Proxy
Model #0362Category: General Thinking & Meta-ModelsDepth to apply:
16 min read
Subscribe to read the full Proxy analysis — when to use it, when it misleads, step-by-step application, and company examples.
Start 7-Day Free TrialOr ask about this topic — 5 free questions includedFaster Than Normal. “Proxy Mental Model.” fasterthannormal.co/mental-models/proxy. Accessed 2026.
Mental model
5 Whys
A root-cause analysis technique that drills past symptoms by asking why five suc
Mental model
All Models Are Wrong
George Box s insight that every model is a simplification of reality — the quest
Mental model
Amara's Law
We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underest
Mental model
Eisenhower Decision Matrix
A prioritization framework that sorts tasks into four quadrants based on urgency
Mental model
First Principles Thinking
Breaking down complex problems to their most fundamental truths, then reasoning
Mental model
Goodhart's Law
When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure — incentives shi
Proxy applied the Incentives mental model
Proxy applied the Goodhart's Law mental model
Proxy applied the Correlation vs Causation mental model
Proxy applied the Map vs Territory mental model
Proxy applied the Signal vs Noise mental model
Proxy applied the Proxy mental model