Reason from First Principles

It can't only be intelligence and drive. Plenty of others have equal or greater amounts of those ingredients. He has something more.

"Reason from first principles, not from analogy", is advice that Elon Musk gives. And it is suspected that this skill / habit he possess is a key ingredient in his success.

But I am not sure exactly how to apply this advice or how to cultivate it as a mental model.

"Reason from first principles, not by comparison", maybe that is a better way to frame it...

...just googled analogy and it is pretty much exactly the same as comparison.

Got it. But now I am afraid I have also figured out that I lack another ingredient. Piss.