Thought Forking is an approach to solving problems that emphasizes iteration, creativity, and refinement. The idea is to loop around a problem to understand it fully, then split into various ideas and solutions, evaluate them critically, and merge the best parts into a cohesive result. Once you have refined your ideas into a main thought or solution, the process can then be repeated as needed to further improve it or address new developments.

This method starts with looping around the problem. This means carefully examining the nature of the issue, considering its different aspects, and ensuring you understand it properly. By exploring the problem, you set the foundation for generating meaningful solutions.

Next, you fork—breaking out into different ideas and solutions. This is the creative stage where you brainstorm and welcome diverse, even unconventional ideas. The goal is not perfection at this point but exploration.

Once you have a set of ideas, you evaluate them. Take the time to analyze each solution for its strengths and weaknesses. Consider what’s actionable, sustainable, and aligns with your goals. From these evaluations, you identify the most promising elements and merge them into a single, solid solution that leverages the best aspects of your previous ideas.

After merging, you choose the result—the main thought. This represents the current solution, which can then move forward as the working plan. However, Thought Forking is iterative, meaning you can revisit the process whenever necessary. If the situation changes or new insights become available, you go back to the loop, repeating the steps to refine the solution further.