STREET DOGS: Worst-case scenario can help
A way of thinking, in which you consider the opposite of what you believe
The ancient Stoic philosophers regularly conducted an exercise known as a premeditatio malorum, which translates to a "premeditation of evils". Their goal was to envision the negative things that could happen in life – becoming homeless, paralysed or losing their status in society. They believed that by imagining the worst-case scenario, they could overcome their fears of negative experiences and make better plans to prevent them. While most people focused on how they could achieve success, the Stoics also considered how they would manage failure. This way of thinking, in which you consider the opposite of what you want, is known as inversion. The German mathematician Carl Jacobi was known for his ability to solve hard problems by following a strategy of man muss immer umkehren or, loosely translated, "invert, always invert". Inversion is a powerful thinking tool because it puts a spotlight on errors and roadblocks that are not obvious at first glance. Charlie Munger encourages ambi...
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