Most people never consciously decide how to think. From childhood, thinking patterns are unconsciously absorbed from parents, teachers, peers, and media. Over time, jobs, education, hobbies, and entertainment all contribute to shaping one’s thought process. Yet, few pause to ask the fundamental question: “Whose thinking do I actually want to emulate?”
Thinking often feels so natural, automatic, and innate that the idea of studying or modeling someone else’s thought patterns rarely crosses the mind. But if one were to consciously consider it—who would they choose to think like?
Modeling Excellence Through Thinking
When someone sets a goal—whether it’s becoming a millionaire, an entrepreneur, a top performer in any field—they often look to model the behaviors of those who have already achieved that level of excellence. But behavior alone is not the secret sauce. The real game-changer lies in learning how those people think.
Books like “Think and Grow Rich” and “The Entrepreneur Mind” exist precisely because the thought patterns of high achievers are the foundation of their success. Emulating how someone thinks—how they frame problems, process information, and make decisions—is more impactful than simply copying what they do.
Pick Your Model: Who Inspires Your Thinking?
Once someone identifies a career path or passion, the logical next step is to study the top thinkers in that field. Whether it’s in business, music, medicine, law, or tech—understanding how these individuals think is key.
One example referenced is chess master Bobby Fischer, whose books offer a window into his cognitive strategies. Similarly, in politics, Donald Trump’s unconventional approach puzzled many. His thinking patterns weren’t rooted in politics, but rather in entrepreneurship, real estate, and entertainment—resulting in a drastically different communication style that often defied traditional political logic.
The Deeper Work: Modeling Thought, Not Just Behavior
After delving into NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), the author of the original piece explored the minds of intellectuals like Gregory Bateson, Alfred Korzybski, and Abraham Maslow—not just for their ideas, but for how they arrived at them. The goal was not just to understand what they thought, but how they thought—laying the groundwork to carry their legacy forward.
This method, known as deep modeling, is about going beyond observable actions to the mental frameworks that drive those actions.
The Roots of NLP: A Cautionary Tale in Thinking Styles
Even the founders of NLP modeled the thinking of others—with varied results. Richard Bandler adopted the tone and patterns of Fritz Perls, the father of Gestalt Therapy, whose own self-description as “a dirty old man” reflected aspects of his mindset. John Grinder’s thinking was shaped by Karl Marx and Noam Chomsky, each bringing their ideological influences. Frank Pucelik, on the other hand, modeled therapeutic thinking and went on to make significant contributions through addiction recovery clinics.
These anecdotes suggest that who one chooses to model profoundly impacts their own development—not just professionally, but personally.
The Mishmash Most People Settle For
For many, thinking is an accidental collection of fragments inherited from parents, mentors, colleagues, media, and life experiences. Often, a person’s profession or community plays a dominant role in shaping their mindset. Yet without conscious selection, this mix becomes a default setting, rather than a chosen path.
Your Choice: Shape Your Mindset with Intention
The question returns: Who do you want to think like? Would it be a transformative leader? A visionary like Elon Musk? A fictional character like Neo from The Matrix? A coach, a change agent, a scientist?
The choice is entirely personal. And as the saying goes, “As you think, so you are.”
Ultimately, becoming the person one aspires to be begins with thinking like that person. Because in the end, your mind is your most powerful tool—and the model you choose shapes everything that follows.
Curated by Danielle Tan.
Reference:
- [Neurons] 2025 Neurons #11 WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO THINK LIKE? by L. Michael Hall, Ph.D. Executive Director, ISNS.
