Welcome to Exploring Observations
with Sam Paxinos

A public notebook of mental models to help you navigate everyday decisions.

This is a place for exploration of observations, packaging them into ideas using graphics and visuals, you could call them mental models. These thoughts are centred around human decision making and behaviour, with a focus on making better decisions. The content will be brief, there’ll be graphics, there’ll be visuals, there may even be the odd audio note, you’ll have to find out.

Mental models form the foundation for any decision.

A mental model is developed by observing patterns within real world contexts, they’re constantly tested and refined over time. Mental models help you get to the answer, they don’t give you the answer. They’re the gateway to first principles thinking, helping make choices easier, and better over time.

Some of these mental models will be totally original, others will pick up, or build on existing ideas. There’s no ‘right answer’, as I hope to improve and adapt many of these models over time. The aim is to make all models evergreen and stand the test of time for usefulness.

I’ve used and built a range of mental models for starting multiple businesses, testing new ideas and projects, business consulting and investing. All of these models are in constant development, so Exploring Observations is a place to share them as I go along.

So you’re probably wondering how you got here, and why on earth you’d stay. It’s a reasonable question, and I don’t really have a clear answer for you. However, thanks for stopping by, I hope you take something out of your visit.