Shortform Books

Common Decision-Making Biases & How to Spot Them

Are your decisions rooted in rationality? What are some of the most common biases in decision-making? You probably think of yourself as a rational and logical human being who makes decisions based on logic and sensibility. However, your decision-making may not be as logical as you’d like to believe. Logical fallacies affect everyone, are extremely difficult to avoid, and can hinder your decision-making ability. Keep reading to learn about some of the most common decision-making biases, how to recognize them, and how to work around them.

Incentives: The Psychology of Motivation

How do incentives change behavior? What is the danger in offering incentives to encourage better performance? Incentives inspire hard work and better cooperation. But there is also a dark side to incentivizing the desired behavior: People will perform the behavior, but they’ll strive for those incentives however suits them best, even if their actions contradict the principle behind the incentive. Keep reading to learn about the psychology of incentive manipulation and how to set effective incentives.

Meditation and Mindfulness: How to Get Started

What is the difference between meditation and mindfulness? How do you get started with these practices? Productivity expert Chris Bailey argues that meditation and mindfulness can contribute to your productivity by training you to focus. He makes a distinction between the two practices and explains how you can reap their benefits by making them daily habits. Keep reading to learn about the benefits of meditation and mindfulness and how to make them a part of your daily routine.

What Is the Difference Between Rich and Wealthy?

Is being rich and being wealthy the same thing? If not, then what is the difference between rich and wealthy? Contrary to popular belief, being rich and being wealthy is not the same thing. Being wealthy means you have a lot of money in the bank while being rich means you have a high income. But, just because you have a high income does not mean that you use your money wisely—money can disappear as fast as it appears if you aren’t responsible. Here is why making a lot of money doesn’t mean you’re wealthy.

Is 10,000 Hours of Practice Enough to Master a Skill?

Can practice override talent? Is it true that to master a skill, you need to put in 10,000 hours of practice? Although we tend to think of practice as an equalizer, having the time to practice enough to master a skill is a luxury afforded only to the privileged. In fact, there are studies that show that the most masterful individuals in their fields have practiced their craft for at least 10,000 hours, which averages nearly 20 hours every week for 10 years. Here’s why practice is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to skill mastery.

The Cornerstone of Good Leadership Is Sacrifice

Have you ever had to sacrifice something (or someone) for the sake of the greater, common goal? Why is sacrifice important in leadership? A leader must inevitably make decisions that put individual team members in harm’s way for the sake of the mission. According to Willink and Babin, the authors of The Dichotomy of Leadership, sacrifice is integral to the idea of what it means to be a leader. It’s why many people see leadership as a burden—many leaders struggle with a guilty conscience over the decisions they have to make. We’ll describe two specific instances of sacrifice in leadership:

Transactional Analysis: Games, Exchanges, Ego States

What is a transaction in the context of Eric Berne’s Transactional Analysis? What are the three ego states? “Transactions” are Eric Berne’s “basic unit” of social interaction. We gain social recognition through transactions, and we can analyze transactions by looking at the ego states that are involved (the parent, the adult, and the child). In this article, we’ll define transactions and cover the main types of games in Transactional Analysis.

Money Flexing: Why You Shouldn’t Flash Your Wealth

Can money buy respect? Do you respect people who have luxurious cars or expensive houses? According to Morgan Housel, the author of The Psychology of Money, money flexing with status symbols won’t buy you respect. People may be in awe of your sports car or your Rolex, but they’re admiring the item, not you. Here’s why you should only buy something expensive if it’s for you, not to flex on others.

Omission Bias: Why Your Brain Favors Inaction

What is omission bias? Why does it occur? Omission bias is the tendency to choose omission (inaction) over commission (action). Omission bias occurs because you feel guilty when your action leads to negative consequences, and less guilty when inaction leads to negative consequences. Keep reading to learn about the psychology behind omission bias and why your brain tends to favor inaction over action.