Life is a token allocation problem: stop spending deep thinking on unworthy problems
chrissyykat · x · 2026-10-28
The author borrows the token-allocation metaphor from AI to talk about personal attention management: vertical startups' moat is that customers' opportunity cost of diverting compute from core problems is too high — and the same logic applies to our own mental quotas.
- We're neurotic about when to invoke the strongest model and effort levels at work, yet undiscerning about our own thinking budget.
- Emotionally charged problems with no natural stopping condition monopolize headspace meant for things that actually warrant deep thought.
- Over time, our lives reflect what received our attention — some people hit their weekly thinking limits on problems that don't deserve a single token.
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