Think back to some of the decisions you've made in your life. They can be big or small, consequential or insignificant, thought-out or impulsive.
How did you make those decisions? What processes, rules, and standards did you deploy?
And how happy are you now about the decisions and their outcomes? Are there things you wish you would have done differently?
There's a whole science of decision making, dedicated to helping people live happier and more fulfilled lives.
Today's guest, Nika Kabiri, teaches decision science at the University of Washington, and consults with businesses about their decision-making strategies and protocols.
And, luckily for us, she shares her insights freely on her blog and in her email newsletter.
In our conversation, we talked about why humans tend to make terrible decisions, and how we can use science to improve our hit rate. We discussed:
- one of Kabiri's favorite questions: "What information do you need to have to make this decision?"
- how to use (and not misuse) emotions in making choices
- the difference between probabilistic thinking and black and white thinking
- the power of "anticipated regret"
- the reversibility factor
- what she thinks about Malcolm Gladwell's Blink hypothesis
- what martial arts can teach us about making decisions in advance
- how to leverage guilt to make better decisions
- when to use Ulysses Contracts
- and much more...
Links
YourNextDecision.com
Money off the Table, by Tony Sablan and Nika Kabiri
Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell