this is about reminding ourselves that we need to look at, and often refine, how we are going about thinking, and the book FACTFULNESS is a wonderful reminder of that.
A few weeks ago, Prime Movers Lab Founder Dakin Sloss wrote a blog reminding us that the world is a wonderful place and that while it may seem like things are burning down, there is actually something quite beautiful about the present — and set out a very optimistic view of 2021. It reminded me of FACTFULNESS and inspired me to write this bit of encouragement. I by no means wish this to be a book review as there are plenty of those already written with fair and honest breakdowns. Even some of the book summaries are fantastic. However, much like I was admonished to sit down and devote “thinking time” to Thinking Fast & Slow, I am giving that same admonishment to anyone willing — to pick up FACTFULNESS and spend time with it.
It’s a reminder of what it means to have facts, and how those facts when researched and put together, against the many unconscious biases that have developed due to the nature of how many consume Media today, actually tell us that the world is an awesome place to be. The book masterfully outlines ten (10) instincts that have developed that are deeply affecting the thinking process for most of us, and outlines with well researched facts on real world issues how we might shift our perspective and see that there truly are some amazing things happening around us. This is not about being Pollyanna and ignoring the issues we face, it is however a reminder that with facts, and data, with real science, much of what seems to be fear and scarcity is actually just a step away from being solved.
I love this book, because in many ways it is an explanation of the mission of Prime Movers Lab. Right now with so much changing and the media going through its own growing pains and disruption, it is beneficial for all of us to take a step and examine HOW WE THINK. Melinda Gates said of the book, “Hans Rosling tells the story of ‘the secret silent miracle of human progress’ as only he can, and in her latest book calls Author Hans Rosling a mentor. Bill Gates has said it is “one of the most important books” he has ever read. It is also endorsed by former President Barack Obama. You may or may not agree with the ideology of some of these people, however you cannot deny their intelligence or impact — and this is a book that has made an impact in their approach to solving major problems that face mankind, affecting billions of people. The same challenges Prime Movers is dedicated to solving.
It is time that we all examine how we think and learn what it means to truly FACT FIND again.
Ray Dalio recently shared a post through his social platforms that said “Find the most believable people possibly who disagree with you and try to understand their reasoning.” If we aren’t seeking to understand other people’s model of the world, if we aren’t challenging our own thinking, or welcome spirited debate and challenge to our own perspectives we may have fallen victim to bias, or any one of the 10 thinking traps outlined in Factfulness. It’s time to sharpen the thinking skills. Read Factfulness, Thinking Fast & Slow, Think & Grow Rich, The Road Less Stupid, Principles.
The books listed above remind us that it is often more important to refine and examine HOW WE THINK, than to define WHAT WE THINK. If you are to succeed in business, the thing between your ears is the most important thing to iterate. The bottleneck of most businesses is the mindset of the founder. So check your #FACTS, and take a dive into Factfulness.
Prime Movers Lab invests in breakthrough scientific startups founded by Prime Movers, the inventors who transform billions of lives. We invest in companies reinventing energy, transportation, infrastructure, manufacturing, human augmentation, and agriculture.
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