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You’re staring at a problem, for hours. You cycle through all the solutions that worked before to find what would work best this time around.Except, none of them seem good enough now. You have to find a new way out.
Enter First Principles Thinking.
It’s a revolutionary way to solve problems that elite decision-makers use in their domains. Elon Musk has regularly uses first principles to learn new subjects, like, err…, rocket science!
Understanding First Principles Thinking
First principles thinking is about breaking problems down to their fundamental truths. Then, rebuilding solutions from the ground up.
You break down a complex issue into its most basic parts, and then find new solutions working on each part, from the ground up. It’s the opposite of defaulting to best practices.
You intentionally rock the boat to find other ways than how it has always been done.
You do not ask, “What’s worked before?” Rather, you ask, “What’s the last layer of truth in this situation?”
It’s less like following a recipe and more like decoding the chemistry of cooking. Since we’re on cooking, did you know what oil in cooking actually does?
Oil lets the heat spread evenly, so the food cooks evenly. That’s the main function of oil in cooking.
Ajitesh Shukla, author of First Principles Thinking: Building winning products using first principles thinking, says:
“First principles thinking is defined as a method of reasoning or a thought process in which you try and understand the fundamental truth regarding different aspects of the existence of a thing or problem by breaking it down into its most basic elements and building your argument up from there. These fundamental truths can be called the first principles or first causes.”
How Elon Musk Used First Principles To Win Space
Elon Musk, when working on his reusable rocket project SpaceX, used first principles to ask:
- “What is the actual cost of the materials used to build a rocket?”
- “How does this compare to the final cost of the rocket?”
He found that the raw materials account for just about 2% of the total cost. This was an unconventional find, since the domain wisdom was that the cost of materials was a major chunk of the overall expense.
Musk realized the most of the cost was actually due to labor, engineering, and manufacturing processes. He focused on reducing these, rather than trying to optimize the raw materials.
He did not ask: How much does it cost to buy a rocket? He asked: What is a rocket made of, and how much do those materials cost?
That question saved SpaceX hundreds of millions, and it rewrote the rule book for the entire industry.
How You Can Use “First Principles Thinking”
First principles thinking provides a framework for solving unprecedented problems—those with no pre-existing playbook.
It’s simple — strip away your assumptions, and go digging past the “proven” solutions and borrowed conventions. The process typically involves the following steps:
- Identify the Problem: Clearly define the problem you are trying to solve.
- Break It Down: Deconstruct the problem into its fundamental components.
- Analyze the Components: Examine each component for its function/relevance.
- Rebuild Solutions: Use the insights gained to create new solutions or approaches.
1. Question the Unquestionable
You must be willing to question everything, even your own beliefs. Question all established tactics. Question why you believe what you believe.
Instead of accepting “that’s just how it’s done,” first principles thinkers ask “Why is it done this way?”
Challenge every assumption. Start with a simple question: What do I know to be true about the problem?
Then ask: “What am I assuming that may not be true?”
Consider how you approach meetings: Do we really need an hour, or did we inherit this timeframe without examination?
2. Identify Your Cognitive Anchors
We all have mental reference points that limit our thinking.
These “anchors” – often our first successful solution to a problem – can prevent us from seeing superior alternatives. Recognition is the first step toward releasing their hold.
3. Embrace Strategic Ignorance
Temporarily forget what you know. This deliberate “unknowing” creates space for fresh perspectives.
Expert knowledge, paradoxically, can sometimes be our biggest obstacle to breakthrough thinking.
4. Map the Fundamentals
List out the basic, irrefutable truths about your challenge. What elements are genuinely essential? What aspects are merely traditional add-ons? This mental inventory often reveals surprising insights.
Now that you’ve stripped the problem down to its core, don’t rely on what worked for others unless it aligns exactly with what you know to be true at this moment.
Avoid getting lost in tactics.
5. Challenge Your Dependencies
Examine each assumed requirement: Is it truly necessary, or just comfortable? Often, what we consider dependencies are merely habits dressed as necessities.
6. Build From Truth, Not Tradition
Once you’ve identified core truths, construct new solutions using only these verified elements. This approach often leads to simpler, more elegant solutions than our complex, assumption-laden defaults.
7. Test Against First Principles
When evaluating new ideas, check them against your fundamental truths rather than existing solutions. This prevents unconscious reversion to conventional thinking.
This methodical deconstruction might feel uncomfortable at first. Because we are asking our brain to temporarily abandon its efficient shortcuts.
