📪 Hello again, your Sunday read is here. I hope the mail got you right after your breakfast. Who does not love new information, video, book, song or an article that deserves your full attention after you fill your stomach?
As always, I will make sure that there is not a second wasted here. Before we continue, I am adding and deleting some parts of my post structure, so if you ever want to share your thoughts and/or suggestions for me please leave a comment, shoot me an email, or a DM on LinkedIn.
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📘 1 Book:
The Great Mental Models Volume 1: General Thinking Concepts
I do not know if you are familiar with the term “Mental Model”. Using Wikipedia’s definition “A mental model is an explanation of someone's thought process about how something works in the real world”. So it is some kind of a tool for you to understand the world, process, design or whatever. It is a set of rules, or guide if you wish, for you to apply while you are trying to decide on something or solving a problem.
The decision-making process of great minds and finding creative solutions to problems are what make me thick. I love hearing the story of a toy being brought to life, or a film or a technology product. I love how the obstacles are handled, how constraints led people to figure out creative ways that were never thought before. After all, I am an Industrial Engineer by heart, I love simple, optimal and creative solutions.
Mental models are tools that we can use to create solutions for our daily, business, relationship problems. These tools can be applied to any problem with some tweaks.
My 3 favorite mental models are Inversion, Second Order Thinking and First Principles Thinking. Below you can find mindmap summary of the book I have created. Also, I am linking 3 articles that I think best explains these concepts.
📝 2 Articles:
Today’s first article is an old one. It is a summary of a book called Nonviolent Communication. This summary is one of the posts that really leaves no need to read all the book. Although I really suggest you read the whole book.
Observe objectively without evaluating, there are untold stories
Make requests, not demands. Do not say “you should” say “do you mind trying to
Observe first, understand the feelings, separate the needs and then use the request
Ask before offering advice / reassurance, no one needs your smart advice as much as you think they do
Second article is a newly-found one, it is also related to how to talk to anyone.
We care too much about our own reputation, and try to look good in front of others rather than helping them feel good at that moment.
The priority is to be helpful, not just to appear helpful. We don’t assume answers to questions, but rather ask questions and listen openly. As a result, many of the blockages we unwittingly create in our normal conversations are cleared away.
Now, in all conversations, I try to practice active listening and I don’t assume too much about the other person – because this limits a person’s ability to see beyond their current limits and grow.
🎨 1 Painting:
I cannot name it, but there is something in Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s paintings that makes you feel like it is the only place where you want to be right now. Today’s painting is called “Luncheon of the Boating Party“ , look how masterfully painted it is.
Renoir was an impressionist, and what an impressionist usually paints is a scene, mostly a city scene. This one is the one of the early diversions from this path by painting a suburb scene.
The people inside the painting are Renoir’s friends, Renoir himself invited them to pose for the painting, what an activity it is ! I want a friend who calls me to paint me, anyone?
One other interesting fact? The woman holding the puppy later becomes Renoir’s wife. You sneaky impressionist painter you. Good job.
📺 1 Video:
This video covers an old issue of the butterfly effect but it does it so professionally and in a condensed manner that I felt the urge to share it with you.
Edward Lorenz, the father of Butterfly Effect.
Each path produces a different outcome.
On Jun 28, 1914 Archduke of Austria Franz Ferdinand’s car was attacked with a grenade but it hit the car right behind his car, so he was okay. However after this incident, he decided to visit the ones wounded by the blast. The driver made a wrong turn, and there he was, Gavrilo Princip, recognized the car and killed the Archduke and his wife. So, maybe there would not be a World War 1 if there was no wrong turn. What a strange world it is.
📽️ 1 SERIES / FILM or DOCUMENTARY:
I got a request from one of my dear friends to include a film suggestion every week. So I expanded the request a little, every week I will be sharing 1 film or 1 documentary or 1 series. Good to have more diverse options, heh ?
I told you about my love for the story of creativity, from any field. How things are brought to life, how hurdles are demolished and what unthinkable ways are created to make an innovation/creation happen. Below, I leave you with a series of toys and the stories of creators behind it. This series is the one that makes me feel like my money spent on Netflix is worth it. Good job Netflix, ba dummm.
I strongly urge you to at least watch the episode of Ninja Turtles. Season 3, Episode 4
📜 2 Quotes:
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.
— THE USUAL SUSPECTS (1995)
To free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves – there lies the great, singular power of self-respect
— JOAN DIDION
✨ 1 Poem:
The Road Not Taken Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. —ROBERT FROST
📼 1 Playlist:
Here is a smooth and cool playlist I have created for your trapped souls while you are working 9-5, 9-6, 8-5, 8-6 or God forbid 8-10. This playlist İS perfect when you realize you are in a mess and everyone out there is talking garbage and you feel like what the hell am I doing here ? Yes, the one looking at the excel sheet, I am talking to you: There is an array formula for that :)
The song of the week:
I remember my wife saying “enough, please shut this down or I am leaving” to me while I was listening to the song called Colors by Black Pumas for 56245724578th times.
Now take me to other side
Little bitty blues bird flies
And gray clouds, or white walls, or blue skies
We gon' fly, feel alright. — COLORS, Black Pumas
✔️ Read the issues you might have missed:
Until next time,
Forward, always.
Ratip.