How Templates Shape Our Thinking, Behavior, and Daily Decisions

1. What Are Behavioral Templates?

A template is not just a document or a pre-filled form—it’s a structured way of thinking and acting. Whenever we follow a familiar pattern—whether in writing an email, making a decision, or responding to a situation—we are using a kind of behavioral template.

Examples of Behavioral Templates We Use Daily:

✅ Morning Routines – Most people follow a similar sequence each morning: wake up, brush teeth, check phone, get coffee. This is a behavioral template that starts the day.
✅ Workflows – If you always start tasks the same way (e.g., checking emails before deep work), that’s a template for structuring your work.
✅ Communication Styles – The way you write emails to colleagues, chat with friends, or respond to criticism follows predefined social scripts.
✅ Decision-Making Models – Whether you use the Eisenhower Matrix or gut instinct, you are applying a pre-established decision template.
✅ Problem-Solving Frameworks – Engineers use design thinking, writers use outlines, and businesses use SWOT analysis—all of these are thinking templates.

Even when we don’t explicitly recognize them as templates, these structures define how we engage with the world. The question is: Are we using the right ones?

2. How Templates Influence Our Thinking and Behavior

Our brains love efficiency. Rather than making every decision from scratch, we rely on mental shortcuts and patterns. These patterns often come from templates—predefined structures that guide our thinking, behavior, and expectations.

A. Templates Reduce Cognitive Load

Templates act as mental shortcuts, helping us process information faster.
🔹 Instead of drafting an email from scratch, we use a structured format.
🔹 Instead of figuring out a daily plan from zero, we follow a predefined schedule.

This reduces mental strain, allowing us to focus on what matters most.

But there’s a downside: bad templates can limit our thinking. If we use the wrong mental model, we might:
❌ Stick to outdated habits instead of questioning if they’re effective.
❌ Follow flawed processes just because they are familiar.
❌ Apply rigid thinking, reducing creativity and adaptability.

For example, school systems often enforce rigid academic templates (e.g., memorize, test, forget) that don’t necessarily develop true understanding. Many students internalize this approach, making it harder for them to embrace learning as a flexible, creative process later in life.

B. Templates Create Automatic Behavioral Scripts

Just as templates influence how we work, they also shape how we react in different situations.

Consider how people instinctively behave based on context:
🔹 At work, you adopt a professional template – structured, task-oriented, and goal-driven.
🔹 With friends, you follow a social template – relaxed, spontaneous, and conversational.
🔹 With family, you use a personal template – shaped by upbringing and emotional bonds.

This is why the same person can act differently in different settings—it’s not just personality, it’s template-driven behavior.

This also explains why people sometimes struggle with authenticity. If their “work template” is drastically different from their “real self,” they may feel emotionally drained or disconnected from their actions.

C. Templates Affect Decision-Making

Every decision we make is shaped by an underlying template—a set of assumptions, biases, and guiding principles.

For example:
📌 Doctors use diagnostic templates to identify illnesses based on symptoms and history.
📌 Marketers use customer personas to shape how they communicate with different audiences.
📌 Executives use financial models to make strategic business choices.

These templates aren’t just tools—they define how we interpret reality. If the wrong template is used, poor decisions can follow.

For instance:
❌ A hiring manager using an outdated hiring template might overlook talented candidates who don’t fit the “traditional mold.”
❌ A business using a flawed pricing model template might struggle to adapt to market changes.

The takeaway? Choosing the right decision-making templates is critical.

3. The Power of Customizable Templates: Rigid vs. Flexible Frameworks

Not all templates are equal—some are too rigid, while others are adaptable and dynamic.

Rigid Templates: The Danger of Stagnation

• Work well for repetitive, standardized processes (e.g., filing reports, following legal documents).

• Can become outdated and limit adaptability.

• Risk of over-reliance—people may stop questioning if the process still makes sense.

Flexible Templates: The Key to Growth

• Encourage iteration and evolution (e.g., design frameworks that allow experimentation).

• Help users adjust based on context and needs.

• Act as thinking tools rather than just execution tools.

The best templates are living documents—they evolve as we grow.

4. How to Use Templates to Improve Thinking and Behavior

Since templates influence behavior, we should be intentional about the ones we use.

Here’s how:

A. Audit Your Existing Templates

• What behavioral and mental templates do you follow daily?

• Are they helping or limiting your effectiveness?

• Do you need to update or replace outdated templates?

B. Create Templates That Serve Your Goals

• If you struggle with productivity, create a decision-making template (e.g., prioritization frameworks).

• If you want to improve communication, use a structured messaging template (e.g., persuasive writing structures).

• If you want to build better habits, design habit-tracking templates (e.g., weekly review systems).

C. Design for Flexibility and Adaptation

• Avoid templates that are too rigid—leave room for adjustments and creativity.

• Regularly review and refine your templates to ensure they remain effective.

• Think of templates as thinking frameworks, not just execution tools.

5. Templates as Scripts: The Final Insight

At the deepest level, templates don’t just help us work efficiently—they shape the scripts we follow in life.

Just as a film script dictates how actors behave in different scenes, our mental templates define how we act in different situations.

• The "leader script" influences how managers lead teams.

• The "social script" dictates how we interact in groups.

• The "self-improvement script" shapes our personal growth habits.

Many of these scripts are subconscious—we don’t realize we’re following them. But by becoming aware of them, we can choose which scripts to keep and which to rewrite.

🚀 Do you want to become more productive? Create a better daily workflow script.
🚀 Do you want to make better decisions? Use a decision-making script that aligns with your values.
🚀 Do you want to communicate more effectively? Develop a persuasive storytelling script.

In the end, the templates we use—consciously or unconsciously—shape who we are. By designing better templates, we design better lives.