'Intuition to Action' series - Mental Modeling Overview

Originally published on LinkedIn · September 30, 2024

Mental Modeling:

We could define it as, an algorithmic model where a particular pattern or looping constructs can be identified, appropriate action sequence can be built, acted upon with an idea or confidence on the potential outcome (not expectations, this is different), examine and measure your own performance.

Artificial Intelligence is called so because it mimics human brain functioning and any structured processing, organized methods are conceived, they are made into machine learning algorithms and other advanced deep learning models. We are now trying to understand our own mind to gain the fullest control to the extent possible.

Modeling requirements:

• One must have a self-assessed version of mental makeup and personality type understood for oneself in some fashion.
• Why? This will facilitate with concentrating on how you would function in a specific scenario or what excites you or what ticks you off and the like. As we all know and agree, we are all not one monolithic group given any particular thing - be it a lifestyle habit, a hobby or social movement or affinity or tastes in music or art etc., The list is virtually limitless here.
• KNOW WHO YOU ARE: This is not a deep one here nor is it a cliche. But, let's take this as a simple reflective, introspective, initial exercise to just jot down your tendencies, vulnerability to attacks or toxicity without conscious knowingness etc.,
• Even within your own mind, mental modeling, it's not one model that fits all situations, it's a set of models. And you can take up based on the most prioritized ones that directly impact your mental health.
• There's no hardtyped how-to guide that can be handed off. What I build for all of us is the frameworks, methods, conceptual understanding in building your own personalized models.

An Example and it's explorative mental modeling steps:

Example: I have a toxic trait of doomscrolling X app without an aim to find anything in particular.

1. Take the identified problem and build the next level questionnaire.

If you observe the qualities of the example problem, it's not a universal problem, it's not a problem for the person in my family, it's not something that's a crash issue in absolute terms etc., (expand in your own terms all that it's not a problem)

But, if you do come back to the point that, it indeed is a problem for you, for now, for the situation or the phase you are going through or how the same time you'd instinctively think can be diverted to something else.... then it becomes YOUR problem and YOU must act on a path and model to address it.

Do you need to validate it with others? NO, why?

Isn't it enough if it's a problem for you and you identified and you also know you need to act somehow?

This is where we could pause and understand that the intuition of YOU and your situation is important to you and may not be for anyone else on the EARTH at the moment which does not take away your need to focus on it.

This is an example of your intuition that you are building towards an action. This is personalized to your personality, who you are, what fault tolerances you can have/not have, what self-discipline means to you, how you function in other similar areas better and why this maybe an outlier, exceptional and if so, what reasons?

This is a simple example but there are several you can relate to, identify and consciously make note of. Not everything requires your direct action too.

Action includes indifference, self-restraint, silence, substituting with a better joyful activity like a walk, listen to music, read a book, write a thought or journal, spend time with your children on a school project etc.,

This is only a tip of the iceberg and we barely scratched the surface of a mental model and its immense potential positive impact it will have on our mental health when done right.

DIY exercise for you:

• What are the top 3 areas in your personal or professional life that you have either identified or not-yet identified problems that takes away your attention for further examination?
• Are there any instinctive thoughts about how to distill it down to any next level questionnaire?
• Have you vetted out with reflective thought process before you jump into any action based on a random advice or majority provided advice available abundantly online and elsewhere? Do their solutions readily fit you OR should you go further inwards to find out your own specific way to make notes and then firm up the action?

Hope you find it helpful on your journey to self-discovery, exploring your own mind for sound mental health and controlled mind with confident actions.

Questions? Thoughts? Drop them in the comments and I'll do my best to elaborate..

About the author:

I’m Veda Konduru, a former AI tech founder, data scientist, technology product architect with an academic excellence in science and technology with an overall 20+ years of subject domain career experience..

Inspired by some events in my life, I set myself off on a quest for exploring the role of natural intelligence, the human mind’s underpinnings, in the age of AI, and made significant strides in the past few years and I’m here to help others on a similar journey.

In short, An artificial intelligence architect NOW turned into The Mind Explorer.