Inversion theory, as a mental model, means looking at a situation or goal from the reverse angle. For instance, rather than asking, “How do I lose weight?”, you would ask, “How would I ensure I gain weight?” Once you list out all the ways to fail, you can avoid those pitfalls directly.
Charlie Munger, partner at Berkshire Hathaway, was a believer in inversion. One of his most entertaining illustrations of this concept appears in his speech titled “How to Guarantee a Life of Misery,” which you can find in one of my new favorite books Poor Charlie’s Almanack.
In this humorous address, Munger flips conventional wisdom on its head by outlining core habits guaranteed to produce an unhappy life; Be unreliable. Have bad relationships. Be a chronic complainer. Be addicted to substances. Be envious and jealous. Blame others for your problems. Be dishonest. Have poor financial habits. Avoid learning. By illustrating the opposite of what leads to success and fulfillment, he shows how avoiding these counterproductive behaviors can steer us toward happier, more productive paths. It’s a perfect example of inversion in action: rather than listing all the ways to be happy, Munger zeroes in on how to be miserable—so that you’ll do precisely the opposite.
Charlie is not the first or the last person to suggest that knowing what you DON’T want, is as important, if not more important, than knowing what you DO want:
Socrates emphasized the importance of self awareness, and knowing one’s ignorance. He often focused on understanding what people didn’t know, versus what they knew.
In Daoism, “the Dao or the way” suggests that knowing what to avoid or what leads to imbalance, is as important as knowing what aligns with natural harmony. Non action or the “wu-wei” involves avoiding desires that lead to struggle or conflict.
Carl Jung leans into the importance of the “shadow” self. These are the parts of us which we deny or reject. Through identifying the shadow self, we can best gain a clearer sense of our true motivations and deepest desires.
In the spirit of inversion, and Charlie, I have applied this exercise to my life’s principles. Below are the things to look out for as the inverse of my goals/principles. If I spot one, I’ll know I’ve fallen off track on one of my desired principles, likely causing the opposite of desired results.
My 5 Core Principles, and actions to achieve their inverse results
Delayed gratification - Instant gratification. Earn, then immediately spend. Do what feels best instantly. 1st Order Thinking. Eat what tastes best, despite its health implications. Seek dopamine fixes. Value the material. Impair yourself with chemicals and alcohol for instant relief from any pain or discomfort.
Manifestation - Fear Failure. Do not strive for more. Stay where you are. Focus on what you don’t have. Be jealous of others. Hate on those who succeed. Hate even harder on those who try. Normalize failure.
Abundance - Live in scarcity. Hoard. There isn’t enough for everyone. Zero sum game. Linkage to the inverse of generosity…. Keep for yourself. There wont be more around the corner (opportunity, resources, love) Say things like “We can’t afford that.” as opposed to “We can’t afford that, yet.”
Joy - Wallow in the past. Be anxious about the future. Seek conflict. Fight, bicker, brawl. Depress your optimism. Focus on the negative, the risk, the downside. Do not follow your instincts or your heart.. follow your mind. Follow what others say and want.
Generosity - Keep it all for Gene. Do not give/share. Hold the precious stone like Gollum. No one may come near my possessions.
Honesty - Deceive. Omit. Hide things from people. Hide things from yourself. Manipulate reality. Tell small, medium, and large lies.
Growth - Don’t change. Seek comfort. Do the same thing you’ve been doing for years. Repeat past cycles, mistakes, habits. Shrink in size, shrink in character, shrink in impact.
Some of these inverse activities look familiar! Perhaps the practice of writing our five core principles is, in the first place, an inversion exercise in itself. That compass for which we set out to navigate our lives often points us in the opposite direction of those familiar experiences that have brought us pain and suffering in the past. To myself I say; Watch your bad habits. Watch for the weaknesses in your nature. In this New Year 2025, may we walk ourselves towards less of what we don't want, and more of what we do, using the nifty model of inversion.
Onward and Upward Friends
Gene
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