Thick Like A Rocket Scientist

10 Lessons from "Think Like a Rocket Scientist" by Ozan Varol

1. Frame the Problem: Varol emphasizes the importance of defining the problem clearly. Often, reframing and redefining the issue can lead to breakthrough solutions and open us up to other alternatives that can help us achieve the same results. To achieve this, you need to have a positive outlook. When you cultivate a positive outlook, not only does it help you reframe challenges as opportunities for growth, but it also helps to increase motivation and resilience.  

2. Embrace Constraints: We often avoid problems and yearn for certainty. This yearning for certainty leads us to pursue seemingly safe solutions – “by looking for our keys under the street lamp,” instead of taking the risky walk into the dark and interacting with the unknown. Just like engineers working with limitations in rocket design, embracing constraints can spur creativity. Constraints can fuel innovation by forcing us to think outside the box.

3. Test and Experiment: Instead of being afraid of uncertainty, Rocket Scientist considers it as a call to action. They are exhilarated at the discovery they could find in the dark alley of uncertainty. That’s why they test and experiment. It might be chaotic at first, but progress will certainly come. The book advocates for a mindset of continuous testing and experimentation. Adopting an iterative approach allows for learning from failures and refining ideas.

4. Think in First Principles: When Elon Musk was shopping for rockets, he was shocked—they were way too expensive, even for his budget. But then he had an epiphany: Maybe he could build his own. Sure enough, he discovered that buying the raw materials and building the rockets from scratch would cost about 2% of the price of a typical rocket. Varol encourages lifting the obscurity that knowledge provides and breaking problems down to their fundamental truths, similar to how Elon Musk applies the first principles approach. This helps in understanding the core of the issue and finding unconventional solutions.

5. Seek Diverse Perspectives: Incorporating diverse viewpoints and expertise can lead to more robust solutions. Varol emphasizes the importance of collaboration and seeking insights from various fields. Also, cultivating a curious mindset, asking questions, and seeking new information are vital for continuous growth and innovation. 

6. Foster Intellectual Humility: Knowledge shapes, knowledge informs, but knowledge also blinds. Over decades we build frameworks, mental models, and associations that form our understanding of the world. Unwittingly, knowledge makes us prisoners of convention. The book discusses the significance of being open-minded and willing to admit when you're wrong. Intellectual humility allows for continuous learning and improvement. Also, we are advised to not celebrate failure; celebrate the lessons from failure. 

7. Visualize the Future: Varol suggests using visualization techniques to imagine and plan for the future. This practice helps in setting clear goals and working backwards to achieve them.

8. Manage Risks: Like space missions, all endeavours involve risks. Varol talks about managing risks intelligently by understanding and mitigating them to the extent possible. One such way is by using a margin of safety. Since it is hard to predict what the space environment will bring, it is always wiser to create a spacecraft stronger than what appears necessary. When we face uncertainty in our endeavours, it is better if we have a margin of safety.

9. Iterate again and Have back-ups: Constantly iterating and refining ideas is crucial for progress and innovation. This is crucial since failure in rockets could cause death and billions of dollars wasted. It is also safer to have backups. That doesn't mean an allowance for a bad design. It is in the same way we need backup options to fall back on just in case our plans crash. 

10. Maintain Curiosity: There is nothing certain in scientific knowledge. There can be varying degrees of certainty, but nothing absolute. Cultivating a curious mindset, asking questions, and seeking new information are vital for continuous growth and innovation.

If you want to start thinking in systems, enhance your problem-solving skills, and unleash your creativity, this book is for you.