Good Morning. Welcome to all the new readers of Faster Than Normal who have joined us since last week!

Here’s what we’ll cover today:

Cheers,
Alex

| Mental Model

Decomplication

We live in a world filled with information overload, where we are constantly bombarded with the latest hacks, trends, and complex solutions to our problems. This can be overwhelming and often leads us to believe that our everyday challenges—be it weight loss, productivity, or saving money—require intricate strategies to overcome. This is a phenomenon known as "artificial complexity."

Decomplication is a powerful framework that helps us counteract artificial complexity by boiling down problems to their simplest and most essential forms. By doing so, we can focus on the core issues at hand and find effective solutions without getting lost in unnecessary details or complications.

To help illustrate the concept of Decomplication, let's consider three common examples:

1. Weight loss: The weight loss industry thrives on introducing new diets, workout plans, and supplements that often create confusion and make the process seem more complicated than it needs to be. Decomplication involves stripping away all the unnecessary information and focusing on the most basic elements of weight loss: consume fewer calories than you burn, eat a balanced diet, and engage in regular physical activity.

2. Productivity: There is no shortage of productivity hacks, apps, and tools designed to help us get more done in less time. But in reality, many of these solutions add more complexity and distractions to our lives. Decomplicating productivity involves identifying your most important tasks, prioritizing them, and creating an environment that minimizes distractions and maximizes focus.

3. Saving money: Personal finance can seem like an impenetrable world of jargon, investment strategies, and complex budgeting systems. Decomplicating your finances means getting back to basics: spend less than you earn, create a simple budget that works for you, and save and invest consistently over time.

To put Decomplication into practice, try the following steps:

1. Identify a problem or challenge you're facing in your life.

2. Strip away all the external noise, details, and complexities surrounding the problem.

3. Focus on the most basic and fundamental aspects of the issue.

4. Develop a simple, straightforward solution or action plan based on these core elements.

Remember, sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective. Embracing the power of Decomplication can help you cut through the clutter and make meaningful progress towards your goals.

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| Insight

Challenge: Write down three negative self-talk phrases you often use and replace them with positive, empowering alternatives.

Example: Replace “I can't do this” with “I can learn how to do this” or “I am capable of overcoming challenges.”

| Quote

Socrates on the value of self-awareness:

| Question

A Visual I Enjoyed

Have a wonderful Wednesday, all.

Until next time,

Alex

| P.S. — My Weekly Picks

• The Boron Letters by Gary C. Halbert. A masterpiece in life and business from one of the greatest copywriters of all time.

• How To Disagree Well By Alex Lieberman. As a follow-on to my Radical Framework piece a few weeks back, there are important lessons here. Disagreeing well with others helps in personal and business matters.

• How To Negotiate by Michael Frank. “You don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.” Most people aren’t good negotiators, this is a good place to start.