
Think Like Sherlock Holmes: The Ultimate Guide
Sherlock Holmes is known for his strong intuition. This article explores how you can improve various elements of your thinking to make better decisions.
In The Matrix, Neo has to choose between the red pill and the blue pill. One represents the uncomfortable truth, the other a comfortable lie.
When asked, most of us would opt for the red pill — “the truth” — same as Neo. We don’t want to be cowards who hide behind lies and ignore reality. We want to be heroes, different from other “sheep” who just do what they’re told. But when it comes to actually accepting that uncomfortable truth, we suddenly turn blue.
The harsh truth is this: The world functions a certain way whether you like it or not. It doesn’t matter how you think the world should work, it’s how it actually works.
Philosopher Martin Heidegger explained how you cannot look at yourself outside of your environment, as there is no you without the world. You exist in the world, and that same world is constantly shaping you as a person, with the interactions you go through, the things you experience, and the ideas you are influenced by.
We often like to pretend we exist in a vacuum, as that gives us the illusion of total control over our lives. But this is simply not true. Your environment matters more than you think.
Accepting this is a hard pill to swallow. It’s like Morpheus offered you a blue pill and a red pill, but before you could decide, he shoved both of them down your throat. That’s the uncomfortable truth: even if you willfully choose to ignore reality, it won’t change what the reality is. You will just be unaware of it.
Whether you want to change the world or simply thrive in it, you need to accept how it currently works. No good can come from ignoring how people and society function.
We often like to believe that the world is an erratic place that makes no sense and has zero explanation. If you believe this, know that it is a very limiting worldview, one that is preventing you fro actually learning how the world functions.
All of these things are true. Yet, all of them can be explained in some way. Even if they can’t, it doesn’t mean they are unexplainable, only that we do not have enough knowledge to explain them right now. 200 years ago, we were oblivious to many issues of a psychological nature. 500 years people couldn’t comprehend electricity. 2 million years ago, people hadn’t even discovered fire.
When we can’t explain something, we make up stories. Lightning bolts from the sky? It’s Zeus. Half the world is dying from a mysterious disease? We have sinned and gods are punishing us. Somebody insulted me on the subway the other day? People are evil and cruel and fuck them all.
But as you learn more about the world, it becomes less mysterious. As James T. Kirk once said: “There’s no such thing as the unknown, only things temporarily hidden, temporarily not understood.”
My best friend and I often laugh at how stupid we were when we were younger. And we specifically like to laugh at how ignorant we were to “the signals”. You know, when a girl gives you “signals” that she likes you.
I used to tease my friend that a girl could stand in front of him, waving flags around like she’s signaling an airplane, and yell out — “I LIKE YOU! YES, YOU! I LIKE YOU!” — and he would still come to me and say: “I don’t think she likes me, man.”
I was n stranger to this myself. At the beginning of college, I walked into a crowded auditorium, sat down at my desk, and saw a beautiful girl in a crowd of people. She wasn’t the prettiest, she wasn’t the cutest, but some unknown force attracted me to her.
While I was coming up with a complicated plan on how to talk to her, she just walked over and said: “Hey, do you have a pen I can borrow? Mine is not working.”
I was ecstatic. My heart was beating fast, my legs started shaking, and I could feel the drops of sweat sliding down my forehead.
She had to walk past fifty other people to come and ask me for that pen. It’s not that she really needed it, she just wanted to talk to me. In hindsight, it’s obvious. It’s ridiculously obvious. She might as well have been waving flags around yelling: “I LIKE YOU! YES, YOU! I LIKE YOU!”
But the funny thing is… what was on my mind at the time was: “I don’t think she likes me, man.”
Despite the flood of signals that she is into me, I missed them all. We texted for a bit, spent more time together, and she kept dropping hints that she wants me to ask her out. I never picked up the clues. Instead, I was focused using some stupid pickup tricks and techniques to get her interested… without realizing she already was.
Once she turned cold and distant, my naive young brain concluded: “Girls make no sense, they play games, they pretend to be interested, blablabla.” I was desperate as I genuinely believed that her behavior — like a lot of other things in the world — simply doesn’t make sense. But as it’s obvious to you reading this, it makes perfect sense. My ignorance was ultimately my downfall.
