The Power of Thinking in Reverse

Tell Me Where I'm Going to Die

There’s an old joke, a favorite of the billionaire investor Charlie Munger, that goes like this: "All I want to know is where I'm going to die, so I'll never go there." It’s a darkly witty line, but beneath the humor lies a profound strategic tool. This is the essence of inversion, a mental model that flips problem-solving on its head. Instead of chasing success, you rigorously map out and avoid all the paths to failure. Most of us approach our goals head-on. If we want to be more productive, we make a list of productive habits. If we want a successful company, we study the traits of successful founders. This is forward thinking, and it’s perfectly natural. But it’s only half the picture. Inversion asks a different set of questions. To improve productivity, it asks: "What would make today a complete waste? What are all the things that would guarantee I get nothing done?" Distraction, procrastination, unclear priorities, multitasking—the list becomes a blueprint for what to avoid. By sidestepping the potholes, you find the road to your destination is suddenly much smoother. This isn’t about pessimism; it's about practical wisdom. As Munger himself has said, "It is remarkable how much long-term advantage people like us have gotten by trying to be consistently not stupid, instead of trying to be very intelligent". Thinking in reverse doesn't just clear the path; it reveals hidden traps that forward thinking alone might miss.