But that discomfort is a signal that we are on the path to innovation.
Building Your First Principles Toolkit: From Theory to Practice
Let’s break down each principle into actionable strategies across different contexts — professional, personal, and creative domains.
1. Question the Unquestionable
In Professional Settings:
- Before scheduling that next one-hour meeting, ask: Could this be a 15-minute stand-up?
- Challenge industry “best practices” by asking for data that supports their effectiveness
- Examine if your team’s current workflow actually serves its stated purpose
In Personal Growth:
- Question long-held beliefs about your capabilities (“I’m not good at public speaking”)
- Examine whether your daily routines serve your current goals or are just comfortable habits
- Challenge assumptions about what success looks like in your context
In Creative Projects:
- Question genre conventions in your creative work
- Ask if traditional formats serve your audience’s current needs
- Challenge the “rules” you’ve internalized about your creative process
2. Identify Your Cognitive Anchors
At Work:
- List your go-to solutions for common problems
- Note which past successes you constantly try to replicate
- Track where you automatically dismiss new ideas because “we’ve always done it this way”
In Personal Life:
- Document your default responses to stress or challenges
- Identify patterns in your decision-making that might be outdated
- Notice where you compare current situations to past experiences
In Learning:
- Recognize when you’re applying old knowledge to new contexts without verification
- Note which “expert advice” you accept without questioning
- Track your resistance points to new methodologies
3. Embrace Strategic Ignorance
Professional Context:
- Approach each new project as if you’ve never done it before
- Ask “naive” questions about established processes
- Temporarily forget your expertise when brainstorming solutions
Personal Development:
- Start your fitness journey ignoring “common knowledge” about exercise
- Approach relationships without preconceptions about “how things should be”
- Learn a new skill without transferring assumptions from related skills
Problem-Solving:
- Write down a problem as if explaining it to someone from a different field
- Temporarily suspend your knowledge of traditional solutions
- Approach challenges with a beginner’s mindset
4. Map the Fundamentals
Business Applications:
- Break down your value proposition to its most basic elements
- List only the essential components of your product/service
- Identify the core problems you’re actually solving for clients
Personal Goals:
- Define what success actually means to you, stripped of social expectations
- List the non-negotiable elements of your ideal lifestyle
- Identify the fundamental components of your personal values
Project Management:
- Map only the essential steps needed to complete a project
- Identify truly critical resources versus “nice to haves”
- Define core deliverables without assumed features
5. Challenge Your Dependencies
In Organizations:
- Question whether each team member’s role is truly essential
- Examine if current tools are solutions or hidden problems
- Test if presumed prerequisites are actually necessary
In Personal Habits:
- Examine whether your morning routine elements are truly essential
- Question if your productivity tools actually make you more productive
- Test if your learning methods are truly effective
In Decision-Making:
- List assumptions about what you need to make a decision
- Question whether each piece of information is truly necessary
- Test if simpler approaches might work better
6. Build From Truth, Not Tradition
Professional Implementation:
- Design workflows based on current needs, not historical practices
- Create documentation that serves actual use cases
- Develop strategies based on verified data, not industry trends
Personal Development:
- Create habits based on your actual energy patterns, not “ideal” schedules
- Design your workspace around your true work style
- Build relationships based on authentic connection, not social scripts
Project Design:
- Start with user needs rather than existing solutions
- Build systems based on current constraints, not assumed limitations
- Design processes that serve actual goals, not traditional metrics
7. Test Against First Principles
In Business:
- Evaluate new initiatives against core business objectives
- Test solutions against fundamental customer needs
- Measure success by essential metrics, not conventional benchmarks
In Personal Growth:
- Check decisions against your core values, not others’ expectations
- Evaluate progress based on fundamental growth, not surface metrics
- Test new habits against their basic intended outcomes
In Innovation:
- Validate ideas against basic laws of physics/economics/human behavior
- Test solutions against fundamental user needs
- Evaluate success by real impact, not conventional measures
Final Words
First principles thinking isn’t just a problem-solving tool – it’s a psychological reset that liberates us from the weight of accumulated assumptions.
You strip away layers of “supposed to” to create a mental space for innovation. You show the dare to question every established truth and build new truths.
Finally, you don’t just solve problems differently – you transform your capacity to see what’s possible. The reward? Peace and success!
√ Also Read: Identity-Based Habits To Hasten Your Success Routine
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