Don’t make the same mistake as I did.
Maybe you’re still trying to figure out “the signals” people send. Maybe it’s a girl or a guy you like. Maybe you’re in a new group of people and you’re not sure how to behave. Maybe you’re confused about why people treat you a certain way.
Some of the biggest frustrations from people who don’t understand the world are:
Maybe it’s something else. Dealing with struggle and unexpected events. Understanding how people behave in groups. Politics at play at work.
Understanding people and their behavior can be confusing. Especially since there isn’t a definitive list of signals to learn or a tutorial on how to interpret them. This is something you can’t learn the classic way. You have to learn to feel it.
The first step in this is to look at things differently.
We often don’t like to acknowledge this, but our brains interpret things very wrongly by default. This is evident by an endless amount of cognitive biases every human being has. These biases, combined with your own experiences and expectations, create a very personal, subjective view of the world. That view differs from the view other people have.
It’s only by understanding your own biases, group dynamics, and how certain things work that you will be able to accept the irrefutable rules of the world we live in.
Mind of Steel is a philosophy that promotes building mental strength in various aspects of your life. Here are the most popular articles for understanding how the world works. You can find a list of all articles on this topic if you scroll down.
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Here is a list of all articles published on Mind of Steel for this category. You can also check out the complete article archive here.
Sherlock Holmes is known for his strong intuition. This article explores how you can improve various elements of your thinking to make better decisions.
Bad things happen to everybody. Instead of placing blame on someone else, learn to take responsibility for your own choices.
Body language is an essential social skill. You are always sending signals, whether you are aware of it or not. So why not be good at it and know your body?
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Trust is a tricky subject. It can be hard to know who to trust and who is not trustworthy. This article will teach you how to always trust the right person.
Being attractive is not something a person is born with. This article teaches you how to take care of yourself to improve your looks and become attractive.
You’ve probably heard the term growth mindset but aren’t sure what it is. Here’s everything you need to know about the mindset of success.
Everybody loves to complain. It’s simple, it’s easy, and it’s absolutely terrible for you. Here’s how to stop complaining in order to be content with life.
Your friends, family, and society influence you more than you know. It’s time to take the control back.
Oftentimes, we feel the weight of the world is going bringing us down. This is a true story that will inspire you to never give up.
Hip hop has always been a big part of my life. Here are the best lessons it taught me.
Batman is noted as the most realistic superhero and it’s true. However, that means Batman is flawed just like the rest of us.
If there is someone that can teach you how to deal with pain, loss, fear and regret, it’s definitely Batman.
Batman is the greatest example of self-improvement. Here is what you can learn from The Caped Crusader.
Changing someone’s mind is hard if the other person is defensive. This is a method that has been used with powerful effects.
Life purpose is something all of us freak out at some point. Here are some harsh truths that will help you figure out your life purpose once and for all.
If you’ve ever experienced anxiety, you know how much it can affect your life. Here is how you can understand and calm your anxiety.
Many think that respect can be demanded or taken by force. The source of this is often insecurity and lack of confidence. Here is how to earn real respect.
All of us think that we live in the same reality. However, all of us see reality through our own subjective eyes. Each of us have a different perception.
You often feel guilty when you procrastinate because you’re supposed to be more productive. Here’s how to use procrastination to improve productivity.
Looking for some awesome motivation? I have the best motivational article you have ever seen. It’s all about you and tells you everything you want to hear.
Back in 2011 I got a last-minute invite to a huge party. Friend of a friend was celebrating his birthday and I was invited to
This motivational letter will help you stay strong when everything in your life seems to be falling apart. Life can knock you down, but you can always get up.
Solo travel can be one of the best ways to travel. It can also seem like a scary thing to do the first time. If you’re afraid of giving it a shot, read this.
People who take smarts risks more often, usually end up living a happier life. Here’s how to open your mind and learn to take smart risks that benefit you.
What makes things scary? Why do certain scenarios, sounds or ideas make us completely terrified? This article explores our psychology to figure it out.
You probably want to overcome your fear so it never bothers you again. This article is going to give you all the ammunition you need to finally face your fears.
After watching The Matrix, you probably started wondering… is your mind free? Do you live in an invisible prison? Well, maybe. Here’s how to break out.
