No. 18 · Decisions · General Thinking
OODA Loop
Whoever observes, makes sense, decides and acts faster can adapt while others are still catching up.
In the Almanac
“Forty-Second Boyd”, 1950s–1970s · “Shein”, 2020s
Both stories in full, three ways to use it and where it misleads.
Get the AlmanacQuestions
What is OODA Loop?
The OODA Loop, developed by fighter pilot John Boyd, is a decision cycle: Observe what is happening, Orient by making sense of it, Decide on a response and Act, then loop again. Whoever cycles faster adapts while others are still catching up.
How do you use OODA Loop?
Use it to shorten feedback cycles at work, run small weekly experiments with your health and pause to orient before reacting in conflict. Move quickly, but keep checking that your view of the world is accurate.
When does OODA Loop matter?
OODA Loop is one of the 35 mental models for decisions, the situations where you ask: Which way should I go? Within that, it belongs to “Thinking ahead”, alongside Counterfactual Thinking, Exit Strategy and Second-Order Thinking.
What is an example of OODA Loop?
Two stories show it at work: Forty-Second Boyd (1950s–1970s) and Shein (2020s). 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 OODA Loop?
Velocity, Minimum Viable Product and Confirmation Bias. OODA Loop itself comes from general thinking.