2/15/22, 11:25 AM 5 Cognitive Biases That Have Kept You From Achieving Full Potential - Lifehack

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5 Cognitive Biases That Have Kept You From Achieving

Full Potential
Dr. Kerry Petsinger
Entrepreneur, Mindset & Performance Coach, & Doctor of Physical Therapy Read full profile

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We like to think of ourselves as smart, rational, logical people who make good decisions. But in reality, we sometimes have poor
judgment and make really bad choices. Every day, we have cognitive biases that influence our thinking. Why should we care?
These biases have a major influence on the decision making process.

We have hundreds of cognitive biases, and some keep us from achieving our full potential. Psychologists have been researching
them for decades. Here are some of the biases that could be holding you back:

1. The Current Moment Bias

This bias feeds the immediate gratification effect. We would much rather have pleasure now and save pain for later. If you have
ever indulged in unhealthy food choices while trying hard to lose weight, or tend to overspend money instead of saving for the
future, you have been victim of the current moment bias.

What to do:

When you want to make a big purchase, wait for a predetermined amount of time before you purchase the item. This will
help you avoid splurging on things you don’t love. For example, plan to wait one week for purchases that amount to $100
and one month for purchases $1000 or more.
Plan healthy meals ahead of time so you are less likely to chow down on junk food when you walk in the door from work.
Decide in advance what you’ll order at restaurants to avoid making unhealthy spur-of-the-moment dinner choices.

2. The Confirmation Bias

The confirmation bias, according to Science Daily, is a tendency to search for or interpret information in a way that confirms your
preconceptions. This can hold you back from achieving full potential, because being closed-minded can limit your ability to learn,
grow, and improve yourself and your life.

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What to do:

Be open to other points of view and new possibilities. Be aware that you have certain beliefs, and be willing to evaluate your
belief systems objectively.

3. The Framing Effect

Framing information, either positively or negatively, can have a huge impact on how it is received.

Here’s an example of the framing effect in an article by Sam McRoberts:

Doctor A: “With proper treatment, you have an 80 percent chance of a full recovery.”
Doctor B: “There’s a 20 percent chance that you’ll die after being treated for this illness.”

Although Doctors A and B are providing the same information, they are presenting it differently, which can greatly affect patients’
perceptions. An 80 percent change of recovery sounds much better than a 20 percent chance of dying.

How does this hold you back? When information is presented to you either positively or negatively, it can cause you to make poor
decisions.

What to do:

Be aware of how information is presented to you in order to persuade you to take a certain action.
Look at both sides of statistics. For example, if you are told “this meat is 90% lean,” be aware that it is the same as hearing
“this beef is 10% fat.”
Consider how you present information to others.

4. The Bandwagon Effect

The bandwagon effect is when we follow the actions or beliefs of a large group of people. According to Dr. Mohammed Ali N M, we
do this either because we desire to conform, or because we receive our information from others. The bandwagon effect can hold us
back at times when we follow trends and fads without doing our research.

What to do:

Put careful thought into your decisions, and don’t jump into something just because “everyone else” tells you to.

5. The Projection Bias

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The projection bias describes our assumption that other people think like we do. We tend to overestimate how common our
thoughts and beliefs are. We assume that our way of thinking about things is common among the majority. This can hold us back
significantly in life because it causes us to believe we know exactly what people want. We tend to assume we know the priorities,
motivations, attitudes, and beliefs of others, when in reality we don’t. This can affect us negatively in relationships in our personal
lives and in our careers.

What to do:

Make a point of asking people questions instead of assuming they think like you do.

Simply being aware of these biases can help you live a better life. Each day, we make thousands of decisions, and realizing the
biases that affect your judgment can help you make better informed, well-thought decisions.

What Else Do You Want to Improve About Yourself?

Pick what you need most and give yourself a radical upgrade:

Make My Goal Happen

Improve My Focus

Reach My Full Potential

Featured photo credit: The Thinker / Dan McKay via flickr.com

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 Last Updated on February 14, 2022

5 Effective Ways to Communicate with Millennials

Zak Mustapha
Blogger & Marketer Read full profile

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Millennials are often misunderstood but they are the next generation to take control of both the workplace and economy.
Therefore, manager and marketers want to know the best way to communicate with this confusing generation.

