Yellow bricks vs lego bricks: How to learn more things from more
people
How adopting a flexible mindset can help you learn from the strangest, most unconventional people.
I've been drawn to strange people and their strange ideas since before I can remember.
As a kid pursuing a career as a novelist, this meant eccentric artists like James Joyce and Hunter S. Thompson, but today it means people like David Goggins, the almost masochistic endurance athlete, and Bryan Johnson, the biotech entrepreneur becoming infamous for his extreme anti-aging regimen — which includes blood transfusions from his teenage son, a rigid 100+ pill daily supplement routine, and an obsessive approach to biological data tracking.
These people aren't mere oddities to me, like exhibits you might observe behind glass in a museum. I genuinely think they're great models to study and to learn from. And the reason for this is that I'm what I call a Lego Brick Thinker.
The two types
There are Yellow Brick Thinkers and Lego Brick Thinkers.
Yellow Brick Thinkers believe they have to follow people's advice or examples exactly as is, without picking and choosing parts of the advice that work for their situation.
To them, advice is like the yellow brick road in The Wizard of Oz: You have to follow it brick-by-brick from the very beginning to the very end — otherwise, you'll get nowhere.
But Lego Brick Thinkers treat advice like a box of Legos. They realize they don't have to use all the pieces in the box, and they can assemble and reassemble each piece to fit whatever outcome happens to work for them.
“But Bryan Johnson is a f*cking weirdo!”
Yep, and to a Lego Brick Thinker, that's exactly why he's awesome.
Because his weird (i.e. brave) public experiments give us so many new data-driven Lego pieces to play with for ourselves.
Of course, all of this is a simplification. The obvious reality is that no one is fully one type of thinker or the other. But we certainly bias towards one type or the other (I'm sure this is correlated with a personality trait called openness to experience) — and I've noticed that my bias towards lego brick thinking has served me incredibly well by opening me up to lessons from just about anyone.
One “weird” Lego I've added to my life
I have what seems like a bottomless box of “Legos” that I've incorporated into my life from different strange sources. And I'll share one here: a principle I refer to as “interior design for interior states of mind.”
But let me start by showing instead of telling:
If this is your first time seeing the monstrosity above, allow me to introduce you to my home office.
I've never publicly explained why I lay it out the way that I do, but the answer is that I reverse engineered the design principles I found in an incredible book called Addiction by Design.
It's about how the gambling industry uses machine design, algorithms, and behavioral psychology to create highly addictive experiences and keep players engaged and spending money. [1]
Which is terrible, obviously.
But to me — the Lego Brick Thinker reading this book — it was also potentially useful. I couldn't make it ten pages without wondering if I could apply some of the design principles to my own life. "If casino designers can arrange machines in a way that guarantees players will get in the zone with slot machines," I thought, "can I arrange my own office in a way that guarantees I'll get in the zone with my work?"
[1] Here's an excerpt from the book:
“The one thing you need to know about casino planning is that the whole point of a casino is to get people walking from the registration to the main body of the casino,” responded a top designer when asked by a scholar how the concept of “human engineering” influenced casino design. He went on to explain what his firm meant by “experience-based” architecture: “We try to influence movement and the circulation pattern and therefore direct people’s experience.” Although [a casino executive] has downplayed the role of such strategy in the design of his own casinos, stating that the winning formula behind the Mirage was the result of “confusion, not cunning,” in fact each of his properties has been a fastidiously planned affair from conception to finish, from wall treatments to ambient soundtrack.
Hey Channing Allen, I'm curious why you use so many notebooks instead of fixed monitors with an additional docking station and a notebook?
PS: Great article on building the work environment with a “casino” design in mind. It really gave me some ideas!
This is a very cool perspective. I've noticed this in the wild but never been able to put my finger on what was going on.
Growing up, it often annoyed me when people would 'throw the baby out with the bath water.' Sure, you might not like a person or thing, or even a movement, but there are useful things that can be taken out of the whole and appreciated on their own because they're useful or interesting - without necessarily condoning that person/thing/movement. Now I can see it as yellow road vs yellow brick thinking.
I'm honestly not sure why more people don't default to Lego Brick thinking. To me, it seems to be the most positive and constructive way to see things, rather than simply dismissing a huge range of things because you don't like the gist of it.
You know the phrase "don't shoot the messenger"? I think what's often going on here is the inverse: shooting the message.
That is, I think people are usually hesitant to analyze the value of advice on its own merit. Instead, they start by considering how much they like or trust the source.
Which is a shame. Trusted sources give lots of bad advice, and bad people say good things sometimes.
That makes a lot of sense. And I agree. Such a shame.
I really like this Lego Brick way of thinking — it’s such a creative reminder that you don’t need to copy someone else’s whole path to benefit from their ideas. It’s kind of like solving riddles: kids might all hear the same riddle, but each comes up with different ways to piece together the clues before arriving at the answer. The fun is in seeing how many “Lego pieces” you can rearrange to find new solutions. That flexibility is what makes both learning from unusual people and solving riddles so rewarding.
Really enjoyed this perspective on “Yellow Brick vs Lego Brick Thinking.” I think the Lego mindset is powerful because it lets you take useful pieces from different sources and apply them in your own unique way. I’ve done the same in my work—whether it’s learning productivity hacks or even running a small local service business like Flexibility and creativity always make the learning process more practical and long-lasting.
This hit me. I used to throw out whole books/ideas just because I didn’t like the author. Total yellow brick move. Once I started just taking the useful bits, I actually learned way more.
Interesting thoughts on this matter. Once again I am convinced that flexibility of thinking is very important for a person.
This is a great analogy - pick out what works for you and go for it
Interesting analogy with a building set—it really gives me something to think about. Thank you for sharing that insight and your vision.
any one tell me best lego set for my children
This reminded me of a small mindset shift that helped me grow a lot faster:
I stopped trying to “master” everything on my own — and started learning one small insight at a time, often from people way outside my usual circle.
I even built a habit of applying one single idea per week from great books (and people), just to keep the flow going without feeling overwhelmed.
Would love to hear what small ideas others have picked up from unexpected places.
Love this metaphor, Channing. As someone who helps people navigate legal pitfalls in creative and freelance work, I see Yellow Brick Thinking all the time — especially when it comes to contracts and rules. Many assume there's just one way to do things "right" or "by the book," when in fact, the most resilient freelancers are often Lego thinkers. They build systems, not blindly follow them. And the more unconventional the source (even a casino design book!), the more interesting the Lego pieces. Thanks for sharing this one — I'm stealing “interior design for interior states of mind” for sure.
Really interesting perspective on learning—comparing yellow bricks to Lego bricks is a great way to visualise how ideas connect and scale with the right foundation. It’s a concept I relate to even in creative industries. For example, at The Fancy Dress, we’ve learned that customer feedback (our "yellow bricks") often leads to brilliant product ideas and better engagement. Listening to diverse voices really does help you build something much more valuable. Thanks for sharing this!
I love how this flips the usual “learn deeply, focus narrowly” advice. And also hoarding yellow bricks that may come in handy one day. (bit like my kitchen drawer!)
Entrepreneurs and freelancers often struggle with procrastination, which can hold back productivity and leadership growth. One practical strategy is to tackle procrastination head-on with actionable steps like breaking down overwhelming tasks and creating structured routines. I recently came across a book that offers simple, effective techniques to overcome procrastination and jump-start productivity. Check out "Escape Procrastination: Step Up as the Leader Your Work or Project Demands" for actionable tips and real-life strategies that can make a big difference.
its interesting
Can you suggest AI courses, where can I enroll?
Super interesting, actually on the addiction side, I have thought a lot about how to make a positive impact product addictive, or how addictions work in general, aka wouldn't it be great if we were all addicted to GoodReads instead of Instagram. I might build some apps like this!
I sure you are right
Nice! Shoot me a DM on X if you decide to build it so I can follow along. Highly recommend checking out "Addiction by Design" if you haven't read it.
This is a fantastic breakdown of flexible thinking! As founders and builders, we often get caught up in rigid frameworks, thinking we must follow a 'proven' startup playbook step by step. But success often comes from modular thinking—taking bits and pieces from various disciplines, even unconventional ones, and adapting them to our own context.
The 'interior design for interior states of mind' example is especially relevant for solo founders. Just as casinos optimize for addiction, we can optimize our workspaces for deep focus. Love the perspective!
Channing Allen's concept of Lego Brick Thinking offers a refreshing perspective on learning and adaptability. Instead of following advice rigidly like a Yellow Brick Thinker, a Lego Brick Thinker selectively takes useful pieces from different ideas and experiences to construct their own unique approach.
This mindset is invaluable in business, personal growth, and even home improvement. For example, when choosing impact doors in Miami, homeowners shouldn’t blindly follow a single recommendation but rather evaluate different options based on durability, design, and energy efficiency.
Just as Allen applies casino design principles to his workspace for enhanced productivity, homeowners can apply similar strategic thinking to fortify their homes while maintaining aesthetic appeal. By adopting a Lego Brick mindset, people can gather insights from unconventional sources, creating custom solutions that align with their needs.
Using the Best Impact Doors in Miami
If you’re looking for hurricane-resistant impact doors that blend security and style, check out Best Impact Doors in Miami. Like a Lego Brick Thinker, you can mix and match features—customizing materials, frame designs, and security enhancements—to create the perfect solution for your home.