Bird in Hand
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30
CORE DEFINITION
Proposed by Sarasvathy. Instead of pursuing the perfect 'bird in the bush' (grand predictions and goals), start acting immediately based on the 'bird in hand' (who I am, who I know, and what I have).
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
Resource-driven action. Stop waiting for 'perfect conditions' or 'huge funding'. Based on the meager resources you have in hand, what can you create? That is your starting point.
Anchor fast decisions
The proverb 'A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush' in finance refers to investors' preference for certain dividends over uncertain capital gains, thus high dividends lower the required rate of return (bird-in-hand dividend theory, Lintner/Gordon). Broadly, it means 'a certain small gain is better than a risky large one'.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/3Practice this model in one real situation:
account_treeGenealogyexpand_more
menu_bookReferencesexpand_more
Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird-in-Handverified
PRIVATE NOTES · Only visible to you
SAVED Q&A
ENTRY Q&A · Private saving available
Ask with a clear boundary
thinkingmodels answers from published entry context only.
Your question is sent to thinkingmodels. The answer uses public entry context only.
RELATED MODELS