In every business deal or transaction, identify the worst thing that can possibly go wrong, and then make sure it doesn't happen - John Paul Getty


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Charles Munger, in 'Poor Charlie's Almanack’, highlights the point:

The great algebraist, Jacobi... was known for his constant repetition of one phrase: 'Invert, always invert.' It is in the nature of things, as Jacobi knew, that many hard problems are best solved only when they are addressed backward.


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Poor Charlie's Almanack

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A further Charles Munger explanation is given in 'Seeking Wisdom', by Peter Bevelin:

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Seeking Wisdom

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Donald Keough, in 'The Ten Commandments for Business Failure’, applies inversion to provide a roadmap for business success:


His models include ‘quit taking risks’, ‘isolate yourself’ and ‘don’t take time to think’, among others.

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Ten Commandments for Business Failure