Framework
Mental Models

First Principles

Reduce to atomic truths, rebuild up

Best for
questioning received wisdom
Time
1–2 hr
Difficulty
Advanced

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First Principles diagramSchematic of the First Principles framework: Reduce to atomic truths, rebuild up.
The First Principles diagram — Reduce to atomic truths, rebuild up.
Example

Re-thinking enterprise sales from first principles, not playbook

Reduce, then rebuild
  1. Atom 1 — buyer wants to reduce a specific risk or cost
  2. Atom 2 — buyer needs proof from a peer, not a vendor
  3. Atom 3 — buyer's procurement adds delay, not value
  4. Rebuilt approach — lead with a written case study, skip the demo
  5. Rebuilt approach — give legal templates upfront to compress procurement

Related frameworks

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Prefer the simplest explanation

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Don't remove what you don't understand

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Know what you know — and don't

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