On Congruency in Thought

Being able to apply congruency in our own thought process is a super power. Spotting patterns in disparate domains that apply the same thought processes, for example, and consistently drawing the same conclusion, is a sign of deep understanding. Nassim Taleb tells a story of the wealthy banker that has a bell hop take their bags to their hotel room, only to be seen in the gym an hour later lifting weights. The point Taleb is making is that if the banker is concerned with fitness, they should be moving their own bags.

Being congruent in your own thoughts means being able to apply the rules equally to all participates. It builds credibility and believability. The opposite, being contradictory in our thoughts or actions, makes it extremely difficult to be trusted. Imagine a manager that reprimands one person for being late but lets it slide for others. It destroys credibility for said manager.

If we take a moment to reflect on our own lives, we can almost always find some area of contradiction. I tend to preach that we should have 30–35 hour work weeks, yet I work 45–55 hours a week. I feel frustration at other drivers who I feel like are being dumb or are driving poorly, yet I tried to stop at an intersection with no stop sign yesterday (likely annoying the drivers behind me that had to slow down too).

A thoughtful reader will likely have identified some areas of their own life where they have been contradictory in their thought process by this point. The question, then, is what to do about it. This is one of those easier said than done play books, but here are the steps to creating a more congruent thought process.

1. Notice it. Become aware of the thought process you go through on your way to a conclusion or action.
2. Step backwards. Reflect on the principle being applied. Try to suss out any assumptions being made and evaluate them.
3. Address it. Put a label on it so it becomes more tangible. Call it contradiction or incongruency.
4. Be open to changing your mind. If an area of contradiction has been identified, allow yourself the freedom to change your mind. The banker from the beginning could carry their own bags. They could also stop having others do their lifting while traveling.