075: Effectual thinking vs causal thinking

We recorded this one on a whim and we didn't have our microphone with a little hat on it, so the wind noise makes a guest appearance. Apologies – return to quality sound soon.

Corissa grabbed a snippet from an article:

Over at one of my favourite blogs, Common Cog, Cedric Chin writes that there is a style of thinking that is reliably exhibited by successful entrepreneurs. It is called effectual thinking, and it's the type of improvisatory, reality based thinking that follows the question, what effects can be produced with the spread of resources in front of me? He contrasts this with causal thinking, which is the opposite pattern, looking towards an ideal outcome and then trying to work backwards to derive the actions required to eventually bring about that future.

And this inspired us to talk through effectual thinking. We go on a blustery journey through chefs in high-end experimental kitchens, John Boyd's Snowmobiling, Mr Beast, Steve Jobs, Estuarine Framework and Small Bets.

The big question: can effectual thinking give you a happier, healthier way to operate, or is it just the case that, as Andrew Wilkinson put it, "most highly successful people are “just a walking anxiety disorder, harnessed for productivity”?

Linky goodness:

Sasha Chapin's article: https://sashachapin.substack.com/p/our-perfume-line-is-here

Cedric Chin's Common Cog: https://commoncog.com/when-action-beats-prediction/

Vaughn Tan's Uncertainty Mindset: https://uncertaintymindset.org/

Snowmobiling podcast episode: https://shows.acast.com/triggerstrategy/episodes/072-granularity-part-2-snowmobiling

Do 100 Thing podcast episode: https://shows.acast.com/triggerstrategy/episodes/043-do-100-thing

Innovation Tactics: https://bit.ly/innovation-10

Small Bets: https://smallbets.com/

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