Explore the Interactive Mental Models Guide →
Charlie Munger has this idea that changed how I approach almost everything: build a latticework of mental models from multiple disciplines, and use them to make better decisions.
The concept is simple. Borrow the best ideas from mathematics, psychology, economics, biology, physics, and engineering. Combine them. Use them to analyze problems from different angles instead of relying on one narrow lens.
I built an interactive guide to the mental models I come back to most often. It covers 20+ models across six disciplines, with explanations, real-world examples, and interactive demos. It's the resource I wish I had when I first started learning this stuff.
Why this matters to me
Running a business means making hundreds of decisions a week, most of them with incomplete information. Mental models give you a better toolkit for that. Instead of guessing, you're pattern-matching against frameworks that have been tested across centuries and disciplines.
A few examples from my own experience:
- Compound interest doesn't just apply to money. It applies to hiring. Every good person you bring on makes the next hire easier, makes the team stronger, and raises the bar. We went from 0 to 425+ people at Odoo US, and the compounding effect of talent is real. - Incentive-caused bias explains most of the weird behavior you see in organizations. If you want to understand why people do what they do, look at how they're compensated. Munger said it best: "Show me the incentive and I'll show you the outcome." - Inversion is probably the model I use most. Instead of asking "how do I succeed?" I ask "what would guarantee failure?" and then avoid those things. It's a surprisingly effective way to make decisions.
Knowledge compounds
The best part about learning mental models is that knowledge compounds. Each new model connects to the ones you already know and makes all of them more useful. Learning about feedback loops makes you better at understanding compound interest. Understanding loss aversion makes you better at negotiating. The models reinforce each other.
This is what Munger means by a "latticework." The models aren't isolated facts — they're an interconnected web that gets more powerful the more you add to it.
The guide
I wanted something I could reference quickly and share with my team. So I built it: six disciplines, 20+ models, interactive calculators, real-world examples, and a quiz to test yourself.
Whether you're running a company, investing, or just trying to think more clearly, these models are worth the time.