1.4 How Thinking Backward Helps You Win at Life - Solving Problems by Thinking in Reverse
Want an A in math? Try figuring out how to fail first. (Wait, what? Trust me, it works!).
Inversion:
It might sound strange, but sometimes the best way to solve a problem is to flip it completely upside down. Imagine trying to figure out how to win a game by first thinking about how you would definitely lose. Weird, right? But that's exactly what inversion is all about: looking at a situation backwards or thinking of the opposite of what you want. It's like taking a photo and looking at its negative (if anyone still remembers film cameras!) – by examining the reverse, you can see things you normally miss.
What is Inversion?
Inversion means reversing your thinking. Instead of asking "How do I achieve X?", you ask "How could I achieve the opposite of X?" or "How could I totally mess up X?". By doing that, you uncover pitfalls and problems to avoid, which actually gives you a roadmap of what not to do. And once you know what not to do, what's left is closer to what will work.
Think of it like this: you have a goal, but it's hard to see the path to success. However, it's often easier to see the path to failure (we can all imagine how to screw things up!). Inversion says: map out that failure path, then do the opposite. It's a sneaky way to get to success by eliminating the stuff that causes failure.
Real-Life Inversion Examples
School Success Example: Instead of just asking, "How can I get good grades?", try inversion: "What would I do if I wanted to guarantee I get terrible grades?" Easy, right? You'd never study, skip classes, ignore homework, procrastinate, and avoid asking for help. Now invert that list. The opposite of those failure steps? Study a bit each day, attend all classes, do homework on time, start projects early, ask questions when you're confused. Boom! You now have a pretty solid list of actions for success, all thanks to thinking about failure first.
Friendship Example: Want to be a better friend? Ask, "What would make me the worst friend ever?" Maybe you'd only talk about yourself, cancel plans last minute, spread rumors, never support them, forget their birthday. Ouch. Now flip it: listen to your friend and ask about their life, be reliable and show up, shut down gossip and speak kindly about them, cheer them on, remember the little things that matter to them. By inverting, you discover clear ways to improve your friendship.
Personal Habit Example: Suppose you want to keep your room clean (because the mess is driving you and your parents crazy). You might normally think "I should clean more often." But let's invert: "How could I make my room as messy as possible, super fast?" Well, I'd throw clothes everywhere, never put things back where they belong, drop trash on the floor, and eat snacks in bed leaving crumbs. Great - that's a list of what not to do if I want a clean room. So the action plan becomes: put clothes in the closet or hamper, give everything a home and return it after use, throw trash in the bin immediately, and maybe keep food out of the room or clean up right after. Inversion helped create an anti-mess roadmap, which is basically a clean-room plan.
It feels kind of like a game: deliberately think of the worst or opposite, have a laugh at how bad it is, then use it to plan for the best. Cool, huh?
Challenge: Reverse Your Thinking
Time to try inversion yourself! Your challenge is:
Pick one goal or problem you have (big or small). Maybe "I want to be healthier" or "I want to improve in basketball" or "I need to stop procrastinating on my assignments."
Now write down how you could achieve the exact opposite or totally fail at that goal. Make a "to-do list for failure." (For getting healthier: eat junk food 24/7, never exercise, stay up all night. For basketball: never practice dribbling, ignore coach's advice, hog the ball every game. You get the idea.)
Look at your terrible, awful steps... and invert them. Those inverted items are action steps toward your real goal (e.g., eat veggies and protein, get 8 hours of sleep, practice dribbling drills, etc.).