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mental-models

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Apply Charlie Munger's latticework of mental models to any problem. Use when user requests decision analysis, says "help me think", "apply mental model", mentions model names (inversion, bottlenecks, second-order thinking), or needs structured thinking frameworks.

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Source SKILL.md: https://github.com/majiayu000/claude-skill-registry/blob/HEAD/skills/design/mental-models-cyperx84-claude-skills-mental-1e94698f/SKILL.md

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Mental Models

Apply 98 cognitive frameworks from multiple disciplines to analyze problems, make decisions, and think more clearly.

Quick Reference

Models by Category:

  • General Thinking (m01-m09): First principles, inversion, second-order thinking
  • Science (m10-m29): Leverage, inertia, feedback loops, ecosystems
  • Systems Thinking (m30-m40): Bottlenecks, scale, margin of safety, emergence
  • Mathematics (m41-m47): Randomness, regression to mean, local vs global maxima
  • Economics (m48-m59): Trade-offs, scarcity, creative destruction
  • Art (m60-m70): Framing, audience, contrast
  • Strategy (m71-m75): Asymmetric warfare, seeing the front
  • Human Nature (m76-m98): Biases, incentives, social proof

How to Use

Quick Apply

When user mentions a specific model + context:

  1. Load the model file from models/ directory
  2. Read: Description, Thinking Steps, When to Avoid
  3. Apply Thinking Steps to user's context
  4. Provide 3-5 actionable insights
  5. Note any cautions from "When to Avoid"

Example: "Apply inversion to this architecture decision"

Discovery

When user asks "what models for X":

  1. Search resources/model-index.json for matching keywords
  2. Return top 5 relevant models with brief descriptions
  3. Offer to quick-apply any of them

Example: "What mental models help with scaling?"

Deep Analysis

When user has complex decision:

  1. Ask 2-3 clarifying questions
  2. Select max 3 most relevant models
  3. Apply each model's Thinking Steps systematically
  4. Synthesize insights across models
  5. Provide actionable recommendations

Example: "Help me think through whether to accept this job offer"

Model File Structure

Each model in models/ contains:

  • Description: Core concept
  • When to Avoid: Limitations
  • Keywords: Application contexts
  • Thinking Steps: Sequential framework (follow exactly)
  • Coaching Questions: Prompts for deeper exploration

Key Guidelines

  1. Quality over quantity: Max 3 models per analysis
  2. Follow Thinking Steps exactly: That's where the value is
  3. Check "When to Avoid": Alert user if model doesn't fit
  4. Latticework approach: Show how models connect
  5. Be actionable: Provide concrete insights, not just theory

Resources

  • resources/model-index.json - Searchable index of all 98 models
  • resources/quick-reference.md - Common patterns and model combinations