“The results, as I observe them in the laboratory, are disturbing. A substantial proportion of people do what they are told to do, irrespective of the content of the act and without limitation of conscience. So long as they perceive the command comes from a legitimate authority.” These are...
The last time you bought anything online, there’s a good chance the website read, “Only 3 items in stock” or “Only 2 left at this price”. Even if you know that this is all marketing mind games, it’s hard to avoid the stressful feeling you must buy now before it’s too late, right? This...
If you walk down the street and see a group of people looking up in the air, what do you do? Right, what they do. If the culture at your job is to work long hours, you will likely put in more hours, too. We mirror what others do because it’s hard work to constantly ask...
Reciprocity is the first principle of persuasion in Robert Cialdini’s amazing book, Influence. According to sociological studies there is no human society in the world that doesn’t subscribe to the rule of reciprocity. The rule says we should try to repay, in kind, what another person has provided...
Clear thinking is an art. That’s why so many people fail at it. We are all prone to cognitive biases, which are errors we make in our everyday thinking. I hope you accept my warm welcome to this collection of 12 cognitive biases that can really mess up your decision-making, screw...
A few years ago, I was diagnosed with stage 4 ‘I don’t give a shit.’ I’m afraid it’s terminal. Let me clarify. It’s not that I don’t care about anything, you know, like a pimpled teenager. But at some point, my mid-thirties thick and balding...
You and I have to make our minds up on many things to save time and energy. We accumulate shortcuts for decisions and beliefs to avoid a mental meltdown. During this intuitive process, confirmation bias lends you a helping hand. I bet you can answer these without blinking: Are cats better...
Germany, late 1990s. Psychologist, and Nobel Prize winner, Daniel Kahneman asks a group of German students: How happy are you these days?How many dates did you have last month? The results showed no correlation between the students’ happiness and the number of dates. That was until Kahneman...
This is a continuation of part I. Go here, if you want 1-3. 4. Prioritizing and single-tasking When people say they’re busy, it’s usually a boast disguised as a complaint. Instead of prioritizing and doing less, many people choose to run faster and do more. Willpower or working harder isn’t...
Do you know the joke where the doctor asks the stressed patient, “What fits your busy schedule better, working out one hour a day – or being dead 24 hours a day?” Admittedly, this isn’t much of a joke. But the doctor’s question is worth a thought. Ask yourself this: What did you achieve yesterday...