1. Do not be afraid of change
People do not like to lose. The bitterness of the loss to us two times more than the acquisition of joy.
This proves a simple experiment. A group of students presented the cups with the emblem of the University. Another group proposed to consider them and buy. Sellers and buyers had to choose a reasonable price for himself. As a result, vendors have requested the price twice higher than that buyers were willing to pay. The experiment was repeated ten times with a thousand cups, but the results were always almost the same. Our property seems very valuable.
Rejection loss works like a trick of thinking. Because of this, we missed an opportunity to benefit, and refuse even to those changes that are in our interest.
Before giving up something new, try to soberly assess what you already have. Consult with experts. Perhaps you're exaggerating the value of their own things.
2. Do not rush to admire
Imagine: you get from a stock broker letter, which says that soon the course of certain stocks rise sharply. A week later, these actions really grow. Next week you get another letter, in which the broker says that the policy of other stocks will soon fall. These stocks do fall sharply in value.
Ten weeks in a row you get a prediction that invariably come true. Now you are sure that the broker - a first-class professional and will help you profit. But do not hurry. There is something about what you do not know.
Do not rush to admire the results of someone else's work, if you do not know what were the chances of success.
In the first week you were not the only person to receive a broker's letter he sent out 10,240 letters. In half of the letters contained a forecast for growth, and the other half - the exact opposite. Those 5120 people who received from the broker forecast wrong, no longer received any letters from him. However, you and another 5 119 people who received a letter with a correct forecast, got another clue in the next week.
Of the 5120 newsletters half were told the same thing in your letter, and the other half - the exact opposite. After this week, still had 2560 people who received two consecutive correct forecast. And so on. After the tenth week left ten lucky people who received from the broker precise recommendations all 10 weeks.
Be careful. Perhaps what you see - a mere coincidence or a planned fraud. Try to see the whole picture.
3. reword
Imagine: you are suffering a serious heart condition, and the doctor recommends a complicated operation. Of course, you're interested in the chances of a successful outcome. The doctor says: "Of the 100 patients who underwent a similar operation, 90 are alive after five years." Adoption seems encouraging. Most likely, you decide on the operation.
Now suppose that the doctor has formulated an answer anyway: "Of the 100 patients who underwent a similar operation, 10 died within five years." For the majority of such a statement sounds alarming. They are likely to give up. Brain says: "A lot of people are dead, and with me this too can happen."
People have different perceptions of the statement "90 of 100 are alive" and "10 out of 100 have died," although their meaning is identical.
This phenomenon is called Framing (from the English word frame - «frame»). We decide on the basis of how the stated conditions of the problem.
Before an important decisionTry to reformulate conditions. Look at the situation from the point of view of gains and losses. Try to get rid of the framing and assess the situation impartially.
4. Monitor your optimism
Unfounded optimism explains many risky actions, including those subjected to threats life and health:
- 90% of drivers are convinced that their skills are above average.
- Almost everyone thinks that his sense of humor is above average.
- Students believe that in the future they will not face dismissal, heart attack, cancer, divorce or alcohol dependence.
- Approximately 94% of the composition of a large university professors consider themselves more talented than other teachers.
- Smokers know about the harm of nicotine, but they believe that the likelihood of lung cancer and heart disease will pass them by.
Believing themselves invulnerable, we often fail to take reasonable steps to prevent harm. Considering an important decision, look at the statistics, familiarize yourself with the negative scenarios and estimate as to reduce their probability to a minimum. Do not overreach.
5. Be open to new
Almost anyone over six years can tie shoelaceBearable plays tic-tac-toe, and knows all the letters in the word "cat". But only a few know how to properly tie a bow tie, shine in chess and will say without hesitation the name of the psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.
Of course, we have learned to cope with more complex problems. Buy already tied bow tie, read a book about chess, looking on the Internet, how do you spell "Csikszentmihalyi" (and then copy and paste every time you want to use that name), we use the spell checker and electronic table.
But everything in life seriously: existing technologies similar function "Spelling", more often than not. Ambulance will need to decide on the kind of mortgage, than when a loaf of bread.
We must always examine new materials, look for interesting facts and understand how we can bring them to life.
Life is full of surprises, and often we have to make quick and difficult decisions. Make it so that you do not have to regret their choice. The above tips will help in this.
Check list
- A sober assessment of their assets. Do not hold the usual.
- Do not rush to admire. Dig deeper to understand what lies behind the excellent result.
- Consider the problem from different angles. Dispose of framing.
- Take measures to minimize the risk. Do not consider yourself invincible.
- Learn new. Life does not stand still.
Based on the book "How not to be mistaken"and Nudge.