Humans are prone to cognitive biases. Don’t rely on your intuition to make important decisions. Instead, understand the most common mental models to improve your thinking. Build your very own metacognition toolkit to face choices with a calm, informed mind.
Popular articles in this category include be careful of the optionality fallacy and the Occam’s razor fallacy, avoid falling prey to illusory correlations, use checklists when you can’t trust your brain. Learn about the curse of knowledge, The Cobra Effect, and Parkinson’s Law.
Most people think multiculturalism means passport stamps and foreign languages. But there’s a more powerful kind happening right in your head: cognitive multiculturalism: the mental flexibility and fluency you develop from experiencing different worlds.
When I was a kid, I used to think I was doing much better at tests when using a particular pencil my sister had gifted me. So I would make sure to use this pen for every test. I have a friend who thinks that city people are generally rude. So when he meets a … Read More
Used well, thinking out loud can sharpen how we work and how we think. By speaking and using our voice, knowledge workers can improve clarity, creativity, and decision-making.
Leading like a scientist begins with a fundamentally different relationship with uncertainty. While leaders traditionally view uncertainty as a threat, research shows that teams that openly acknowledge what they don’t know consistently outperform those projecting false confidence.
You excel at your job, and yet when you return home, a strange paralysis sets in. This is a functional freeze – a state where you’re performing well in your duties but are unable to invest energy in your own growth.
When I was seven, I wanted to be a paleontologist. I collected rocks and fossils, memorized dinosaur names, and could tell you exactly which period the Stegosaurus lived in (it’s the Late Jurassic, in case you’re wondering). Then it was veterinarian, astronaut, fashion designer – each passion consuming me completely until the next one came … Read More
When you’re uncertain, your brain activates two key regions, but handling uncertainty isn’t about suppressing emotions in favor of logic. Instead, it’s about coordinating both parts of yourself to respond more effectively.
From product launches to project management, I’m obsessed with checklists. And I’m not the only one. Systemic complexity means that we cannot rely on our memory alone to know what to do and when to know it. Checklists are a powerful tool allowing us to unload some of the cognitive stress of living our lives … Read More
Have you ever had a teacher who was very smart but terrible at teaching? An expert who used so much jargon you could not follow their explanation? This is called the “curse of knowledge”, a term coined in 1989 by economists Colin Camerer, George Loewenstein, and Martin Weber. It’s a cognitive bias that occurs when … Read More
Skipping meals to save time, but finding yourself exhausted and unproductive by the afternoon. Choosing a cheaper apartment to save money, but the long commute ends up costing you time and energy. You tried to make the most sensible choice, and yet… What went wrong? It’s easy to get carried away when making a decision. … Read More