My First Stupid Mistake

Taken from One Stupid Mistake--Smart Decision-Making in a Crazy World (available on Amazon)

Where do bad decisions come from? Why do we continually make stupid mistakes? Let’s start by looking at my first stupid mistake. 

Here’s the first one I remember: I was six, standing on a crossbar near the top of a glider swing while two friends played below. The top of the glider had two metal tubes. When it went one direction, the hole in one tube opened, and when it went the other direction that hole pinched closed and the other side opened. Just before I put my finger into one of the holes a little voice said, “Don’t do it. It’s a bad idea.” I tried to pull my finger out, but it was too late. Crushed between the metal tube and the metal frame, I got a nasty slice. A surgeon had to sew my finger back together. I still have a small scar and my right index finger goes numb when it’s cold. Dumb decisions often have lasting consequences. 

In simple terms, a stupid mistake is something we do even though we know better. Scientifically it’s called cognitive dissonance—knowing better, but choosing to do the wrong thing anyway.

(I also have a scar on my head from another stupid mistake! If you find yourself making more than your share of bad decisions, there are 21 short chapters with lessons for every occasion.)