Dumb-Thinking Tools

A curated collection of mental models to help you think "dumb".

What If Experiments

A mental model for when you need to push past conventional thinking and unlock fresh ideas.

What it is

Wild “What If?” Experiments are simple yet powerful ways to break out of rigid thinking. Instead of focusing on what’s practical or realistic, you deliberately ask wild, exaggerated, or even impossible “What if?” questions. These questions stretch the imagination, challenge assumptions, and often lead to innovative breakthroughs.

Many groundbreaking ideas—electric cars, smartphones, space travel—started as “What if?” questions that sounded ridiculous at the time. This method forces you to step beyond conventional wisdom and explore the absurd to uncover the possible.

When to use it

When you’re stuck in a predictable or uninspired thought loop.
When brainstorming new products, services, or solutions.
When an industry or system feels outdated but no one is questioning it.
When you need to push past conventional thinking and unlock fresh ideas.

How it works

Start with an Impossible Question

Ask something that seems absurd, unrealistic, or outlandish.

Ignore Feasibility (at First)

Don’t shut down ideas just because they seem impractical.

Explore the Idea Seriously

What would need to be true for this to work?

Find Hidden Insights

Even if the original idea is unworkable, what new perspectives does it reveal?

Adapt and Apply

Extract the useful elements and reshape them into something realistic.

Example 1

The Creation of Netflix

Problem

Movie rental stores like Blockbuster made customers pay late fees, frustrating consumers and limiting convenience.

What If? Question

“What if people never had to return movies at all?”

Breakthrough

Instead of operating like traditional rental stores, Netflix flipped the model entirely—allowing users to receive DVDs by mail and return them whenever they wanted, with no late fees. Later, they asked another big “What If?”—“What if movies didn’t need physical copies at all?”—which led to the birth of streaming, forever changing the entertainment industry.

Example 2

Biodegradable Packaging from Shrimp Shells

Problem

Plastic pollution is a massive global issue, but alternatives have been difficult to develop.

What If? Question

“What if we made plastic out of food waste instead of oil?”

Breakthrough

Scientists looked at chitin, a natural polymer found in shrimp shells, and discovered that it could be processed into a biodegradable plastic alternative. This “impossible” idea led to the development of sustainable packaging solutions that break down naturally instead of polluting the environment.

Why it works

✓ Forces you to break out of conventional constraints.

✓ Helps reframe problems by challenging unspoken assumptions.

✓ Pushes the limits of what’s possible, leading to breakthrough innovations.

Tips for applying

👉️ Ask: “What if the opposite of what we assume were true?”

👉️ Remove limitations: Suspend reality and let the ideas flow.

👉️ Use extreme scenarios: “What if money/time/resources weren’t an issue?”

👉️ Apply it to everyday problems: “What if people never had to wait in line again?”

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