How to Make Better Decisions - Decision-Making Mental Models - Using Intuition | Tim Ferriss

Tim Ferriss on decision-making heuristics and mental models. Sign up for Tim's free weekly newsletter "5-Bullet Friday' here: go.tim.blog/5-bullet-friday-yt/
Filmed at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum in Austin, TX.
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About Tim Ferriss:
Tim Ferriss is one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People” and an early-stage tech investor/advisor in Uber, Facebook, Twitter, Shopify, Duolingo, Alibaba, and 50+ other companies. He is also the author of five #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers: The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, The 4-Hour Chef, Tools of Titans and Tribe of Mentors. The Observer and other media have named him “the Oprah of audio” due to the influence of his podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show, which has exceeded 500 million downloads and been selected for “Best of Apple Podcasts” three years running.
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[@timferriss]

Take 10 seconds and sign up for my free "5-Bullet Friday" newsletter: go.tim.blog/5-bullet-friday-yt/ Each Friday, you’ll get a short email from me with five things I've discovered that week, sending you off to your weekend with fun and useful things to ponder and try. 🙌

[@jai_bartlett]

I think I speak on behalf of everyone when I say you've really helped change my life for the better. Thanks so much!

[@kodoan411]

Definitely on mine - Tim is the "good Lex Luthor" we all benefit from.

[@vkadijk]

Definitely! I second this :)

[@eduardobarbosa9413]

The mental tools I learned from his videos and books have greatly changed my life for the better.

[@saralacombe2692]

I concur

[@5555Latest]

I don't like people speaking for me but yes the world is better with Tim in it.

[@simplycol4419]

Perfect is the enemy of done.

[@moniquemurphy4851]

Love this.

[@crunchycar]

Summary: - If the decision is reversible (it can be cancelled, you can get a refund, etc), save your decision making energy for when the stakes are higher. - a risk and benefit list is better than a pro and cons list. - look for a yes signal in your head, heart and gut. if something feels off even after doing risk benefit analysis, go with your intuition which is a no. - but make sure you don't only use intuition by itself to make a decision.

[@TylerSinden]

It's so weird seeing Tim say "ladies and germs" and not just hearing him, but actually seeing him say it too 😂

[@crashtestjustin]

Funny finding you over here....

[@TylerSinden]

@@crashtestjustin 😂😂 I'm everywhere

[@parshantjuneja4811]

Lol u r right but that’s so weird

[@crashtestjustin]

@@TylerSinden the one who covers all the internet. Your knowledge must be all encompassing 😦

[@TylerSinden]

@@crashtestjustin hahah if only...

[@crashtestjustin]

Making easily reversible decisions as fast as possible is gold to having more decision making energy in life. We often see it as "productivity hacks" (laying out clothes the day before etc..) but extending it to the daily decisions we don't realize have a lasting impact is a great way to safeguard from that daily mental fatigue that builds up much quicker than we would like.

[@intentionally]

I love the idea behind the "whole body yes." So often the heart, gut, and mind can have different opinions. Going to be using this methodology going forward!

[@jakeh2049]

This crazy wack job/spiritual comedian dude Nick Sun taught me to do a similar “body check”. Super interesting, I personally view it as “subconscious you choosing something while pretending to be your body check” but either way it’s equally valid. For me it was extremely subtle but he has a video (how to body test) you can check out, may be useful for difficult decisions.

[@mochiwaffles]

Whenever I struggle to make a decision(esp. between two choices), I'd feel a lot of contractions in my head when thinking about one option, whereas I don't really have to think twice about the other. It's almost like I keep trying to convince myself to choose the one I think I "should" do and keep asking myself why I don't want to go for something that is seemingly good even when it doesn't "feel" right. And I end up ruminating endlessly because I can't seem to explain or understand it with reason no matter how hard I try. But thanks to you, now I know that the right decision should not cause too much struggle and unpleasant sensations in the body. If it feels right then it's probably right, and I should trust my intuition.

[@NiquiGirl]

I've said it so many times, why not say it on his videos: Tim Ferris is one of the greatest, most profound, out of the box, original thinkers of our day. There; now it's written 😎

[@danielmurray9820]

there is so much noise in our lives it can be hard to work from intuition, even recognize it., should you want to use intuition. THis can mess up the whole body ... as they interplay. Well worth working on, I imagine it gets more effective the longer you do it. That "misuse" of intuition a very interesting point. Great point of reversible and small decisions. best/most likely/worst case can be good too ... and addressing the ability to deal with worst case scenario. It can take "needless" or excessive, the stress out of decisions. Great piece.

