The Right Tool for the Job:
Why Mental Models Matter More Than Ever

Hey, let me tell you a story...

So there I was in the 80s—just a kid on the construction site. Barely 20, barely 5'4", and definitely lacking confidence. Every morning I'd show up with my secondhand tool belt, cheap gloves, and a head full of worry.

I didn't have much going for me, but I figured out one thing pretty quick: you better have the right tool for the job.

Man, did I learn that lesson the hard way! Try using those lineman's pliers as a hammer? You'll crack the handle faster than you can say "rookie mistake." Go at a Phillips screw with a flathead? Good luck with that stripped mess. The old-timers would get a kick out of it: "Hey kid, you trying to saw wood with your tape measure or what?"

It hit me like a ton of bricks: Nobody's paying you for sweat—they're paying for results.

And results? They come from using the right tools, in the right way, at the right time.

Over the years, I built up my toolkit. I got smarter about choosing my tools, taking care of them, and working smarter instead of just harder.

But here's the thing that blew my mind when I eventually left construction and started building a life around freedom, martial arts, and leadership:

That's when it clicked—I needed to build a new toolkit filled with mental models.

Because let's face it, in today's world where we're drowning in information but starving for wisdom, mental models are your lifeline.

They help you cut through the noise, focus on what matters, make better decisions, and solve complex problems.

The same rule still applies though: Right tool. Right job. Right way.

And if you're not using these mental tools? You're probably working twice as hard for half the results. Sound familiar?

Let's Talk Mental Tools

Think of mental models as frameworks for your brain. They're like shortcuts that help you tackle complex problems without getting overwhelmed. The more of these tools you have—and actually use—the sharper your thinking becomes.

Let me share the ones that helped me earn black belts, run million-dollar jobs, and build a life I don't need a vacation from:

Martial Arts Mental Models
(for playing the long game)

​The 80/20 Rule You know what's wild? Only about 20% of what you do delivers 80% of your results. When you're on the mat, this means focusing on those fundamental techniques—they win fights, not the flashy stuff. In your everyday life? Figure out your highest-leverage habits and double down on them.

​The Compounding Effect Success isn't some overnight miracle. It builds like interest in a bank account—slow at first, then suddenly it explodes. Just show up daily, get 1% better, and stack those tiny gains. That's literally how I went from fumbling white belt to black belt—in martial arts and in life.

​The Flow Channel Ever notice how when something's too easy, you get bored? But when it's too hard, you just shut down? The magic happens in that sweet spot just outside your comfort zone. That's where you want to live. That's where growth happens.

Mental Models for Everyday Life

Use these to take control of your day instead of letting your day control you.

1. ​Eisenhower Matrix – Stop confusing urgent with important. They're not the same thing!
2. ​Parkinson's Law – Work expands to fill the time you give it. Try giving yourself less time, think "Flow Channel."
3. ​Pomodoro Technique – 25 minutes focused, 5 minutes break. Rinse and repeat.

These are your go-to tools when everything goes sideways and you need to think clearly under pressure.

1. ​First Principles – Strip away the assumptions and build from the ground up
2. ​Second-Order Thinking – Don't just ask what happens next. Ask what happens after that.
3. ​OODA Loop – Observe, Orient, Decide, Act. Think fast, adjust faster.

These turn information into actual skills you can use.

1. ​Feynman Technique – If you can't explain it to a 10-year-old, you don't really understand it.
2. ​Deliberate Practice – Don't just repeat mindlessly. Push your limits, get feedback, improve.
3. ​Spaced Repetition – Review what you learn at strategic intervals to beat forgetting.

Mental Model Power Combos
(this is where it gets fun)

Some tools work great on their own, but when you combine them? That's when the magic happens.

Power Combo 1: First Principles + Inversion + 80/20 Rule

Fields: Physics + Logic + Economics

Best for: Solving messy, complicated problems

First Principles helps you question every assumption. Inversion flips your perspective: "How could this fail?" 80/20 Rule forces you to focus only on what truly matters.

Why it works: You break the problem down, look at it from both sides, and zero in on the leverage points. It's like watching a BJJ black belt who doesn't waste energy—they just wait, isolate, and finish clean.

Power Combo 2: OODA Loop + Systems Thinking + Feedback Loops​

Fields: Military + Engineering + Biology

Best for: Moving fast without losing control

OODA Loop helps you act quickly but wisely. Systems Thinking shows you how everything connects. Feedback Loops help you course-correct as you go.

Why it works: You're not just moving fast—you're moving smart, understanding how each part affects the whole system. Like a general watching the battlefield, making real-time adjustments.

Power Combo 3: Circle of Control + Growth Mindset + Compounding

Fields: Stoicism + Psychology + Finance

Best for: Personal transformation

Circle of Control reminds you to focus on what you can actually influence. Growth Mindset helps you believe change is possible. Compounding Effect shows how tiny improvements add up over time.

​

Why it works: You stop wasting energy on things you can't control, believe in your ability to grow, and let time work its magic. This is how scared kids transform into warriors.

Here's the deal though—mental models are only useful if you actually use them.

Like a wrench that never leaves the toolbox, a model gathering dust in your brain is just dead weight.

Learn them. Use them. Mix them. Master them.

Just like back in my construction days, you'll get faster, cleaner, and more confident with practice.

A Quick Story...

Not long ago, I was grabbing lunch at this little café by the beach.

This young guy—probably late 20s, smart, good sense of humor—struck up a conversation. But I could hear something off in his voice.

He opened up about feeling stuck. Hated his job. Relationship on the rocks. Always tired, always busy, with nothing to show for it.

"I work hard," he told me. "But I don't feel like I'm getting anywhere."

I nodded because, man, I've been there.

I asked him: "If I handed you every tool in a master electrician's truck—but you had no idea what they were for—how well would your job go?"

He laughed. "Terribly."

"Exactly. That's your life right now. You've got energy, effort, time... but no mental models. No system. You're just swinging tools around hoping something works."

He went quiet.

So I told him about the mental models I just shared with you. The ones that helped me build myself when nobody believed I could. The ones I relied on when I was broke, lost, and scared out of my mind.

Then I looked him in the eye and said:

"Start small. Learn one mental model a week. Use it. Play with it. Make it yours. Stack them. Over time, you'll stop being the guy who's trying to figure it out. You'll become the guy who DOES figure it out."

That young man started journaling that very day. Two months later, he messaged me:

"Game changer. I feel like I have a map now. Thank you."

And now I'm saying the same thing to you:

This is your call to build your own Mental Toolbox.

You don't need to fix everything at once.

But you do need to pick up a tool today and use it.

Start with just one:

👉 Choose from the list above

👉 Apply it in your life this week

👉 Write about it, reflect on it, refine how you use it

Then come back for another.

Before you know it, you won't just be working hard—you'll be working smart. You'll be building something real. You'll be living like a warrior.

And it all starts with one simple question:

What tool will you pick up today?

P.S. I hope you found these tools helpful and that you are able to begin building your mental model toolbox.

But for those tools to work, you need to be able to use them and to use them, you need to be able to manage and control your time.

One reason why I was able to run crews on multi-million and billion-dollar projects, train martial arts, travel the world with my wife AND retire early was because I learned how to control my time.

I put everything I learned and did in Control Your Time, Control Your Life, and you can get it here.​