The second volume of the popular Great Mental Models series. Discover how the core ideas of physics, chemistry and biology can improve your communication, increase your productivity, help you think more clearly, and eliminate stupid mistakes.
THE MUCH ANTICIPATED SECOND INSTALLMENT IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLING SERIES 'THE GREAT MENTAL MODELS'. Solve problems. Think with clarity. Achieve your goals. The secret to better decision-making is learning things that won't change. Mastering a small number of versatile concepts with broad applicability enables you to rapidly grasp new areas, identify patterns, and understand how the world works. Don't waste your time on knowledge with an expiry date - focus on the fundamentals. The Farnam Street latticework of mental models gives you the durable cognitive tools you need to avoid problems and make better decisions. A mental model is a representation of how something works. Constructing mental models helps you to navigate the world efficiently and intelligently. Time and time again, great thinkers such as Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett have found mental models indispensable in both solving problems and preventing them in the first place. Cultivating stronger mental models is one of the most powerful things you can do to become a better thinker.

The Great Mental Models: Volume 2 covers essential models from chemistry, biology, and physics.
The hard sciences offer a wealth of useful tools you can use to develop critically important skills like curiosity, relationship-building, and leadership. Formal expertise in science is not necessary, though if you have it you may see parts of your discipline in a new light. This second volume of the Great Mental Models series shows you how to make connections between concepts from the sciences and your own life. You'll not only get a better understanding of the forces that influence the world around you, but you'll learn how to direct those forces to create outsized advantages in the areas of your life that matter most to you. Volume 2 will teach you how to:
Leverage reciprocity to create win-win relationships Motivate yourself and others through the lens of self-preservation Overcome friction to minimize the forces impeding your progress Make a real difference in the world by distinguishing between speed and velocity Calculate the activation energy necessary to do big and challenging things Thrive in a constantly changing environmen