The "So What" Test: A Mental Model for Decision Making | Weekbook #29

Each day we are faced with decisions. Some of them are significant, others are not. Yet irrespective of the importance, how often do you truly weigh up the options and make an informed decision? Rarely, I would wager, but why not? Almost certainly because you don't know how. The solution? The "so what?" test.

This mental model is designed to test the value of your actions and decisions before you make them, ensuring you make an informed choice each time.

The basic principle is thus: before making a choice or taking action, ask yourself "so what if I did this?"

If the answer doesn't satisfy the objective or goal you're working towards, then it's a low value activity. If it does, then it is high value. As a general rule for life, the more high value activities you can complete, the more likely you are to be successful.

To demonstrate the model in action, refer to the following example:

Jane Doe is aiming to run a marathon in three months time and to maximise her chance of succeeding, she knows that she needs to follow a strict training and nutrition plan.

Along the journey, she is faced with every day, crucial decisions, like whether to attend a party she was invited to, or whether she can get away with treating herself to a lie in on Sunday morning.

Jane is familiar with the "so what" test, so rather than following her impulse, she asks herself "so what is the impact of making this choice?", which enables her to make an informed decision after assessing the cost and benefit.

The idea of this model isn't to stop you from being social or enjoying life, rather it feeds into the idea of conscious decision making by helping you understand the impact of your choices, which consequently allows you to enjoy the outcome guilt free.

So the next time you're faced with a decision, ask yourself, "so what?"

Reading Notes

A collection of my favourite articles, Twitter threads and newsletters from this week, annotated with my highlights and thoughts.

• Sleep statistics.

• Categorical vs. Continuous data.

• Circadian rhythms.

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Ending Quote

"Like a pane of glass framing and subtly distorting our vision, mental models determine what we see" - Peter Sense.

Thumbnail credit: Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash