Why We Make Bad Decisions
By Susan Knight | How our judgment gets compromised in the decision-making process.
Written by Susan Knight | Seeking Veritas Columnist | Sankarsingh-Gonsalves Productions.
“Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide.” Napoleon Bonaparte
Have you ever observed someone in the process of making a really bad decision? As you look on, it’s glaringly obvious that things are headed towards a disastrous end. Meanwhile, the decision-maker is charging forward, oblivious to what lies ahead.
How about a time when you were the one who made a really poor decision? You know, the kind where you look back and ask yourself, “What on earth was I thinking?”
There are countless factors that come together to influence how we think and reason when making decisions. We each have our own unique combination of values, priorities, fears, perceptions, and past experiences that impact us.
With that in mind, here are five reasons why even really smart people wind up making some really bad decisions.
1. Relying on inaccurate information.
It seems natural to assume sound logic and reasoning would result in good decisions. But what happens when you’re unknowingly relying on information that’s false, incomplete, outdated, or out of context? For example, what if there’s a critical element in the equation you’re simply not aware of? What if something relevant to the situation has never been brought to your attention?
When the information you’re working with is inaccurate, everything gets thrown off. Your conclusions and decisions may indeed be completely logical and well-reasoned based on what you know, yet flawed all the same due to what you don’t know.
2. Confirmation bias.
Confirmation bias is our natural tendency to notice and latch on to evidence that supports our current stance. At the same time, we’re inclined to dismiss any evidence that contradicts or challenges that stance. Our primary focus becomes defending our position, rather than genuinely examining it.
In an ironic twist, exceptionally smart people face even more of a challenge with confirmation bias, precisely because their superior intellect allows them to take this tendency a step further. Beyond merely noticing evidence that confirms and reinforces their stance, smart people possess the skills to actively seek out such information. Smart and a good communicator too? This compounds the issue even more, since such individuals have the ability to confidently share their views with others in a way that sounds credible and convincing, garnering external acceptance and support. Such feedback reinforces the alleged soundness of the position/idea in question, regardless of its validity or lack thereof.
In short, being smart doesn’t necessarily offer protection against confirmation bias; self-awareness is a much better safeguard.
3. Desire to advance one’s status.
Social acceptance and admiration, professional or political success, and maintaining one’s status within certain circles almost always requires adherence to a particular ideology, set of beliefs, or behaviours. This can lead someone to justify the decisions necessary to advance their status, even when said decisions are clearly undesirable, ill-advised, or morally questionable.
Once again, it’s not uncommon for intelligence — particularly emotional intelligence in this case — to be a liability instead of an asset in this area, since those with such an aptitude can readily discern even the most subtle of social dynamics and cues. They’re able to calculate the benefits of complying with unwritten rules and fulfilling social expectations; and they can readily detect the consequences of not going along with the program.
4. Rushing.
Is there a point at which overthinking a decision becomes counterproductive? There most definitely is, especially when overthinking has you going around in circles without making any new discoveries or gaining any new insights. Spinning your wheels like this eats up your time and drains your energy, with little to show for it. But balance and context are key. While dragging things out longer than necessary may be unhelpful, rushing to finalize a big decision prematurely is apt to prove detrimental in the long run.
Rushing to make a decision when you’re not fully equipped or ready to do so sets you up to miss red flags and blatant warning signs, only to regret it later on. You can find yourself in situations you’re not fully prepared for, don’t fully understand, or simply would much rather not be in.
Rushing also goes hand in hand with having a myopic view. In failing to slow down long enough to think things through carefully, you’re far more likely to miss the big picture and overlook the long-term repercussions of your actions.
5. Being stressed or otherwise not at one’s best.
Sleep-deprived after putting in extra hours at work? Emotionally drained from dealing with a challenging family situation? Physically exhausted after months of caregiving duties? Haven’t eaten all day and feeling positively ravenous?
Making important decisions while under significant stress of any kind is unwise. If you’re not at your best physically, mentally, or emotionally, you’re not at your best for making decisions. Whether or not you recognize it at the time, your thinking is affected, which means your reasoning is likely to be skewed and your judgment compromised in some way.
Whenever possible, avoid making big decisions when you’re stressed. Waiting until you’re in a more balanced state enables you to think more clearly, reducing the likelihood of making a decision you’ll later regret.
About the author: Susan Knight | SGP Featured Writer | Contact the author: @ http://skfreelance.com
Susan is certified health and wellness coach with a focus on personal growth and inner wellness. She was a regular contributor to Social Work Today Magazine and is a featured Health & Wellness Columnist for SGP.
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