Mental Model
Force Multiplier Concept (Asymmetric Capability Enhancement)
A force multiplier dramatically increases effectiveness beyond what numbers alone suggest
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Mental Model
Forcing Function
A design constraint that prevents a specified action until a necessary condition is met, or prevents an invalid sequence
Cognitive Move
forecast cone
A single band opening from today, drawn to answer one question: does this cross the line, and when at the earliest. The two edges are best and worst upkeep you would actually sustain, not extremes. The finding is usually the crossing point of the top edge, or the absence of one.
Mental Model
Forecast Illusion
Dobelli's term for the persistent belief that experts can predict the future—despite overwhelming evidence that expert predictions are barely better than chance for most complex domains
Mental Model
Forest Bathing (Shinrin-yoku)
Shinrin-yoku, developed in Japan in the 1980s, is the practice of immersive, slow, sensory-focused time in forested environments
Mental Model
Forgiveness Process Framework (Worthington REACH Model)
A five-step protocol for working through forgiveness based on Everett Worthington's research-backed REACH model
Mental Model
Form Follows Function
An architectural principle associated with Sullivan that relates form to a building's functions
Cognitive Move
Formal and executable
States the rule as inputs, an operation, and an output, so the same transformation runs the same way twice.
Mental Model
Formative vs. Summative Assessment
Assessment serves two different purposes requiring different designs
Mental Model
Forum Shopping Strategy
Forum shopping is the practice of choosing which court or jurisdiction to file a case in to maximize strategic advantage
Mental Model
Founder Mode vs Manager Mode
Paul Graham’s proposed distinction between direct founder involvement and a more compartmentalized style of delegation as companies grow
Mental Model
Founder's Syndrome
The pattern where a founder's strengths that built the company become liabilities as the company scales—and the founder's identity is too intertwined with the company to recognize or accept this transition
Mental Model
Four Energy Dimensions (Loehr): Physical, Emotional, Mental, Spiritual
A performance and reflection framework associated with Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz that considers physical, emotional, mental, and meaning-related aspects of engagement
Mental Model
Four Horsemen of Aging (Heart Disease, Cancer, Neurodegeneration, Metabolic Dysfunction)
Attia's metaphor groups cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and metabolic dysfunction as major concerns in longevity planning
Mental Model
Four Horsemen of Relationship Apocalypse (Criticism, Contempt, Defensiveness, Stonewalling)
The four horsemen describe character attacks, contempt, blame-deflecting defensiveness, and disengagement during conflict
Mental Model
Four Methods of Completion (Completion, Deletion, Delegation, Deferment)
A task-disposition heuristic: do, delete, delegate, or defer after clarifying what the item requires.
Cognitive Move
Four Steering Knobs
Inspect the target, the signal, the rule, and the reward before blaming execution.
Mental Model
Fourth Age Challenges
Peter Laslett distinguished the Third Age (active post-career life, roughly 65-80) from the Fourth Age (roughly 80+), when the body and mind begin to impose hard limits on independence
Mental Model
Fowler's Stages of Faith (Meaning-Making Development)
Fowler proposes stages in the organization of faith understood broadly as meaning-making and ultimate concern
Mental Model
Foxes vs Hedgehogs
Isaiah Berlin's distinction, operationalized by Philip Tetlock: hedgehogs know one big thing and apply their master framework to everything, while foxes know many things and draw on multiple frameworks
Mental Model
Fractal Patterns in Nature and Calm
Natural environments are rich in fractal geometry—self-similar patterns repeating at different scales in tree branches, coastlines, leaf veins, and clouds
Mental Model
Framing
How information is presented dramatically affects how it's perceived and what decisions follow
Mental Model
Framing Effects in Negotiation
The same offer, presented differently, produces dramatically different responses
Mental Model
Free Rider Problem
The free rider problem arises when people can benefit from collective provision without contributing to its cost, potentially leading to underprovision