“This doesn’t feel right. I don’t know what it is but this is still not it.” How many times have you heard this? And in the end, how many times you end up agreeing on changing the direction of something based on such vague feedback? Well, that’s what this book is about. Blink, the art of thinking without thinking takes you through a journey of many stories from a fake greek sculpture to murderers in Brooklyn (hint: they were cops and also good people).

A book that makes you think why you shouldn’t always rationalise every step you take and how your snap judgement can even save your life.

This is a great book if you’re curious about the human mind and the way it works when we make a quick judgement/decision. You can practice having a better snap judgement, the same way you craft your other skills [like calligraphy!]. Getting into a stream of self-consciousness and self-awareness can help you to make quick (and many times) better judgements in your (not only) design decisions.

Overthinking and building decks after decks to try to sell an idea or a visual is not always the answer if in every deck you’re just rationalising everything.

Gladwell gives a great example. It’s easier to make a face recognition exercise and identify someone you saw last year than it is to describe with words how does that person looks like. Because that’s when the right and the left side of the brain clash and that’s when rationalising tricks you.

To sum up, don’t be mad if someone with more experience tells you: “Sorry, I don’t know why, but I’m not feeling it… I don’t think this is right, but I’m not sure why.”

There’s a big chance that they are right with their judgement. But the more you practice your craft and your relationship with the people you deal with, the easier it will get to feel what they feel and be a bit more open to vague and, apparently, unhelpful replies.