Years ago, while trying my hand with a relational-database, making data-sets, and trying its query process, I learned something about the thinking process. Something that I had always taken for granted and had assumed that I was 'rational' and organized in my thinking.
My small database project really enhanced my own #thinking process.
I noticed how important it was to keep your 'query' structured and rational. If your 'query' is not properly made, you will not get any useful results from your data-set. That is, the results will not be meaningful, and the 'results' from your 'query' will not increase your understanding of your data-set.
It appeared, that before I structure a query, I must have a general idea of possible answers to my questions, and shape my queries (i.e., questions) accordingly. So before reaching a conclusion on anything that you want to understand or resolve, you have to make sure that the question itself is not absurd and that your premises are relevant.
This really opened up a window on my #thinking process that I had always taken for granted. In my general 'thinking' I was not methodical. Most of the times neither my data-set was structured nor my questions. And I was fond of taking the absurd 'results' as something coming out of a proper process.
On important matters, investment decisions, always write down a note. Nothing confronts you more forcefully than your own written note. The writing process makes you a disciplined thinker and makes you question your premises and decisions.