Communication of the past, such as meeting in person and talking on the telephone are not the forms of communication that the
majority of millennials engage in. While they are social and like communicating with others, it has to be in a way that makes them
feel comfortable.

It may seem like too much of a hassle to try to cater to such strange preferences, but it is better to engage this group of people
correctly, rather than bypass them completely. You can’t be a business owner and afford not to convert millennials into your
customers.

Here are the 5 most effective ways to communicate with millennials.

1. Partake in Mobile Communication

Millennials love their phones. Their phones are constantly in their hands, as if it were a permanent attachment. They check their
phones immediately when they wake up, the phone is given more attention than actual people at the dinner table, and their phone
stores almost all of their entertainment. Their phone is a very important asset for them.

It is in your company’s best interest to take advantage of millennials fascination with their phones. Texting is the preferred form
of communication for millennials – entire conversations can be had through text conversation.

Your business should be using text marketing to communicate with millennials. They will be more receptive to this form of
communication and choose to engage with it. It would be wiser to place your money in a marketing activity that will actually
provide a positive ROI for your business – converting your target market into customers.

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2. Create a Community
Millennials like to feel as if they are partaking in something special – something that provides them with an actual purpose. Just
selling a product or service to them without a distinctive message will not work in your favor. They don’t like being sold to, instead
they like engaging within a movement that feels authentic and fun. Experiences are what they crave, so your business must work
to involve them within your company’s vision and mission.

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Develop an interactive community that puts your millennial consumers to work. Give them something distinctive to do, such as
working within their local community. Or have them do something different every month, such as a new challenge to complete
that will be scored against others in the community. The fun and engaging factor of your business will provide it with more
attention, pulling in other millennials who want to be an active member of your growing community.

3. Leverage the Power of Social Media

Millennials are always on social media communicating and engaging in conversations that resonate with their interest. Beyond
texting, social media is the form of communication that millennials frequently use to socialize. Social media platforms are where
millennials receive their news and other important information. They also make their purchasing decisions based off of social
media feedback and brand engagement.

Your brand must engage with millennial consumers by making them a key focus of the conversation. Ask what they like and don’t
like about your product or service. Make them brand ambassadors – placing them in a position of empowerment. Once they feel
you actually care about what they feel and have to say, they become more loyal and willing to promote your brand to their friends.

4. Demonstrate You Understand Their Values

Millennials will only do business with those that understand their values. Among these values are: connections, experiences,
purpose, encouragement, and innovation. Your company has to communicate its understanding of these values and illustrate that
it considers them to be very important within its culture.

Your company should have millennials as employees who are in a position of leadership. It shows your millennial consumers that
you trust their ability to perform and make decisions. Their generation is constantly being talked down upon, so it gives them
great satisfaction when people are willing to give them a chance to prove themselves.

5. Don’t be so Serious
Millennials understand that life is serious, but that doesn’t mean that they want to be so serious that they can’t have fun. Being
too serious stifles their creativity and freedom, two things that they absolutely need to function well. Once their positive vibe is
smothered, they tune out and become less productive.

Show that your brand is all about fun and enjoyment. Add humor into your marketing messages and illustrate that you love for
your consumers to enjoy life. Don’t make business strictly business – it has to make people feel excited to be a part of it.

Conclusion
While millennials are vastly different from previous generations, they are not impossible to reach and engage with. Take the time
to understand how they communicate and what motivates their behaviors and actions. Once you truly understand how to
communicate with them, the easier it will be for you to convert them into your customers.

What Else Do You Want to Improve About Yourself?

Pick what you need most and give yourself a radical upgrade:

Make My Goal Happen

Improve My Focus

Reach My Full Potential

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Featured photo credit: Redd via unsplash.com

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7 Super Delicious and Healthy Recipes For Kids Foods to Eat and Avoid to Keep the Weight Off (According to
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11 Must-Have Apps That Will Make Your Life More Convenient 5 Best Websites To Upgrade Your Skills If You’re Busy

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