Concept · Decision-Making Mental Models
10-10-10 Rule
Origin: Suzy Welch
Biological Parallel
The arctic ground squirrel's hibernation decision balances three timeframes simultaneously: current fat reserves (can I survive today?), winter duration (will I make it through?), and lifetime reproductive potential (does early emergence increase breeding success?). Temporal discounting failures kill organisms—eating all seeds now means starvation later; hoarding everything means death from immediate energy deficit. Biology's survivors are ruthless tri-temporal optimizers, weighing immediate, seasonal, and generational fitness in every major decision.