"First Principles Thinking"—For People, Not Just Systems
Hey there,
I was thinking about your business the other day and wanted to share something that could be a game-changer for how you make decisions and solve problems.
It’s called first principles thinking, and it’s the mindset behind some of the biggest innovations in the world.
Have you heard of it?
The idea is simple: instead of doing things the way they’ve always been done, you break problems down to their most basic truths and build solutions from the ground up.
This isn’t new. First principles thinking has been around for centuries—it’s how Aristotle broke down philosophy, how Newton built physics, and how Einstein redefined time and space. "Elon Musk The Innovator" is just one of the latest to use it. It’s how he has been able to revolutionize industries—whether it’s Tesla rethinking how batteries are made, SpaceX making rockets reusable, or even how he’s approaching AI at xAI.
Meta applies this mindset too, but with a very different focus. They don’t just chase optimization for its own sake—they rethink how people work together. Their cafeteria isn’t just for eating; it’s designed to foster conversations and connection. Their messaging system removes layer of bureaucracy so decisions happen in real time. Even their elevators are optimized to reduce friction and wasted time. It’s about efficiency, sure—but in service of better human experiences, not just faster results.
And that’s where first principles thinking can go wrong—when it’s used only for speed, cost-cutting, and control instead of actually improving lives.
Now "Elon Musk The Politician" is bringing this mindset to government with DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), and honestly, I’m very concerned.
Government isn’t a company—it’s messy, nuanced, and about people, not just systems. And will first principles be used to serve people, or just to strip systems down at their expense?
Aristotle would argue that first principles should always serve human well-being, not just logic and efficiency. As much as I’m impressed with what Musk has done in business, I don’t trust his ability to inject humanity into this role, especially under the current administration’s policies and his increasing divisiveness.
Because efficiency without humanity is just cold optimization. And that’s not what government—or business—should be about.
I didn’t want this message to get too political. In fact, I think there are incredible opportunities to implement first principles thinking with humanity in any business.
That’s why I’ve been working with clients on something called “Humanity First Principles”—a way to rebuild businesses with people at the center, not just systems and profits.
It starts with rethinking how you engage employees, connect with customers, build trust with partners, and contribute to your community.
Instead of asking, How do we scale faster? it shifts the question to:
If we were starting today, from nothing, how would we design work to make employees thrive—not just function?
If we stripped away all traditional marketing, how would we create something people actually want to engage with?
If our customers had full control over our business model, what would they keep, and what would they change?
If we had no contracts, no long-term agreements, no forced retention—how would we keep customers coming back?
If we removed every unnecessary process, what would be left? And would that be enough?
When you rebuild from first principles, but with humanity, you don’t just grow—you build something that lasts, something people want to be part of.
Let’s catch up soon—I’d love to hear what you think about bringing this type of thinking to your business.
-Jon
