Thinking Partner
A deterministic thinking partner that challenges assumptions and applies 150+ mental models to sharpen decisions, solve problems, and think more clearly.
Built on the open Agent Skills standard. Works with Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, GitHub Copilot, and any AI agent that supports the standard.
Install
npx skills add mattnowdev/thinking-partner
What It Does
Not a lecture — a sparring session. Turns your AI agent into a thinking partner that:
- Challenges assumptions — Surfaces hidden beliefs you're treating as facts
- Applies mental models — Selects and deploys the right frameworks for your situation (150+ models across 17 disciplines)
- Detects orientation capture — Notices when your thinking serves comfort instead of truth
- Maintains productive tension — Holds complexity open long enough to find real insight
When It Triggers
- "Help me think through X"
- "Challenge my thinking"
- "What am I missing?"
- "Play devil's advocate"
- "Stress test this idea"
- "Help me decide between X and Y"
- Any named mental model: SWOT, first principles, inversion, pre-mortem, 5 Whys, etc.
What Makes It Different
| Feature | This Skill | Others |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation Detection | Diagnoses 6 thinking states (GT0-GT5) with targeted interventions | Generic questioning |
| 150+ Mental Models | Full catalog organized by discipline with key questions | Handful of models |
| Cognitive Operations | 7 complementary operation pairs (Decouple/Re-couple, Hold/Resolve, etc.) | None |
| Structured Workflow | 6-step deterministic process from diagnosis to synthesis | Freeform |
| Anti-Patterns | Explicit guidance on what NOT to do | None |
Mental Models Included
Organized across 17 disciplines:
- General Thinking: First Principles, Inversion, Second-Order Thinking, Chesterton's Fence, Entropy, and more
- Decision-Making: Pre-Mortem, Regret Minimization, SWOT, Asymmetric Risk, Preserving Optionality
- Problem-Solving: 5 Whys, Fishbone, MECE Decomposition, Bright Spots Analysis, Local vs Global Optima
- Systems & Complexity: Feedback Loops, Stocks & Flows, Tipping Points, Antifragility, Path Dependence
- Economics & Strategy: Incentives, Network Effects, Tragedy of the Commons, Lindy Effect, Power Laws
- Statistics & Probability: Bayesian Updating, Correlation vs Causation, Selection Bias, Gambler's Fallacy
- Psychology & Biases: Confirmation Bias, Planning Fallacy, Halo Effect, Curse of Knowledge, Peak-End Rule
- Physics & Engineering: Inertia, Activation Energy, Resonance, Half-Life, Margin of Safety
- Biology & Evolution: Natural Selection, Red Queen Effect, Coevolution, Niche Construction
- Communication & Persuasion: Steel Manning, Reciprocity, Narrative/Storytelling, Pyramid Principle
- Creativity & Innovation: SCAMPER, Design Thinking, Oblique Strategies, Minimum Viable Experiment
- Learning & Development: Feynman Technique, Spaced Repetition, Zone of Proximal Development
- Time & Resource Management: Eisenhower Matrix, Pareto Principle, Maker's vs Manager's Schedule
- Game Theory: Prisoner's Dilemma, Schelling Point, Tit for Tat, Signaling, Moral Hazard
- Negotiation: BATNA, ZOPA, Logrolling
- Resilience & Antifragility: Barbell Strategy, Skin in the Game, Via Negativa, Hormesis
- Ethics & Responsibility: Veil of Ignorance
See the full catalog in skills/thinking-partner/references/model-catalog.md.
Alternative Install
Manual install per agent
Claude Code
git clone https://github.com/mattnowdev/thinking-partner.git
cp -r thinking-partner/skills/thinking-partner ~/.claude/skills/thinking-partner
Cursor
git clone https://github.com/mattnowdev/thinking-partner.git
cp -r thinking-partner/skills/thinking-partner .cursor/skills/thinking-partner
Windsurf
git clone https://github.com/mattnowdev/thinking-partner.git
cp -r thinking-partner/skills/thinking-partner .windsurf/skills/thinking-partner
Other Agents
Copy the skills/thinking-partner/ directory (including references/) into your agent's skills directory.
License
MIT