[@steveatx8295]

Agree, for me intuition in my gut says look further; if gut says no, it is no, if gut and heart are yes, the brain engages to figure out risk and ROI. Learning how to parse gut from fear and gut from greed will calibrate you well. Fear is a false negative, greed is a false positive. If either come up wait to choose, and maybe time will choose for you. Alternative; if i am getting the greed signal, i choose no, as someone or something is appealing to my desire for big outcomes.

[@rfsalad4118]

Profound words!

[@MereMortalsBookReviews]

Agreed so hard on the reversible decisions or flexible. Ones that let you just go ahead and make an action, which you can easily shift away from when needed. Save your energy for the bigger things in life. Appreciate the video TimTim

[@everydayvacaytaj]

That was useful. I have been noticing a contraction around a place that I was considering moving but I was thinking that it was just a combination of fear and excitement about making a big move. And my mind keeps coming in to think about all of the potential fun and good things about the location, not taking into account (or overriding) the contracting feelings in my body.

[@TomStephensontraining]

Great advice, I listened to you advice last year in March you mentioned in your podcast (forget which one as I listen to most) don't let this time go to waste. It gave me the idea to start a KZbin channel which has been a fun challenge, habit that has kept me distracted from the noise and focused on learning something new. Thanks Tim! Keep up the great work!

[@peachshoes3793]

What's the name of your channel

[@mariannaoneill]

Straight down to the point and super practical advice. Thank you, Tim.

[@SamMartinPeakPerformance]

This just makes me think Tim would be a greater presenter for wildlife shows

[@cara.leo_]

Great video! Always been confused around What is intuition and what is actually fear of doing something new and the unknown. Great point using risk benefit analysis and doing a whole body scanning.

[@glade_maker]

Thanks Tim, these are great and simple, applicable concepts to sort things out! I now recognise how important it is to concile as much as possible the "practical", the "rational" and the "intuitive" (whatever these mean, but I'm referring to your three main points here). Great talk! Also, you're looking good man, so happy to see you in such a lovely mood, still good old Tim but a little looser and lighter! Btw, really had a blast diving into #500, amazing stuff, thanks so much for sharing that conversation!!

[@phillipmckinzie7376]

I think “intuition” can also keep you from doing things you should. For instance, when you know you should and you don’t feel that honest sense of wrongness or gut check but you spend so much time avoiding, dreading, or procrastinating because it’s not something you may necessarily like or enjoy. You can overthink or get worked up thinking of all the reasons you wouldn’t like doing that thing to a point where you practically imagine or manifest a “no” simply to justify doing something else or finding another distraction, kicking the can a bit further down the road.

[@ralphylad]

Great comment, I was recently offered a life changing career opportunity a few community commitments I have which would have had to be dropped sparked something in me which caused that gut feeling to say no, after contemplating and procrastination for 72 hours getting worked up as you have said, I had to turn down the opportunity. As soon as it was taken out of my hands I knew I had made the wrong decision and I’ve been absolutely gutted ever since. Sometimes it’s worth just rolling the dice people! The pain of regret is often way worse than the fear of change. Believe me! I may never get a chance like that ever again!

[@felixgonzalez6466]

@@ralphylad wow thank u for ur comment

[@MultipleCareers]

Tim is a mind reader! Was thinking a lot about decision-making lately. Using intuition and listening to your body is so underrated, and this heuristic is definitely useful. One thing I also do for more significant decisions (after weighing off the usual risk/benefit, pros cons, etc.), is imagining which decision I would regret (more) 3 years from now, 10, and 20 years from now, because we tend to value things differently over various time horizons, and it puts things in perspective.

[@rohankurakure3055]

Love the short form content like this

[@andrew_zieg]

Thank you for sharing! I came across "Mental Models" in the Almanack of Naval Ravikant recently which made this video catch my eye. Took action on it by making a mental model for game theory (currently a college student...in game theory): 1. Optimization - making the best decision possible given the constrains (ex: budget, time, etc) 2. Take others decisions into consideration (seeing multiple POVs) 3. Humans aren't robots. Know when to use the numbers or to trust your gut/emotions. I think the last point relates really well to the intuition you talked about in this video.

