I was standing in the grocery store, overwhelmed by the wall of vitamins, when a thought struck me: What would a nutritionist actually choose?
Not what the flashy marketing promised, not what my wellness-obsessed friend recommended, but what someone who genuinely understood this stuff would pick for someone like me, with my goals, my budget, my actual lifestyle.
That single question changed how I approach decisions. Instead of drowning in online reviews, conflicting advice, and decision paralysis, I started asking: "What would an expert do?"
It sounds almost too simple, right? But this one mental shift has transformed everything from my morning routine to major life choices. And after building AI tools that capture expert thinking patterns, I've discovered why this approach is so powerful and how anyone can use it.
Why We're Terrible at Making Good Decisions
Let's be honest: most of us are making important decisions with incomplete information and zero training. We choose career paths like we're picking a Netflix show, manage our finances with the sophistication of a middle schooler, and approach relationships with whatever we absorbed from movies and family dysfunction.
Meanwhile, there are people who've spent decades mastering these exact challenges. Therapists who understand why relationships fail and how to fix them. Financial planners who know which money mistakes will derail your future. Career coaches who can spot the warning signs of burnout before you crash.
But here's the problem: expert advice is expensive, hard to access when you need it most, and often feels disconnected from your specific situation.
That nutritionist I imagined in the vitamin aisle? She charges $200 for a consultation, has a three-month waiting list, and probably wouldn't have time to walk me through supplement basics while I'm standing there with my grocery cart.
The Expert Thinking Framework
So I started reverse-engineering how experts actually think. Not just what they recommend, but how they analyze situations, what factors they consider, and how they adapt their approach to different circumstances.
What I discovered was that experts don't just know more facts they think differently. They have mental frameworks that help them cut through noise, identify what actually matters, and make decisions systematically rather than randomly.
Here's the framework I developed:
Step 1: Channel the Right Expert
Who would I want making this decision if it weren't my life?
This isn't about finding the most famous expert or the one with the most credentials. It's about identifying someone who understands your specific situation and constraints.
For financial decisions, I don't imagine a wealth manager for millionaires. I think about a financial planner who specializes in helping people with student loans build their first emergency fund.
For relationship issues, I don't channel a celebrity therapist. I imagine a counselor who works with couples juggling demanding careers and trying to maintain connection.
Step 2: Consider the Context
What would they need to know about my situation?
Experts don't give advice in a vacuum. They ask questions, understand constraints, and factor in your unique circumstances.
A fitness expert wouldn't recommend the same workout routine to a busy parent of three and a single person with unlimited gym time. A career coach would give different advice to someone desperate to escape their job versus someone looking to optimize a career they mostly enjoy.
Step 3: Think Systematically
How would they break this down?
Experts have systematic approaches to complex problems. They don't just go with their gut. They have frameworks for evaluating options, prioritizing factors, and making decisions that align with long-term goals.
Step 4: Account for Realistic Implementation
What would they say about actually following through?
This is where expert thinking really shines. They understand the gap between good advice and real-life execution. They know which approaches work for different personality types, how to build in flexibility for inevitable obstacles, and how to design solutions that stick.
How This Plays Out in Real Life
Career Decisions: The Promotion Dilemma
Sarah was offered a promotion that came with more money but significantly longer hours. Instead of making a pros-and-cons list or asking friends what they'd do, she asked: "What would a career coach focused on work-life balance tell someone in my situation?"
The expert in her head would probably ask:
What are your career goals beyond just making more money?
How sustainable is this workload given your other priorities?
What's the opportunity cost of saying no versus the cost of burning out?
Are there ways to negotiate the role to better fit your needs?
This systematic thinking revealed that the promotion aligned with her financial goals but conflicted with her priority of starting a family within the next few years. An expert would likely suggest negotiating for a modified version of the role or asking about future opportunities that might be a better fit.
Health Decisions: The Exercise Restart
Mark had tried and failed to establish a consistent workout routine more times than he could count. Instead of downloading another fitness app or following his gym-obsessed brother's routine, he asked: "What would a personal trainer who specializes in helping busy professionals say?"
The expert thinking revealed:
His past failures weren't about lack of willpower. They were about unrealistic expectations
Starting with 15 minutes three times a week was better than planning hour-long workouts he'd never maintain
Finding movement he actually enjoyed was more important than optimal calorie burn
Building the habit mattered more than the specific exercises
This led him to start with walking meetings and short bodyweight routines he could do at home. Six months later, he was consistently active for the first time in years.
Financial Decisions: The Emergency Fund Paradox
Lisa knew she needed an emergency fund but kept spending her savings on "emergencies" that weren't really emergencies. Instead of beating herself up or reading more financial advice blogs, she asked: "What would a financial planner tell someone who struggles with this exact issue?"
The expert approach revealed:
Her definition of "emergency" needed clear boundaries
She needed multiple savings buckets, not just one big fund
Automating transfers was crucial because willpower wasn't sustainable
Starting small was better than not starting at all
She set up three automatic transfers: $25 weekly to true emergencies (job loss, medical), $25 to "life happens" (car repairs, vet bills), and $25 to "opportunities" (travel deals, friend's wedding). The smaller amounts felt manageable, and having separate purposes eliminated the guilt-spending cycle.
Why This Works Better Than Generic Advice
It's Personalized Without Being Expensive
You get the benefit of expert thinking adapted to your specific situation, without paying for individual consultations.
It Cuts Through Information Overload
Instead of consuming endless content about productivity or relationships or fitness, you focus on what an expert would actually recommend for your circumstances.
It Builds Better Decision-Making Skills
Over time, you start internalizing these thinking patterns, becoming more systematic and thoughtful in your approach to challenges.
It Accounts for Reality
Expert thinking includes implementation strategy, not just idealized outcomes. It helps you design solutions that work with your actual life, not the life you think you should have.
Making This a Daily Practice
The magic happens when you start using this framework consistently:
Morning Decisions: "What would a productivity expert recommend for my energy level and today's priorities?"
Relationship Moments: "How would a good therapist suggest approaching this conversation?"
Financial Choices: "What would a financial advisor say about this purchase given my current goals?"
Health Decisions: "What would someone who understands sustainable wellness recommend here?"
Career Moves: "How would a mentor who's seen people in similar situations handle this?"
The Surprising Side Effect
The more I used this approach, the more I realized something profound: expert thinking isn't just about making better decisions. It's about developing confidence in your ability to handle whatever life throws at you.
When you know you can systematically work through problems the way experts do, challenges become less overwhelming. You start trusting yourself to figure things out, even in areas where you don't have expertise.
Where AI Comes In
This is why I became fascinated with building AI tools that capture expert thinking patterns. What if you didn't have to imagine what an expert would do? What if you could actually access their decision-making frameworks when you need them?
Not generic advice, but the actual thought processes that experts use to analyze situations, consider options, and make recommendations. The systematic approaches that come from years of experience, adapted to your specific circumstances and constraints.
Start With One Question
You don't need AI tools or complicated systems to begin. Start with the next decision you're facing (big or small) and ask yourself: "What would an expert do?"
Not just any expert, but the right expert for your specific situation. Someone who understands your constraints, shares your values, and has helped people navigate similar challenges successfully.
Then think systematically: What would they want to know? How would they break this down? What would they say about implementation?
Watch how this one question transforms your decision-making. Because when you start thinking like an expert, you start getting expert-level results in your own life.
What decision are you facing right now that could benefit from expert thinking? Try the framework and see what happens when you step into the mind of someone who's mastered what you're struggling with.