No matter what you’ve been told, being a good liar is a necessary skill. A lot of the time, people will even expect you to lie. Here’s how to get good at it.
Main reason people love Fight Club so much is because of Tyler Durden. Here’s how you can unleash your own personal badass.
Superheroes explore interesting psychological issues in a fun and engaging way. I decided to put Batman versus Superman in a mindset battle. Who will win?
You’ve been told that you can do anything you set your mind to. Over time, you realized that life is harsh and cruel. So what’s the truth? Can you do anything?
Sherlock Holmes is known for his strong intuition. This article explores how you can improve various elements of your thinking to make better decisions.
Bad things happen to everybody. Instead of placing blame on someone else, learn to take responsibility for your own choices.
Body language is an essential social skill. You are always sending signals, whether you are aware of it or not. So why not be good at it and know your body?
Do you label yourself as an introvert because you have bad social skills? Stop it. Being an introvert does not mean you can’t be social. This is why.
Trust is a tricky subject. It can be hard to know who to trust and who is not trustworthy. This article will teach you how to always trust the right person.
Being attractive is not something a person is born with. This article teaches you how to take care of yourself to improve your looks and become attractive.
You’ve probably heard the term growth mindset but aren’t sure what it is. Here’s everything you need to know about the mindset of success.
Everybody loves to complain. It’s simple, it’s easy, and it’s absolutely terrible for you. Here’s how to stop complaining in order to be content with life.
Your friends, family, and society influence you more than you know. It’s time to take the control back.
Oftentimes, we feel the weight of the world is going bringing us down. This is a true story that will inspire you to never give up.
Hip hop has always been a big part of my life. Here are the best lessons it taught me.
Batman is noted as the most realistic superhero and it’s true. However, that means Batman is flawed just like the rest of us.
If there is someone that can teach you how to deal with pain, loss, fear and regret, it’s definitely Batman.
Batman is the greatest example of self-improvement. Here is what you can learn from The Caped Crusader.
Changing someone’s mind is hard if the other person is defensive. This is a method that has been used with powerful effects.
Life purpose is something all of us freak out at some point. Here are some harsh truths that will help you figure out your life purpose once and for all.
If you’ve ever experienced anxiety, you know how much it can affect your life. Here is how you can understand and calm your anxiety.
Many think that respect can be demanded or taken by force. The source of this is often insecurity and lack of confidence. Here is how to earn real respect.
All of us think that we live in the same reality. However, all of us see reality through our own subjective eyes. Each of us have a different perception.
You often feel guilty when you procrastinate because you’re supposed to be more productive. Here’s how to use procrastination to improve productivity.
Looking for some awesome motivation? I have the best motivational article you have ever seen. It’s all about you and tells you everything you want to hear.
Back in 2011 I got a last-minute invite to a huge party. Friend of a friend was celebrating his birthday and I was invited to
This motivational letter will help you stay strong when everything in your life seems to be falling apart. Life can knock you down, but you can always get up.
Solo travel can be one of the best ways to travel. It can also seem like a scary thing to do the first time. If you’re afraid of giving it a shot, read this.
People who take smarts risks more often, usually end up living a happier life. Here’s how to open your mind and learn to take smart risks that benefit you.
What makes things scary? Why do certain scenarios, sounds or ideas make us completely terrified? This article explores our psychology to figure it out.
You probably want to overcome your fear so it never bothers you again. This article is going to give you all the ammunition you need to finally face your fears.
After watching The Matrix, you probably started wondering… is your mind free? Do you live in an invisible prison? Well, maybe. Here’s how to break out.
No matter what you’ve been told, being a good liar is a necessary skill. A lot of the time, people will even expect you to lie. Here’s how to get good at it.
Main reason people love Fight Club so much is because of Tyler Durden. Here’s how you can unleash your own personal badass.
Superheroes explore interesting psychological issues in a fun and engaging way. I decided to put Batman versus Superman in a mindset battle. Who will win?
You’ve been told that you can do anything you set your mind to. Over time, you realized that life is harsh and cruel. So what’s the truth? Can you do anything?
Every Thursday, I send you an email that helps you build mental strength. You in?