How to Beat Your Brain and Conquer Cognitive Biases to Make Better Decisions (TPS152)

The average person makes over 35,000 decisions in a single day, but many times we make wrong decisions because of our own cognitive biases which influence how we see our situation. In this episode, Brooks and Mike talk about the different sources of cognitive biases and how they impact our ability to make good, rational decisions. They discuss the many different types of cognitive biases and explain how they can lead to bad decision making. They also share 4 strategies to help you overcome your own cognitive biases and help you be more productive. If you want to start seeing things more clearly and making better decisions, this episode is for you.

Cheat Sheet

• What is a cognitive bias? 2:10
• The 4 different sources of cognitive bias 3:59
• Why we judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions 5:16
• How to avoid confirmation bias when analyzing data 10:00
• How a diverse mastermind group can help you identify and conquer your cognitive biases 14:02
• How to stay open-minded and understand that your own beliefs might be wrong 20:03
• How the bandwagon bias impacts the productivity space (and how to overcome it) 22:52
• How to overcome the negative influence of the stereotyping cognitive bias in the hiring process 29:02
• How survivorship bias can make you overestimate your chances of success (and how to see the situation correctly) 35:05
• The function of cognitive biases and why they may be good in certain situations 37:49
• How aversion bias makes it hard to switch jobs or make changes 43:47
• How the salience cognitive bias colors how you remember successes and feedback 46:35
• Strategies for overcoming cognitive biases 49:46
• How to use masterminds to keep yourself accountable for your decisions 50:50
• How to train yourself to make the right decisions by using checklists 54:51

Links

• What to Do When You Feel Stuck and Need a Fresh Start (TPS148)
• Common Cognitive Bias types (Wikipedia)
• Seanwes podcast – The Communication Episode
• OmniFocus
• Things
• How to Make Sure Your Projects and Tasks are the Right Ones (TPS151)
• The Innovator’s Dilemma
• The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right
• The Art of Thinking Clearly

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Overcast, PocketCast or your favorite podcast player. It’s easy, you’ll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure. You can also leave a review! Here’s how.

If you enjoyed this episode, follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts or your favorite podcast player. It’s easy, you’ll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show. You can also leave a review!