How to solve an overwhelming problem with high agency?
I recently came across George Mack’s work on high agency, and I found his mental model for solving problems incredibly helpful. Usually, we think that a lot of problems are unsolvable. But that’s exactly when we should ask ourselves questions like:
1. Does this problem defy the laws of physics?2. If not, what is the least-effort step I can take to start solving the problem?
Momentum breeds action. I am always inspired when I see some progress; usually, that sense of progress empowers us to do more. As Rumi said:
“As you walk, the way starts to appear.”
The video game industry excels at this—they break down challenges so they aren’t overwhelming, yet
they remain just challenging enough to make you addicted to progress.
The mental model to solve any overwhelming problem would be:
For example, let’s say I want to become an expert in the Python programming language:
High agency is about taking an overwhelming problem and breaking it down into simple, achievable steps that don’t require you to be the smartest person in the room.
As George puts it:
High agency is like a spark—a je ne sais quoi. It’s bias for action in real flesh.
In fact, the three pillars of high agency are:
1. Bias for action
2. Disagreeability
3. Clear thinking
This approach has changed how I view and tackle overwhelming problems.