Hi there,
What’s the Story?
The holidays are coming closer! I’ve been on the road a lot this month and no slowing down in sight for now at least. I have a cool article below based on the latest episode of the Changing Minds podcast on more cognitive biases that ruin our ability to think smart and make good decisions. You can check out the podcast here: video.owenfitzpatrick.com.
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The 12 Mistakes You’re Making Every Day (And What to Do About Them)
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes 07 seconds
We all make mistakes — lots of them. Most are subtle and hard to recognize, embedded in the way our minds process information. Why? Because our brains come pre-wired with cognitive biases — mental shortcuts that skew our perceptions and decision-making.
These biases shape our behavior, beliefs, and even the way we react to others. In this issue, we’re diving into some of the most common biases and psychological traps, plus how to use this knowledge to reshape your thinking and avoid those daily pitfalls.
1. Cognitive Dissonance: The Tug of War Inside Your Head
Cognitive dissonance occurs when your beliefs clash with your actions. The mental discomfort you feel arises because you’re holding onto contradictory ideas or behaving in ways that don’t align with your identity. Think of the smoker who preaches the virtues of a healthy lifestyle, or the workaholic who claims to value work-life balance.
This tension often forces a change in either belief or behavior to resolve the discomfort.
How to deal with it: Identify the misalignment and ask yourself:
What do I really believe? Use that clarity to guide your next action.
2. Confirmation Bias: The Enemy of Open-Mindedness
We’re all guilty of it—seeking out information that confirms what we already think. When faced with contradictory evidence, we either dismiss it or rationalize it. Confirmation bias can lead to major mistakes, from poor investment choices (ignoring warning signs) to unhealthy relationships (overlooking red flags).
How to deal with it: Challenge your own beliefs regularly. Look for evidence that proves you wrong instead of right.
3. The Dunning-Kruger Effect: When Ignorance Feels Like Genius
The less you know, the more you think you know. The Dunning-Kruger effect explains why people with low expertise often overestimate their abilities, while true experts tend to underestimate theirs. Whether it’s taking on a complicated diet plan or claiming to know everything about a subject after watching a few YouTube videos, overconfidence can be a trap.
How to deal with it: Adopt a learner’s mindset. Assume you have more to learn, and actively seek out gaps in your knowledge.
4. Framing Effect: The Power of Presentation
How information is presented—framed—can drastically change your decision. Imagine hearing that a medical procedure has a “90% survival rate” versus a “10% mortality rate.” They mean the same thing, but one sounds much more reassuring. We are more likely to make decisions based on positive framing, even when the underlying facts are identical.
How to deal with it: Reframe problems in multiple ways to get a balanced view. Don’t let the language used influence your judgment.
5. Sunk-Cost Fallacy: Throwing Good Money After Bad
Ever stuck with something just because you’ve already invested a lot in it? That’s the sunk-cost fallacy at work. Whether it’s a failing business, an unfulfilling relationship, or an unworkable diet, we tend to keep pouring in resources to avoid “wasting” what we’ve already spent.
How to deal with it: Assess decisions based on future benefits, not past investments. If it’s not working, it’s okay to let go.
6. Loss Aversion: Why Fear Outweighs Gain
We hate losing more than we love winning. Behavioral economics gurus Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky showed that people typically need the chance to gain double what they risk losing before they’ll take a bet. This aversion to loss makes us too cautious and resistant to change.
How to deal with it: Focus on potential gains more than losses. Ask yourself, “What’s the worst that could happen?” The answer is often less daunting than it seems.
7. Representativeness Heuristic: Judging a Book by Its Cover
We often judge the likelihood of an event based on how closely it resembles a stereotype or previous experience, even when other relevant factors are overlooked. This bias can affect everything from hiring decisions to choosing a romantic partner.
How to deal with it: Recognize when you’re relying on surface-level characteristics and dig deeper. Base decisions on facts rather than appearances.
8. Fundamental Attribution Error: Blaming People, Not Situations
When someone else screws up, we blame their character. When we mess up, we blame the circumstances. This is the fundamental attribution error at work. We give ourselves the benefit of the doubt but often fail to extend the same courtesy to others.
How to deal with it: Pause and consider situational factors before passing judgment on someone’s behavior. Try to view their actions in context.
9. Curse of Knowledge: The Expert’s Blind Spot
The curse of knowledge happens when we assume that others know what we know. It’s a common problem for experts who struggle to explain complex concepts to beginners.
How to deal with it: Simplify your communication. Aim to explain things in the simplest terms possible, and check in to make sure your audience is following.
10. Hawthorne Effect: Behaving Differently Under Observation
Just knowing you’re being watched can change your behavior. Named after studies conducted at the Hawthorne Works factory, the Hawthorne effect shows that people modify their behavior when they know they’re being observed.
How to deal with it: Be aware of how your behavior might shift in different settings. Practice acting consistently, whether or not someone’s watching.
11. Hard-Easy Effect: Misjudging Task Difficulty
We tend to be overconfident in our ability to complete hard tasks and underconfident in our ability to perform simple ones. Whether it’s sticking to a tough workout regimen or underestimating the value of basic habits like daily hydration, we often misjudge our capabilities.
How to deal with it: Set realistic goals. Don’t overlook simple steps that can lead to big results.
12. Naive Realism: “I See Things as They Really Are”
Naive realism is the belief that we perceive the world objectively and that anyone who disagrees with us must be uninformed, irrational, or biased. It’s a dangerous trap because it makes us closed-minded.
How to deal with it: Accept that your perspective is just one way of seeing the world. Challenge yourself to understand opposing viewpoints.
How to Use These Biases to Your Advantage
Understanding these biases isn’t just about avoiding mistakes—it’s about using them to your advantage. By recognizing these patterns in yourself and others, you can reshape your thinking, influence more effectively, and make better decisions. Think of it as a toolkit for cognitive self-defense.
Start using these insights today to shift your mindset and sharpen your decision-making skills.
For more insights, check out the full episode on the Changing Minds Podcast here.
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The Brain Prompt
Take a “Bias Audit” of your recent decisions. Choose three significant choices you’ve made in the past month—personal or professional. For each, identify which cognitive biases might have influenced your decision-making.
Did you ignore contradictory evidence due to confirmation bias? Stick to a plan that wasn’t working because of the sunk-cost fallacy? Assessing these influences will help you make more objective and informed choices going forward.
Subscribe to the Inner Propaganda newsletter for weekly insights on biases, psychology, influence, and the art of persuasion: owenfitzpatrick.com/newsletter.
Cheers,
Owen.
