Structured unstructured time

Deep thinking is exactly that—thinking for an extended period of time, uninterrupted, to release your brain to do what it does best: making subconscious connections to buried thoughts.

I firmly believe in the value of absorbing as much information as possible about systems and concepts, as opposed to the intricacies of specific scenarios and example problems. Developing mental models and recognizing patterns is much more useful than memorizing formulas and circuit boards. Not that the skills of habit and practice are inferior, but habits are hard to change. More often than not, a situation is not unique, but the people and decisions involved are unpredictable, and this is what sets up the precedent for change. Systems that are not flexible will break down team cohesion.

The industry (and universe) would benefit from more directional risk takers from different disciplines. When you consider the challenge of examining business case studies—representing the best interests of the imaginary team, and empowering your own team to value its interests—you can reduce it to an outline of psychology and personality. Simplifying the system enables more consistency in the long game.

Schedule time for a deep thinking session when you just listen and let your mind talk.