[@carlosuter3341]

Nice

[@edgardosantana]

The timing of this is excellent Tim! This reminded me a bit of the "in-betweenesodes" of the podcast such as the "not-to-do list" or "the art of letting bad things happen". Enjoyed that "vintage Tim" vibe! (Gotta say too that I've been enjoying the more subtle topics you've touched on conversations like the 500th episode and the recent episode with Josh Waitzkin).

[@sual5871]

How I think about decision-making by Tim • Marking reversible or fixable decisions as quickly as possible. • Risk and benefit analysis. • A whole body yes from brain chest and gut.

[@GabeKrebs]

Your video production has gotten so much better over the years

[@mykytapysarevskyi5622]

That's so amazing to find it here, Tim! Thank you for sharing it! Went through the course on psychology to get the same definition you share here!

[@Andrew-dg7qm]

Totally agree with this. And glad you’re calling BS on the unprepared who tout their apparent skills or make excuses for sloppy work

[@sunpowered]

Awesome video quality, Tim!!

[@rhondahurwitz]

I really appreciate how to check in with your head/heart/gut after a very rational analysis for a big decision; and what to do when on paper it made sense, but the body signs point the other way. I faced this recently -- was a relief to go with my intuition.

[@ebranner]

These are great. Love the short video format! Thanks!

[@jakeh2049]

Beauty! Thanks Tim, I think this will be helpful. Keep up what you’re doing it’s great

[@damondahl]

incredible video format Tim! I love the nature background!

[@theprofmusic]

This is awesome, Tim. Just what I was looking for.

[@wanderlusttom]

These are super valuable. More of these tidbits Tim!

[@katiemc3712]

Really helpful. Used it immediately to make a decision. Thanks Tim!

[@BrunoRodrigues-fw9ri]

Thank you Tim for putting out new content.

[@user-gu7wb3ij4p]

Thanks Tim. The whole body yes, mental model is amazing and eye opener for me. God bless you friend!

[@tonygsuriano]

Timbo! You don't have to do these videos and I thank you deciding to do them. Also, Im reading Principles and was just discussing the reversalable and irreversible decision making. Cheers!

[@MakeWay4CJ]

Oddly enough, I’ve not read anything that spoke of the value of reversibility and even though it sounds like common sense, I’d like to read more about it. Do you mind sharing the full title of the book you mentioned?

[@olyabozhinov8021]

Awesome video! I was really struggling with this. And it almost seems like everyone is talking about mental models nowadays. Than you for sharing!

[@JonathanNKhorsandi]

great that you're calling bullshit on intuition as a license to justify what you want because you want it. spot on

[@mindtheprivacy]

One of our most brilliant minds here.

[@user-bz5mb3ce4g]

Great simple 3 tips to use when making a decision. Thanks

[@justinc6861]

Tim you are a wizard thanks for all your tips over the years

[@evrettej]

Very insightful as always. Thank you Tim!

[@rubymemphis64]

I love it when you say ladies and germs.

[@kyle9970]

I needed this. More of these please. and thank you.

[@yoaaliyan9427]

I was introduced to mental models initially from 4 Hour Body and I read about *Poor Charlie's Almanack* in Tools of Titans and I read it in addition to Shane Parrish's Farnam Street directory of mental models. I downloaded fs.blog all mental models way back in 2018 and have been using them. Another good read was "*Tao of Charlie Munger*" and I really enjoyed that book. Cheers, thanks for talking about Decision-making mental models.

[@bijoyamukherji]

Oh I love this, what a fabulous piece of information ❤🙏🏼 thank you! blessings ✨

[@mehdichellaoui]

Thank you again

[@pjfo9714]

Just subscribe. Been looking for this kind of channel. Nice to listen while driving. Improvement is the biggest room in the world. Thanks!

[@nathan-clark]

Hoping this is a sign of more video-native content to come. This video, by the way, is looking crissssspppppp.

[@bperez8656]

He’s so hot and well put together in his brain and physique

[@johntibaldi9496]

Love videos like this! Keep them coming!!

[@arielsoothy]

Thank you for this video. Would be great to hear more about decision making.

[@lazitazen6882]

Very helpful 🌷 Thank you 💗

[@arizoniatea]

Thank you for some sweet content Tim!!! I love what you do so much man, thank you for always adding so much value to my life man

[@jelenajukic890]

thank you for this video

[@lwa.dev74]

Thank you Tim!!!

