No. 194 · Strategy · Systems
Flywheel
Many small pushes in the same direction build momentum that one big heave never could.
In the Almanac
“The Michelin Guide”, 1900 · “Nubank”, 2013–2024
Both stories in full, three ways to use it and where it misleads.
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Questions
What is Flywheel?
A flywheel is a system where each push adds momentum and the parts feed one another. Michelin's free guide got people driving, which wore out tires, which funded better guides. The early pushes feel slow; later ones feel effortless.
How do you use Flywheel?
To use it, find two or three activities that reinforce each other, in your career, your health or your friendships, and push a little every week. Be patient through the slow start, and check now and then that your wheel is still turning in the right direction.
When does Flywheel matter?
Flywheel is one of the 56 mental models for strategy, the situations where you ask: How do I win when others want the same thing? Within that, it belongs to “How markets grow and tip”, alongside Crossing the Chasm, First Mover Advantage and Long Tail.
What is an example of Flywheel?
Two stories show it at work: The Michelin Guide (1900) and Nubank (2013–2024). Both are told in full in The Mental Models Daily Almanac, which has two stories for each of its 365 models.
Which mental models are related to Flywheel?
Feedback Loops, Compounding Effect and Momentum. Flywheel itself comes from systems.