Clear Thinking. Truth-Seeking. Treasure Hunting

We are on a quest to help people look closely, learn deeply, think clearly, solve wicked problems, and discover both metaphorical and literal treasures.

Bull & Thread is a Project by the Moonshot Institute

The Moonshot Institute designs, sustains, supports, and celebrates subtle and bold efforts that challenge people to think about that which is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy–and to embrace ways of believing, thinking, and acting that reflect such virtues.

Why is it easier to give good advice to others than to ourselves? Psychologists call this the Solomon Paradox, and it reveals a simple way to sharpen your own decision-making. In this video, you’ll learn: Why distance makes our thinking clearer How to apply “third-person thinking” to your own problems Simple questions that shift you from bias to wisdom How puzzles and play help us practice perspective-taking Why treating your life like someone else’s story makes choices easier By the end, you’ll have practical tools to think more clearly, make better decisions, and avoid the traps of self-bias.
The Solomon Paradox: Why We’re Wiser with Other People’s Problems
Archimedes shouted “Eureka!” when he discovered a hidden truth in the bath. But sudden insights aren’t really sudden—they follow patterns we can all use. In this video, you’ll learn: Why big ideas often appear when you step away from the problem How incubation and rest boost creative problem-solving Simple habits that make “Eureka” moments more likely Why puzzles and play train your brain for breakthrough thinking How to capture insights before they slip away By the end, you’ll see how the Archimedes Effect can help you solve problems, think more clearly, and recognize the moments when your best ideas arrive.
The Archimedes Effect: How Eureka Moments Really Happen
Research shows that people rise—or fall—to the level of expectations placed on them. This is the Pygmalion Effect, and you can use it to shape your own growth. In this video, you’ll learn: How expectations quietly influence performance Why self-talk and inner language matter How to set higher bars for yourself without burnout Ways to track progress so belief turns into action Why surrounding yourself with high expectations accelerates growth By the end, you’ll see how to harness the Pygmalion Effect to think sharper, play smarter, and achieve more.
The Pygmalion Effect: How Expectations Shape Your Results
Online “debates” aren’t about truth—they’re games. Point-scoring, dogma, deflection, outrage, relativism, trolling, and name-calling. The problem? The games we play online don’t just waste time—they shape our minds. Messy games train messy thinking. In this video, you’ll learn: The 7 messy debate games that dominate online spaces How they weaken clear thinking, decision-making, and treasure hunting The rare 8th mode that builds collaborative truth-seeking Five fundamentals that sharpen your mind for puzzles, choices, and the search for truth If you care about clearer thinking, solving problems, or finding hidden treasures—literal or metaphorical—this video is for you.
How We Debate and Discuss Shapes How We Think
Socrates believed that asking the right questions is more powerful than giving quick answers. The Socratic Method is still one of the best tools for clearer thinking, problem-solving, and learning. In this video, you’ll learn five types of questions you can start using right away: Clarification Questions – “What do you mean by that?” Assumption Questions – “What are we taking for granted?” Evidence Questions – “What supports this claim?” Consequence Questions – “If we follow this idea, what happens?” Alternative Questions – “Is there another way to see this?” By the end, you’ll know how to use these questions to cut through confusion, test ideas, and think with sharper focus—just like Socrates.
Socratic Questioning: 5 Question Types For Clear Thinking
Sometimes small, well-meaning actions create huge, unintended consequences. Call it the Cracker Barrel Effect—a lesson in curiosity and humility. In this video, I build on the Butterfly Effect with a real-world example: how a single company decision set off massive ripple effects. Along the way, you’ll learn: Why good intentions can backfire in surprising ways How small moves can cause outsized cultural or social reactions Why it’s important to anticipate second- and third-order effects How puzzles and play help us practice for complexity in real life Why humility is the best mindset when dealing with uncertain outcomes By the end, you’ll see how we all have our “Cracker Barrel moments”—times when our choices ripple further than we could imagine.
The Cracker Barrel Effect: How Decisions Lead to Unexpected Results
The Butterfly Effect shows how small actions can create massive, unpredictable consequences. First described by meteorologist Edward Lorenz, it’s more than chaos theory—it’s a tool for clearer thinking. In this video, you’ll learn: How tiny details trigger huge ripple effects Ways to spot the critical points that hold systems together How to test which factors really matter in a problem Why puzzles and play are the perfect practice ground for seeing hidden leverage By the end, you’ll know how to turn the Butterfly Effect into a practical lens for smarter choices in life and learning.
The Butterfly Effect: Making Small Choices With a Big Impact
Why do experts see patterns the rest of us miss? The secret isn’t higher IQ—it’s chunking, a mental shortcut that helps you group scattered details into meaningful patterns. In this video, you’ll learn: How chunking works in games, puzzles, and everyday decisions Why experts rely on it for faster learning and problem-solving Practical ways you can use chunking to sharpen your own thinking and play This isn’t about chess alone—it’s about a tool you can apply to memory, learning, and clearer decision-making in life.
Chunking: The Thinking Shortcut Experts Use Everywhere
We avoid difficulty, but psychologists Robert & Elizabeth Bjork showed that the right kind of challenge—what they call “desirable difficulties”—actually strengthens memory, problem-solving, and creativity. In this video, you’ll learn: Why making tasks a little harder improves long-term learning How puzzles and games use difficulty to sharpen thinking Why struggle often signals growth, not failure Practical ways to add difficulty to improve problem-solving and perspective By the end, you’ll see how to flip difficulty from an obstacle into one of your best tools for learning and thinking differently.
Why Difficulty is the Secret Tool for Clearer Thinking
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