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Founder Mode

Decision Making, Mental Models, and a Simple Health Hack

One of the most significant decisions I made last year was how to spend my time. I wanted to balance health, work, and personal relationships AND boost my productivity. I stopped only focusing on work or money. Now, I think about long-term sustainability. Am I building my life to grow the way I want over time? That shift led me to set goals; honestly, I feel more in control than ever. The big change was deciding to make one. Then, I figured out what I truly wanted to achieve. After an exit, I was always asked to set OKRs / goals at work, especially in larger companies. But I never took the time or was interested in doing that for myself. Only five weeks into 2025, but I have been making progress on all ten goals I set for myself. It's a mix of goals across the three areas of focus this year. Health. Wealth. Relationships. Will do a mid-year check-in on how that's going.

Mistakes from over-reliance on a framework

I’ve also fallen into the trap of over-optimizing decision-making. Negotiations can be tricky. Sometimes, I push too hard for that last bit of ROI. But often, the effort isn’t worth it. I often spent too long chasing better deals. In doing so, I risked my relationships, missed opportunities, and added unnecessary stress.

The lesson? Consider the full cost of a decision. Look at money, time, energy, and relationships. The best deal isn’t just about great terms. It’s the one that helps you move forward quickly and easily.

Speed & The One-Way Door Test

When I’m in a high-pressure situation, I default to move quickly. Not because I don’t care, but because decisions create momentum. I like to ask myself:

Is this a one-way door or a two-way door?

A one-way door means you can’t easily turn back once you go through. A two-way door means you can reverse course if needed. Most decisions? They’re two-way doors. If I realize a decision isn’t working, I can adjust. So why waste time overanalyzing?

This mindset lets me try new ideas. So I don't get stuck trying to make the perfect decision immediately. If you move quickly, you get faster feedback, which leads to better decisions over time.

Balancing Intuition and Structure

I often trust my intuition. However, it comes from thinking about long-term positioning. Every choice I make today links to a bigger picture. This could be a business plan, an investment, or a simple chat.

I think of decision-making like chess:

• What’s my next move?
• What’s my move after that?
• How does this decision set me up for the future?

Even when I make concessions or small sacrifices, they’re intentional. They’re setting up something better later. And again—speed matters. By making decisions quickly and iterating, I see results faster, adjust, and improve.

First Principles and AI Changing the Game

One of the most underrated mental models? Speed as a feature.

People underestimate how much velocity compounds. Moving fast isn't about rushing. It's about making quick learning loops. These loops help you stay ahead. That speed must be based on first principles of thinking. This means simplifying problems to their basics. It involves questioning what we assume and starting fresh.

AI is shifting how we approach this. Traditional decision-making has always been step-by-step. But AI? It removes many steps. It can handle layered decisions in seconds. This makes us rethink our workflows, strategies, and assumptions. The game is changing faster—how we think about decisions must change with it.

Dr. ChatGPT

Last week, I woke up with zero voice. I had a bunch of meetings, but after struggling through the first one, I knew it wouldn’t work. Canceled the rest of the day.

So I did what any person would do—I asked ChatGPT what to do.

Instead of my usual coffee, it suggested a Medicine Ball—a honey citrus mint tea from Starbucks. Never heard of it. But I tried it, and ended up drinking four a day for two days, and my voice came back fast. Ok, they were delicious, but it was amazing to me how quickly it helped relieve my sore throat.

At lunch, I kept using chat:

• Order chicken over lamb or beef—softer on a sore throat.
• Skip the Greek salad—acidic ingredients can worsen inflammation.
• Stick with hummus—good fats, easy to digest.

Simple tweaks, but effective.

A few months ago, a family member fell. We were in a new area. We ran a quick search on ChatGPT and found a nearby ER which had excellent ratings and low wait times. Another family member with recurrent cancer has been querying chat with their test results. This helps them get a better idea of treatments. It makes doctor visits more efficient and gives them better questions to ask the Dr.

It’s amazing how much quick, quality information we have now.
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If you aren't at least trying ChatGPT vs searching Google or asking someone you are missing out on a wealth of knowledge.

Bonus Link:

Check out Rocketable—a startup with an inspiring vision I came across this week. Buy a company. Replace ALL humans.

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