[@RobertNowland]

Really hoping Tim has batched a tonne of KZbin videos for us again, need more of this in my life

[@Tertti_Tenhola]

Thanks Tim once again. Love the minimalism and nature setting of the video. Also you seem to be getting younger all the time.

[@henryspragge]

He's a good speaker. Enjoyed the video, thanks. Was helpful.

[@monicabitzermartin2433]

Thanks - this was really helpful. From a master over-thinker. Updated my research model temporarily today - at least now I have something to change tomorrow.

[@coachjordanhardgrave]

This was awesome, Tim. I have also found if you pick up food in your hand you will feel a yes or no whether it's healthy and good to eat within a few seconds.

[@Angel-cu5mf]

wow the whole body yes tip was gold!

[@seanovaa929]

this video was sooooo helpful. Thank you!

[@niraj807]

Thank you Tim...you are awesome

[@danie3ashbshm]

Thank you Tim 🙏🏻🌟

[@sozotube7680]

But what if intuition is actually just fear or the unknown? If you say intuition can be used to say "yes", why then can it not be wrong if the feeling is "no"?

[@henrylondon9880]

Wow love this

[@thelaw3536]

Thanks tim

[@clementekpo7606]

Thanks dude I learnt something

[@dakotahayden6937]

Perhaps an additional consideration is understanding how risk averse you are and how that can lead to an incorrect gut decision. I've never understood Bitcoin as an investment and my risk-averse instinct has consistently told me to stay away, and that has been completely wrong - at least up until now.

[@ReformationDesigns]

Thanks Tim 🙏🏼

[@julesjgreig]

Thank you

[@krishnanair9390]

This was really helpful

[@ParisSantiago]

UNHELPFUL INTUITION 🤯 Thank you for this wording ✨ Loving this color shirt 🔔

[@kilian4770]

I dreamed of Tim tonight, lol we played a sci-fi strategy board game. We had to figure out how to connect but it worked in the end. Cheers Tim! + everyone here! gut + heart + head here we go!

[@rodrigomaroja5758]

One thing that really helped me on saving a lot of time in decision making is to analyze the delta between the optimum decision and the good enough decision. Sometimes we debate on such small differences, “X” is better, “Y” is prettier, but the big decision is already made.

[@ultiumlabs4899]

so which one do you choose? the optimum decision or good enough decision?

[@BauerBeauty]

Ty!! So good

[@Fascistbeast]

5:01 😂 I’m not guilty of that That’s why I searched this video Thankyou again!

[@KarinaMirzalievaMaxy]

Thank you 😊☕ I'll try listen to it more carefully

[@mairtinoleannain8567]

1. Look to make reversible or fixable decisions quickly 2. Risk / Benefit Analysis - Compare potential upside and potential downside 3. Head, Heart, Gut check - look for No signals

[@dhairyapalan7547]

Good one, really helpful thanks 😁

[@bazmalaza85]

there are not many like Tim. but there are more and more.

[@lessmore444]

Mark Manson’s concept of “F*ck yes, or no” has also been helpful in streamlining decision making.

[@MandarVaze]

I came to know about "Hell Yes, or No" from Derek Sivers

[@cashvsbeauty]

Thank you buddy, good to see you.

[@francisemv1788]

this is awesome!

[@gustavgustavgustav]

Good stuff Tim!

[@InVINCEab13]

Instructions unclear; have anxiety - said no to water, recovering in the E.R.

[@dangriffin607]

Good information, thank you!

[@emsea7279]

Thanks bro

[@ben3364]

Problem is...(for example)... When given an opportunity to advance your career into a position of more responsibility, you will almost always have an uneasy feel. If you always let the uneasy feeling over-ride, you'd never push yourself, never publically speak, etc.

[@lukecatledge8376]

I would like to see more of these. Thanks

[@Alphfirm]

love u man

[@jessmason2112]

Introspection and intuitive perspective are vital to good decisions. Not only in making good decisions but in survival itself. For example, maybe I shouldn't take that shortcut down that dark alley. For a very simple example.

[@michaelh9046]

This came at a perfect time! I am reading Poor Charlie’s Almanack

[@lastjedi9442]

U r looking healthy this year Tim 👍🏻

[@isaacmarzz4859]

El maestro de la productividad.

[@proizak8960]

Cool Video Tim :D Also nice background.

[@bluegiant13]

Good video tim very helpful

[@murugeshanswamy3976]

Nice way to measure intuitions