Finding Clarity: 4 Strategies to Reduce Your Errors
Written on
Chapter 1: Understanding Our Mistakes
Throughout my life, I've been particularly interested in methods to reduce the frequency of my errors.
Being wrong can lead to significant distress, whether it’s choosing an unsuitable partner, making a costly business blunder, or miscommunicating due to faulty assumptions.
In the early stages of my sales career, my primary goal was to secure substantial orders. The thrill of closing large deals and the financial rewards drove my ambition, overshadowing other motivational factors.
At one point, I was managing an account that required approximately $500,000 worth of aircraft brakes for their Boeing 727 fleet. I mistakenly suggested an alternative part number, assuming they would accept it without verifying. All I was focused on was landing that order.
Weeks later, after I had invested $300,000 in the project, the client reached out to inform me that they had ordered the incorrect part. This mistake severely impacted both our relationship and my finances until I implemented strategies to mitigate the fallout.
I realized that my failure stemmed from not taking the time to process my emotions and think critically.
Section 1.1: The Bias in Our Thinking
Gabriel Weinberg articulates this concept well in his book, Super Thinking, stating that people often cling to outdated theories despite overwhelming evidence contradicting them. This phenomenon, known as confirmation bias, leads individuals to disregard information that conflicts with their beliefs.
This is why assumptions can be so detrimental; they become ingrained beliefs that we hold tightly, regardless of contrary facts. We often assert, “my opinion is correct, thus yours is wrong.”
Our beliefs are closely tied to our identities, making it challenging to change our minds without feeling as though we are altering who we are. This is why disagreements often escalate into anger.
We frequently fail to reflect on our statements or test our opinions. Instead, we dismiss opposing viewpoints and label them as falsehoods. This creates a cycle of consuming information, forming opinions, and reinforcing those views.
Our conditioning leads us to cling to what we believe is true. When we encounter information that supports our views, our brains release chemicals similar to those triggered by food and money, creating a rewarding feeling.
Even when we know we are mostly incorrect, we fixate on the 1% that validates us.
Section 1.2: Four Approaches to Reducing Errors
To combat confirmation bias, consider these four strategies:
Challenge Your Assumptions
Assumptions often create blind spots that obscure the truth. To move past them, acknowledge their existence and evaluate their validity.
- Step 1: Recognize your assumptions.
- Step 2: Document all your assumptions.
- Step 3: Consider the opposite of what you believe is true.
Welcome Fresh Perspectives
Reject the idea that you must cling to your established beliefs. Embrace new viewpoints and try to see situations from others’ perspectives. Just because something doesn’t align with your current understanding doesn’t mean it’s wrong; it might even be superior.
Adopt a Grey Perspective
In The Contrarian's Guide to Leadership, Steven Ample encourages readers to move beyond binary thinking. Effective leaders must recognize the complexities of situations to make informed decisions. F. Scott Fitzgerald echoed this sentiment, stating that a first-rate mind can hold two opposing thoughts simultaneously while still functioning effectively.
Play Devil’s Advocate
When you rigidly adhere to your beliefs, you become closed off to alternative viewpoints. Make it a practice to argue the opposite side of your assumptions. If you believe X, develop stronger arguments for Y, the contrary position. As Charlie Munger wisely noted, “I never allow myself to have an opinion on anything that I don't know the other side's argument better than they do.”
By challenging the mental barriers that confirm your long-held beliefs, you can become less prone to errors. Just because you assume something to be true doesn’t make it a fact.
Chapter 2: The Value of Continuous Learning
In the video How to Be Less Wrong, viewers are guided through the importance of questioning one’s beliefs and how to cultivate a mindset that embraces change and learning.
The video How Not to be Wrong: The Hidden Maths of Everyday Life explores how mathematical thinking can help in daily decision-making and reduce errors in judgment.
Building a Business or Career, Not a Prison
Subscribe to The Optimized Report, featuring actionable advice every Sunday designed to help small business owners enhance their performance, profit, and potential without compromising what truly matters—your time. Each read is less than 3.5 minutes and packed with immediately applicable lessons.