Optimize Your Brain

1. Diversify Your Input

Don’t just read Hacker News and Stack Overflow. Talk to people outside your bubble. Read books on different topics. Challenge your assumptions. Think of it as expanding your toolkit.

2. Know Your Own Bugs

Everyone has biases. The trick is to identify yours. When you feel your blood pressure rising in a discussion, ask yourself why. What assumptions are you making? Are they valid?

3. Embrace the “Fail Fast” Mentality

Being wrong isn’t a bug; it’s a feature. It’s an opportunity to learn. Don’t be afraid to admit you were wrong. Analyze what happened and fix the underlying logic.

4. Be Humble (But Not a Pushover)

Know your stuff, but also know what you don’t know. Be open to learning from anyone, even if they’re a junior dev or someone with a different background. But humility doesn’t mean letting people walk all over you. Stand your ground when you’re confident in your analysis.

5. Learning Never Stops

You don’t need a fancy research grant to improve your thinking. Read, listen to podcasts, join online communities, and have discussions with smart people. Even journaling can help you clarify your thoughts.