Houston, we have some glitches in our brain ??

About unconscious decisions, wild encounters and human bias

Did you know that our unconscious brain acts as a dominant decision-making machine? It handles many decisions effortlessly, but... it also runs outdated programs that can lead to unhealthy habits. Our evolutionary brain’s preference for high-calorie foods, once essential for survival, is now contributing to issues like obesity in a world full of processed foods. Impulsive behaviors driven by immediate rewards can lead to financial recklessness, risky actions, or even addictions.

Remember Nic? Your Personal Assistant

You might recall Nic, our Personal Assistant from our previous newsletter — the film technician of our unconscious brain. Nic is great at running multiple "brainflix shows" simultaneously. However, sometimes he panics. In moments of uncertainty, he resorts to the ‘fight, flight, or freeze’ response. After a brief panic, he usually reverts to old habits, simply because they’re the most familiar to him.

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Close Encounter: When Oubaas the Giraffe Stole the Show ??

Let me share a personal story of when my own ‘fight, flight, or freeze’ reaction kicked in. A few years ago, I attended a conference in Namibia and stayed at a resort that offered safari tours. On my first evening, after dinner, I was walking back to my room, which was about 100 meters away on a small hill. As I followed the winding path, I suddenly heard a noise close by. Right in front of me, just two meters away, was ‘Oubaas’—a fully grown giraffe enjoying some leaves.

In that moment, my primal brain took control, and I froze. After two or three seconds, I realized it was a giraffe and remembered the warning: hide behind a tree because an agitated giraffe’s kick can be deadly. The problem? There were hardly any trees around. My ‘flight’ mode took over, and I sprinted back to the restaurant. My conscious brain didn’t have time to remind me that giraffes can run much faster than humans!

Fortunately, I learned later that Oubaas was used to humans and wasn’t dangerous, though keeping a safe distance was still advised. My unconscious, primal brain was in full control at that moment—and now I have a great story to share!

Navigating the Maze of Human Bias ??

We all have biases, and here’s a perfect example: A study asked 80,000 professionals to rate their performance. Astonishingly, 70% rated themselves in the top 10% of their peers! But of course, not everyone can be at the top.

Cognitive biases and stereotypes deeply rooted in our minds influence how we perceive things and make decisions. These biases form early in life, often between birth and age seven. Limiting beliefs such as “I’m not good enough” or “Change is too difficult” can stick with us, silently shaping our actions.

One great resource to explore biases is decisionlab.com, where you’ll find descriptions of nearly 100 different biases. Here are a few noteworthy ones:

●????? Status Quo Bias: This bias is the preference for keeping things as they are, even when change offers potential benefits. For example, employees at a company using outdated software may resist switching to a new, more efficient system because they’re accustomed to the old one.

●????? Confirmation Bias: This happens when people only seek information that supports their existing beliefs and ignore evidence that contradicts them. A common example is someone who only follows news that praises their favorite political candidate, disregarding valid criticisms.

●????? Loss Aversion Bias: This bias reflects our tendency to prefer avoiding losses over acquiring gains. For instance, someone might refuse to sell a declining stock, hoping it will recover, even though selling and cutting losses might be the more rational choice.

●????? Sunk Cost Bias: This is the tendency to continue investing in something (time, money, effort) even when it's clear the costs outweigh the benefits. For instance, attending a concert you no longer want to go to just because you’ve already bought the tickets.

●????? IKEA Bias: This is the tendency to overvalue products we’ve assembled ourselves, even if similar pre-assembled items might be of equal or better quality.

?? A Moment of Reflection ??

Take a moment to reflect on the stories and insights shared here. Do they resonate with your own experiences? Consider how unconscious biases and primal reactions may be influencing your decisions. Challenge yourself to break away from the status quo and embrace change with a fresh perspective. Together, we can navigate the maze of human bias and pave the way for more successful decisions. Are you ready to rethink your approach?

?? Wanna get inspired on a monthly basis on how to make change simple? In my dedicated newsletter series I show you how: https://www.cyrielkortleven.com/making-change-simple

No spam, no rules, just playful challenging your change-muscles! ??