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Here’s How a Billionaire Solves Really Difficult Problems
The problem is the way you think about problems.
He works with the money-making god, Warren Buffett.
He is a billionaire himself. He’s a savvy businessman, philanthropist, and Warren Buffett’s lesser-known partner:
Charlie Munger.
Munger has a knack for solving really complex problems. He is cutting through to the root of an issue when other methods don’t work.
Start backward
Whenever I start a problem, I think forwards. I start with step one and end with the last step. Munger says this is all wrong. With really difficult problems, we should start at the end goal and work backward.
He gives an example:
How can I be happy?
Well, I can make more money. I can get fit, and start to hang out at the local bar more with my friends.
Munger’s method is to work backward by asking the question instead:
What will make me most miserable?
For me that’s not being able to hang out with my family, having no control over my job, and not having the freedom to pursue my hobbies. For you, it could be completely different.
