John Neff
John Neff📌 Mental Models

John Neff's Mental Models Rules

John B. Neff (September 19, 1931 – June 4, 2019) was an American investor and mutual fund manager. He managed the Vanguard Windsor Fund from 1964 to 1995, achieving an average annual return of 13.7%, outperforming the S&P 500 by over 3% annually for 31 years. Neff was known as a "low P/E investor," consistently seeking undervalued stocks that the...

3 principles·Mental Models

3 Key Mental Models Principles

#1

Multidisciplinary Thinking

"Draw insights from multiple disciplines — psychology, history, mathematics, and science — to build a lattice of mental models for better investment decisions."

Use insights from multiple disciplines for better decisions.

🌳 Advanced★★★★★
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#2

Probabilistic Thinking

"Think in probabilities, not certainties. Every investment has a range of possible outcomes. Weight your decisions by the expected value of each scenario."

Think in probabilities, not certainties.

🌳 Advanced★★★★★
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#3

Inversion Thinking

"Instead of asking how to succeed, ask how to avoid failure. Inverting problems often reveals insights that forward thinking misses."

Invert problems to find insights forward thinking misses.

🌿 Intermediate★★★★★
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Frequently Asked Questions

What are John Neff's key mental models principles?

John Neff has 3 key principles on mental models. The most important one is "Multidisciplinary Thinking" — Draw insights from multiple disciplines — psychology, history, mathematics, and science — to build a lattice of mental models for better investmen...

How does John Neff apply mental models in practice?

John Neff applies mental models through several key principles including "Multidisciplinary Thinking" and "Probabilistic Thinking". These principles guide practical investment decisions and have been tested across decades of market cycles.

What makes John Neff's approach to mental models unique?

John Neff's approach to mental models is distinguished by a focus on long-term thinking and fundamental analysis. With 3 specific principles in this area, John Neff provides a comprehensive framework that investors at any level can study and apply to improve their decision-making.

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