Think before you cross.
A practical system for acting clearly under pressure — built from experience, not theory.
Get StartedWhat is Component Reason™?
Most poor decisions aren't caused by lack of intelligence. They're caused by not seeing the full picture — acting before thinking, missing costs that were always there, or treating assumptions as facts.
Component Reason™ is a framework for thinking clearly before you commit. Six components, each addressing a specific blind spot. Whether you're facing a major life decision or just trying to make better everyday choices, the approach is the same: slow down, see clearly, then move.
The Six Components
Threshold Recognition
"Keep your options open"
Recognize when you're about to cross a line you can't uncross — and pause before you do.
Fixed Point Recognition
"Know what won't move"
Distinguish what's actually immovable from what just feels that way.
Temporal Ordering
"Do things in the right order"
Sequence your actions so early moves don't sabotage later ones.
Witness Framing
"Control how it looks"
Anticipate how your actions will be interpreted by people who matter.
Input Triage
"Ignore what doesn't matter"
Tell the difference between signal and noise — and stop responding to noise.
Recovery Path
"Can I take this back?"
Choose actions you can undo until you're certain enough for permanence.
The Approach
Component Reason™ isn't about being smarter. It's about seeing what's already there.
Every component addresses a specific blind spot — a predictable way people miss what matters. Sometimes the stakes are high: a custody decision, a career move, a message you can't unsend. Sometimes they're ordinary: a purchase that seems like a deal until you count the real costs, a commitment that felt small until it wasn't.
The framework doesn't tell you what to decide. It helps you see the decision clearly before you commit.
Real decisions. Real consequences.
Get Started
Download the Guide
A concise introduction to Component Reason™ — the six components, how they work together, and how to start using them.
Download PDFFree. No email required.
Get the Interactive Tool
A tap-through decision tool that walks you through the framework in real time.
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About
Hamilton Barber
I've spent my professional life inside systems where words, timing, and decisions have consequences — and where you don't get credit for being right if you make the wrong move.
Component Reason™ is a doctrine for acting and thinking under complexity, built from experience and disciplined study. It's what I use. It's what I teach.
This isn't theory. It's practice.