The Science of Being 'Quick-Witted'
Hello, I am Keisuke Miyawaki, CEO of unname.
I usually post on X about things I find important or thoughts I've developed on my own, and I'm turning this into an article as an attempt to further flesh out the posts that received a significant response.
「頭の回転が速い」とは「累積思考量が多い」ことだと思います。「過去に似たようなテーマについて考えたことがある」から、すぐに自分の意見が出てくるし、回転が速く見える。考えたことがないと、その場で思考してしまい、遅く見える。そういうことだと思っています。…
— 宮脇 啓輔 / 積極採用中 / unname (@keisuke_unname) March 21, 2024
Since this post received quite a good response, I will use it as a base to flesh it out a bit more and provide an explanation.
What is the true nature of being 'quick-witted'?
I believe that people who appear 'quick-witted' are actually people who have 'accumulated a large amount of thought'.
The reason they appear quick-witted is that they have 'thought about similar themes in the past.' Because they have accumulated a large amount of thought, they can immediately come up with their own opinions. That appearance makes them seem quick-witted. On the other hand, if there is no accumulated thought from the past, one has to think on the spot, which makes them appear slow-witted. In other words, it is just that there are 'many moments when one's thinking slows down', and if those moments are frequent, one is identified as a slow-witted person. I believe that is the case in most instances.
At one point, after forming this hypothesis, I observed people who appeared 'slow-witted.' The facts that emerged from that are as follows.
・The conversation itself is very fluent, and at first glance, they seem skilled. ・In fact, they are very talkative about things they like or are good at. ・They have a lot of time where they are thinking when in areas they haven't experienced or in front of high-level people.
The hypotheses I formed from this are:
・In areas where they have thought before, their response speed is fast. ・Even in areas where they have thought before, if they are asked for a high-level answer, they end up thinking again on the spot. ・If their ability to structure is low, the content becomes incoherent when trying to retrieve thoughts.
That is what I mean.
From these experiences, I thought that 'being slow-witted' might mean 'not having thought about that theme and structured it so it is easy to retrieve'. I think you could also say that they don't have the habit of thinking for themselves in daily life, or that they cannot think unless asked by others.
There are ways to 'speed up your thinking'
Though it may sound self-serving, I am often told by others that I am 'quick-witted'.
Even for me, there are, of course, questions I can answer immediately and questions I cannot. As for the questions I cannot answer immediately, it is because I have never thought about them before, so I inevitably need time to gather material for thinking, examine it, and come up with a solution. The things I can answer immediately are all things I have thought about beforehand. When I realized that, I understood that the speed of thinking is 'accumulating thoughts on a daily basis' and 'structuring them in a state that is easy to retrieve'.
I myself have not undergone any special training with the speed of thinking in mind. However, I have had the tendency since I was a student to daydream without listening to people, or to engage in self-questioning, so I think I may have had that characteristic.
Now that I understand the relationship between the speed of thinking and the amount of accumulated thought, the specific examples I am working on are:
・Always share news from the world on social media as a set with my own claims or impressions. ・For long explanations from others, perform a concise paraphrase and verbalization by saying, 'In other words, it means such and such, right?' ・Layer my own claims onto the claims of others shared on Slack, etc. ・When reading books, always compare them to familiar real-life examples and think about 'how can this be applied in my own environment' as a set.
and so on.
It could also be rephrased as "always having your own opinions and assertions." Once you enter the workforce, no one will set your learning scope or goals for you. The habit of gathering information, thinking, and reaching conclusions on your own becomes essential.
Also, since we are on the topic, I would like to introduce a methodology that makes cumulative thinking easier: "thinking under specific constraints." Personally, I recommend bringing a topic to think about into an environment where you are physically unable to touch your smartphone and have nothing else to do but think, such as during a flight or inside a sauna. Because the environment is different from usual and there is nothing to do but think, you can think more deeply than usual, which is why I especially recommend it.
Incorporate cumulative thinking into your daily life, not your work
I don't think there is that much of a difference in our human abilities. If a difference does arise, isn't it the amount of thinking done in daily life, including everyday activities ? During work, communication that assumes a conclusion is often required, and work is often not recognized unless it is outputted, so I also feel that work and cumulative thinking are not very compatible.
Also, for cumulative thinking, where you don't know when it will be useful, I think it is best to effectively utilize your daily life where you can take your time, or spare moments like commuting or eating. While everyone naturally works hard at their jobs during work hours, I also believe that if you can engage in cumulative thinking that is useful for work in your daily life, it becomes easier to set yourself apart from others.
When I first started working, everyone looked talented to me. But now, I feel that I have surpassed one after another the people I used to think were talented. I believe that is undoubtedly thanks to the amount of thinking I have accumulated in my daily life.
▼Sequel: Recommended reading to go with this
The complete version containing this note has been published as a book!
On Friday, November 21, 2025, "Work Techniques That Grow with Compound Interest, Valued by Capable People" was released by Discover. It is a book for business people living in the Reiwa era, compiling 34 easy-to-understand work techniques that allow for compound growth like those in this note, into one volume.
▼ "Work Techniques That Grow with Compound Interest, Valued by Capable People" is also on sale on Amazon!
Here are some of the Amazon reviews!
I want to think and act firmly in the medium to long term
★★★★★
I read many business-related and self-improvement books every month, but this was one of the most impactful books I have read recently. I tended to focus on immediate results and skills that yield quick outcomes, but my way of thinking has changed significantly. The policies described are not all medium- to long-term; some are useful in the short term and lead to step-by-step growth, so it's not that you won't see results unless you continue for 10 years. I want to consciously view my own growth in the long term and reflect it in my actions.
A growth technique where the earlier you start, the wider the gap becomes
★★★★★
The preface, which begins with the author's own experience at a startup, drew me in immediately because the circumstances were very similar to my own past experiences. The "skills for growth" discussed in this book are all practical wisdom not taught in schools or universities. That is why I think it will be like a bible for those with little work experience. Especially for those considering a career change or those who have a clear business vision for their 30s and beyond, the content can create a significant difference if learned early. I realized that the "compound growth" emphasized by the author is a force that will eventually turn small daily accumulations into a gap with those around you and surely push your own career forward. After finishing it, a positive feeling of "it's not too late to start, let's start today" naturally wells up. I highly recommend it as a book to invest in your future self.
A good book that is useful for both young people and those who train them
★★★★★
As someone in a management position at a startup, it was packed with content useful for training young people. Because it is an environment where systems and educational rules are not well-established, there are honestly not a few times when I think, "Why doesn't it change no matter how many times I tell them...?" but in this book, things I had been doing somewhat by intuition until now were clearly verbalized, and I read it while being convinced, "I see, if I convey it this way, it might get through better!" While reading, I was able to look back and ask myself if I was doing it properly, and before I knew it, I had read it all at once. I recommend it to young people who want to grow in any organization, and to leaders who want to help their team members grow. It was a book that made me want to put it into practice from the day I read it!
A must-read for young professionals, but it would be a waste to limit it to them
★★★★★
While books of this nature often focus on superficial skills, this one covers the mindset and concrete behavioral guidelines that business professionals should possess, making it a must-read for new and young employees.
Although it was likely written with a younger audience in mind, it was also a book that clearly articulated the answers for me as I approached my 30s, struggling with questions like 'What skills should I acquire and how should I navigate my career in the AI era?'
I want not only young professionals but every business person exposed to the waves of the AI era to pick this up.
▼ Magazine summarizing 'Thinking Skills that Grow with Compound Interest'
▼ Podcast 'Cumulative Thinking FM📻'
