First things first
It was a cold winter morning, and the wind howled against the frame of a small wooden shed tucked away in a quiet town. Inside, two men huddled over a table scattered with blueprints, mechanical parts, and rough sketches. The air was thick with frustration; months of trial and error had led to a familiar dead end. Each idea, each adjustment, only seemed to push them further from the dream they shared. The world around them was stuck in its ways, tethered by conventional wisdom, yet they couldn’t shake the feeling that they were on the brink of something far bigger than themselves. There had to be another way.
The noise of naysayers, the weight of past failures, the feeling that they were inching closer to the impossible—it all pressed in on them. And then, amid the frustration, one thought began to take hold: What if the answer wasn’t found in what had been tried before? What if it was in the very foundation of the problem itself?
They were standing on the edge of a breakthrough, but to get there, they had to break free from every assumption they had been taught. They needed to dismantle everything they thought they knew and start from scratch.
That’s when they turned to the concept that would change everything: First principles thinking. Instead of building on what others had already done, they decided to rebuild the problem from the ground up, dissecting each part to its most basic truth.
Returning to the Fundamentals
First principles thinking isn’t new. In fact, it dates back to Aristotle, who first used the concept to break down complex ideas into their most basic, undeniable truths. It’s a method of reasoning that forces you to challenge the status quo by asking fundamental questions: What is the problem at its core? What do we know for sure? What assumptions are we making that might be wrong?
In the Wright brothers’ case, they could have easily accepted the existing theories on flight. They could have accepted the limitations of engines, wings, and lift as they were understood at the time. But instead, they dug deeper, questioning everything they thought they knew about aerodynamics, materials, and propulsion. By reducing flight down to its fundamental truths—forces, physics, and lift—they found a way forward that no one had imagined before.
But that process wasn’t easy. First principles thinking requires more than intellectual curiosity; it demands that we face down the psychological barriers that keep us tethered to outdated methods.
It’s Hard to Think from First Principles
Our brains are wired to take shortcuts. We tend to rely on patterns, experiences, and past knowledge because they help us make quick decisions. But those shortcuts, while useful in everyday life, can become traps when we’re solving complex problems. Cognitive biases like the sunk cost fallacy and confirmation bias often lead us to double down on ideas or methods that aren’t working simply because we’ve already invested time, money, or effort into them.
When we encounter failure, our instinct is to push forward with the same approach, hoping for a different outcome. But first principles thinking asks us to step back and re-evaluate everything. It forces us to ignore the weight of past failures or successes and look at the problem from a fresh perspective.
This psychological hurdle is why so many of us settle for conventional solutions. We find comfort in the familiar, even when it’s clear that those solutions aren’t moving us forward. And that’s why it’s so important to actively challenge those assumptions and push through the discomfort of uncertainty.
The good news, you can move beyond these cognitive biases by training yourself to think from first principles.
The Tools of First Principles Thinking
If you’re ready to start applying first principles thinking to your own challenges, here are a few tools you can use:
Identify the Problem: Clearly define the problem you’re trying to solve. Don’t be vague—get specific about what you’re facing. This will help you dig into the root cause rather than focusing on the symptoms.
Wright Brothers' Example: They observed that previous flight attempts focused on building powerful engines without solving control issues. By identifying control as the primary problem, they set the foundation for their success.
Break it Down: Dissect the problem into its most basic elements. What are the undeniable truths at the core of the issue? What are the assumptions you're operating under, and where might they be flawed?
Wright Brothers' Example: They segmented the challenge of flight into lift, propulsion, and control. This decomposition allowed them to tackle each aspect systematically.
Challenge Assumptions: Once you've broken the problem down, start questioning every assumption. Ask yourself, "Why do we believe this is true?" and "What if this assumption is wrong?" This step is key to unlocking new solutions.
Wright Brothers' Example: They disputed the prevailing notion that wings must be rigid. Observing birds, they realized wing warping was essential for control, leading to their innovative wing designs.
Rebuild from the Ground Up: Use those fundamental truths to reassemble a new solution. Don’t be afraid to discard old methods or ideas that no longer make sense. Build a solution that reflects the most basic, unchallenged truths you’ve uncovered.
Wright Brothers' Example: By reconstructing the concept of flight from fundamental principles, they developed a three-axis control system, revolutionizing aviation.
Iterate and Test: The Wright brothers didn’t get it right the first time. They tested and adjusted, learning from each failure. First principles thinking is not about getting everything right at once—it’s about the willingness to adapt and iterate based on new insights.
Wright Brothers' Example: They conducted numerous glider tests, learning from each to enhance their designs, exemplifying relentless preparation and methodical meticulousness.
From Theory to Action
The Wright brothers didn’t invent the airplane by simply tweaking existing ideas—they built it from the ground up, using first principles to revolutionize flight. By questioning everything, they were able to break through the barriers that seemed insurmountable.
First principles thinking can help you do the same, whether you’re tackling a complex project, solving a team challenge, or even developing a personal goal. By stripping away the assumptions and focusing on the foundational truths, you’ll open yourself up to new ways of thinking, creating, and solving.
The next time you find yourself stuck in a cycle of frustration, remember the lesson of the Wright brothers. You don’t have to keep trying what’s already been done. There’s a new way forward, waiting to be uncovered—one that begins with returning to the very basics.
