Beware of Arguments That Explain Everything
If a theory can never be proven wrong, it probably isn't telling you anything useful.
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Self-awareness
Your Most Recent Experience Is Not the Most Important One
Recency bias makes the latest event dominate your thinking — older data is often more representative.
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Before Starting, Imagine This Already Failed — Then Ask Why
Assume the project has already failed and work backwards to find the blind spots optimism hides.
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Your Memory Rewrites the Past to Match What You Believe Now
Memory reconstructs rather than replays — your current beliefs quietly reshape what you remember.
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It's Harder to Think Clearly About Things You Care About
Emotional investment bends your thinking — you need the most clarity precisely where it is hardest to achieve.
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Knowing Something Makes It Hard to Imagine Not Knowing It
The curse of knowledge makes experts forget what confusion feels like — always start from the listener's level.
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You Overvalue What You Already Have
The endowment effect makes you overvalue what you own — ownership is not the same as worth.
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How the Question Is Asked Changes the Answer
The framing effect makes identical information feel different — notice who is framing the question and how.
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You Assume Others See the World the Way You Do
The false consensus effect makes you overestimate how many people share your views — ask instead of assuming.
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A Title Doesn't Make Someone Right
Authority bias makes us trust titles over reasoning — evaluate the argument, not the resume.
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Not Every Gain Requires Someone Else's Loss
Zero-sum thinking limits you — in many situations, both sides can win if you look for it.
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A Charming Person Can Still Be Wrong
The halo effect makes us assume that likeable people are also right — separate charm from competence.
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Familiarity Feels Like Truth
Repetition makes claims feel true — but familiarity is not evidence.
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Nobody Is Watching You as Closely as You Think
The spotlight effect makes you think everyone noticed — they almost certainly didn't.
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Bad News Is Stickier Than Good News
Negativity bias makes one bad thing outweigh many good ones — correct for it deliberately.
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Don't Blame Character When the Situation Explains Everything
We blame others' character but excuse our own behavior by circumstances — the situation usually matters more.
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"I Knew It All Along" Is Almost Always a Lie
Hindsight bias rewrites your memory — you didn't predict it, you just remember it that way.
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Ask What Would Change Your Mind
Every honest belief has a condition for revision — if nothing could change your mind, it is dogma.
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