Analysing your IQ
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The best choice in a narrow context may not be the best choice overall.
Mental models are thinking tools. Local vs Global Optima is one of the most powerful—used by successful founders, investors, and strategists to cut through complexity.
Be willing to get temporarily worse to get ultimately better. Don't get stuck on small peaks.
This model works because it strips away irrelevant detail and exposes the core structure of a problem. Most people reason by analogy ("what do others do?"); this framework forces you to think from first principles.
A comfortable job may be a local optimum that prevents you from finding a much better career path.
This model is most useful when you're stuck. If your current approach isn't working, Local vs Global Optima often reveals the hidden constraint.
Over-applying: Not every problem benefits from this model. Match the tool to the situation.
Under-applying: People learn the model but don't practice it. Application takes repetition.
Misunderstanding the principle: Surface-level understanding leads to poor execution. Study the examples.
Ignoring context: The same model works differently in different domains. Adapt accordingly.
Identify a current decision you're facing. Write down the assumptions you're making. Challenge each one.
Look at a past failure. Apply Local vs Global Optima retroactively—would it have changed the outcome?
Teach the model to someone else. If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.
Set a reminder to apply this model once per week for the next month. Track the results.
No single model handles every situation. Build a toolkit of complementary frameworks.
Mental models require specific cognitive traits to execute. Do you have the Purpose for this?
The best choice in a narrow context may not be the best choice overall.
Be willing to get temporarily worse to get ultimately better. Don't get stuck on small peaks.
A comfortable job may be a local optimum that prevents you from finding a much better career path.
Use Local vs Global Optima when facing complex decisions in the problem solving domain, when conventional approaches aren't working, or when you need a structured framework for analysis.
Local vs Global Optima is used by strategic thinkers, business leaders, and anyone who needs to make high-stakes decisions under uncertainty. It's particularly popular in investing, startups, and engineering.
Yes. Mental models are learnable skills, not innate talents. The key is deliberate practice—actively applying the model to real decisions, not just reading about it.