Concepts
The irreducible epistemic atoms underlying the curriculum. 4,828 atoms across 8 types
Conduct quarterly reviews comparing current chain execution…
Conduct quarterly reviews comparing current chain execution against documented specifications to detect accumulated drift before it compounds into structural failure.
Execute chains in deliberate observe-mode during reviews…
Execute chains in deliberate observe-mode during reviews to generate accurate pictures of current operation, since automatic execution conceals what has changed.
Document changes that have occurred before evaluating…
Document changes that have occurred before evaluating whether they should be kept, preventing premature reversion while capturing the architecture as it actually runs.
When a chain breaks mid-sequence, jump to the nearest…
When a chain breaks mid-sequence, jump to the nearest downstream anchor rather than restarting from the beginning, accepting lost links as degraded performance rather than total failure.
Externalize competing evidence side-by-side rather…
Externalize competing evidence side-by-side rather than holding it in working memory, where confirmation bias will weight confirming evidence more heavily.
Install behavior patterns during low-stress periods because…
Install behavior patterns during low-stress periods because they will be tested most severely during high-stress periods when deliberate control fails.
Design productive defaults around activities…
Design productive defaults around activities that are intrinsically enjoyable rather than merely valuable, because defaults compete with immediately rewarding alternatives when cognitive resources are depleted.
Reduce restraining forces maintaining unwanted behavior…
Reduce restraining forces maintaining unwanted behavior rather than amplifying driving forces toward desired behavior, because force amplification increases system tension without producing movement.
Accumulate high-value activity in unstructured time gaps…
Accumulate high-value activity in unstructured time gaps through single pre-committed defaults rather than scheduling every moment, because scheduling creates rigidity while defaults capture opportunistic time.
Pre-commit specific alternative behaviors for default…
Pre-commit specific alternative behaviors for default replacement contexts, because generating alternatives in real-time under cognitive load reliably fails while pre-loaded redirects can execute automatically.
Design stress defaults to be physically simple rather…
Design stress defaults to be physically simple rather than cognitively sophisticated, as acute stress degrades prefrontal function making executive-dependent responses unavailable precisely when needed.
Design phone-free physical zones and time blocks…
Design phone-free physical zones and time blocks as environmental defaults rather than willpower-based rules, as context-driven impossibility eliminates the decision point where executive function would otherwise fail under load.
Identify and replace the default that feeds the most other…
Identify and replace the default that feeds the most other defaults first, as disrupting high-leverage patterns creates cascade effects that resolve downstream defaults without direct intervention.
Audit environments in three layers—proximity (within reach)…
Audit environments in three layers—proximity (within reach), visibility (within sight), and friction sequence (steps to begin)—to surface invisible defaults.
Use cognitive reappraisal before emotion peaks rather…
Use cognitive reappraisal before emotion peaks rather than suppressing emotional expression after it forms to reduce both subjective distress and physiological cost.
Temporarily disable expert pattern recognition by describing
Temporarily disable expert pattern recognition by describing what you observe before categorizing it, preventing automatic schemas from filtering out category-inconsistent details.
Classify your interpretations along three…
Classify your interpretations along three dimensions—permanence, pervasiveness, and personalization—to identify systematic biases in how you explain events.
Deploy different thinking modes—optimistic, pessimistic…
Deploy different thinking modes—optimistic, pessimistic, realistic—based on context rather than defaulting to a single interpretive frame across all situations.
When cognitive load is high, reduce the complexity…
When cognitive load is high, reduce the complexity of intended behaviors rather than increasing effort, because executive function required for override degrades under the same conditions that activate problematic defaults.
Observe your actual behavior over time to infer…
Observe your actual behavior over time to infer your operative identity, because repeated automatic actions accumulate more identity-defining evidence than occasional deliberate choices or stated aspirations.
When initiating extinction, prepare for and endure…
When initiating extinction, prepare for and endure the temporary behavioral intensification (extinction burst) without reinstating reinforcement, as the burst is evidence the process is working.
Never reinforce a behavior at burst-level intensity…
Never reinforce a behavior at burst-level intensity, as doing so trains the system that escalation is the new price of the reward.
Install physically incompatible competing responses…
Install physically incompatible competing responses for unwanted behaviors, because structural blockades at the motor level do not depend on willpower or conscious monitoring.
To make a replacement behavior competitive…
To make a replacement behavior competitive with an established behavior, ensure it delivers the same functional outcome faster, more reliably, or with greater magnitude — or compensates deficits in one dimension by exceeding in another.