Intuition vs Critical Thinking

why do we trust our gut instincts even when they're wrong why do we overanalyze some decisions but rush through others Daniel conoman a Nobel prizewinning psychologist answers these questions in his groundbreaking book Thinking Fast and Slow he reveals that our brain has two systems constantly shaping our decisions one fast and instinctive the other slow and deliberate in this episode we'll explore the key insights from this book that can change the way you think and make decisions Forever part one the two systems our brain operates using two systems that govern how we think and make decisions

Daniel conoman calls them system 1 and system 2 and they couldn't be more different system 1 is the brain's autopilot it works fast operates instinctively and handles most of our daily decisions without breaking a sweat it's the system that helps you recognize a familiar face in a crowd or step back instantly when you see a car speeding toward you it's intuitive emotional and doesn't require much effort think of it as the impulsive friend who makes snap judgments sometimes without all the facts for example imagine seeing a bright red Sal sign in a store before you

even stop to think system one nudges you toward the rack it assumes that a sale means a good deal without questioning if you actually need what's being sold this quick reaction is helpful in many situations like avoiding danger but it's not always reliable when making complex decisions now let's meet system 2 this is the brain's deep thinker it's slower more analytical and takes over when things get complicated or when system one can't handle the task solving a math problem planning a trip or making a difficult life decision are all tasks for system 2 unlike system

1 it requires focus and effort you know that feeling when you're concentrating so hard that you can't tolerate any noise that's system to at work let's compare them say you're solving a simple question what's 2 + 2 system 1 instantly shouts four without needing to think but if I ask you what's 27 * 14 system 1 Taps out and system 2 steps in slowly breaking the problem down piece by piece the problem is that system 2 is lazy it doesn't like working unless it absolutely has to most of the time it hands the re to

system one even in situations where careful thinking would be better for example imagine you're hiring someone you meet a candidate who reminds you of someone you like so system one gives them a thumbs up right away system two should ideally step in and evaluate their actual skills and experience but often it doesn't that's how snap judgments can lead us astray system 1 and system 2 are constantly at work often in ways you don't even notice for instance when you're driving on an empty road system 1 takes care of everything keeping the car straight noticing the

occasional sign while your mind drifts but the moment another car suddenly swerves into your lane system 1 screams for help and system 2 takes over deciding how to respond here's another way to think about it system one is like a reactive fast thinking firefighter quick to act in an emergency while system 2 is the meticulous architect planning and problem solving with Precision both systems are essential but each has its strengths and weaknesses the trouble comes when system one tries to handle tasks it's not equipped for like evaluating risks handling uncertainty or making financial decisions it

jumps to conclusions based on incomplete information leading to biases and errors system 2 on the other hand has the power to override system one but because it's slow and energy intensive it often doesn't bother unless it's absolutely necessary the interplay between these two systems affects everything from how you spend your money to how you vote in elections Conan's Insight is this by understanding how these systems work you can start to spot when system one is steering you wrong and learn to engage system two when it really matters ultimately system 1 keeps your life running smoothly

while system 2 steps in when you need to solve complex problems knowing when to trust each system and when to question them is the key to better thinking and decision-making part two cognitive biases and heris sixs now that we know about system 1 and system 2 let's dive into the shortcuts ourand brain takes and how they can trip us up these shortcuts are called heuristics and they're mental rules of thumb that system one uses to make quick decisions while heuristics can be helpful they often lead to cognitive biases which are systematic errors in judgment let's

start with a classic bias anchoring bias this happens when we rely too heavily on the first piece of information we see the anchor when making decisions for example imagine you're shopping for a car the first dealer shows you a car for $50,000 when another dealer offers you a car for $40,000 it feels like a bargain even if $40,000 is still overpriced the initial price anchored your expectations and system one jumped to a conclusion without deeper analysis another big one is the availability heris this is when we judge the likelihood of something based on how easily

examples come to mind for instance after seeing news about a plane crash you might feel that flying is dangerous even though statistically it's far safer than driving system one prioritizes Vivid recent memories over hard data leading to skewed perceptions of risk then there's confirmation bias our tendency to seek out information that supports what we already believe and ignore evidence that contradicts it let's say you believe that a specific diet works wonders you will likely focus on success stories and dismiss studies that suggest otherwise this bias is system 1's way of protecting your existing beliefs but

it blocks system 2 from critically evaluating new information loss aversion is another key concept Conan explores people hate losing more than they enjoy winning imagine you're offered two choices one a guaranteed $50 or two a 50% chance to win $100 most people go for the guaranteed $50 because the fear of losing feels stronger than the potential Joy of winning system one screams don't risk it even when the Gamble might be rational the halo effect is another sneaky bias it's when one positive trait of a person or thing influences your overall impression for example if someone

is attractive you might assume they're also smar or kind even if there's no evidence for that system one ever the lazy thinker connects the dots too quickly these biases and heuristics are the byproducts of a brain trying to save time and energy system one wants efficiency not accuracy which is why it takes shortcuts while these shortcuts can be helpful in everyday life they often lead us astray in complex situations understanding these cognitive biases isn't just a fun mental exercise it's a superpower once you're aware of them you can start catching yourself in the ACT ask

yourself am I jumping to conclusions because it's easy is this decision based on evidence or am I falling for a bias engaging system 2 at the right moment can save you from costly mistakes whether you're negotiating a salary making an investment or deciding who to trust by spotting these biases in action you can take control of your thinking and make better decisions after all you can't fight what you don't understand and now you do part three the illusion of understanding one of the most fascinating ideas in the book is the illusion of understanding Conan argues

that we often believe we understand the world much better than we actually do this illusion isn't just a quirk of human Psych ology it's deeply embedded in how system one operates our minds are storytelling machines system one loves creating coherent narratives even when those stories are based on incomplete or flawed information imagine you're watching a basketball game and your favorite player has been on a winning streak it's easy to assume they're in the zone or destined to win even though their success might be due to random factors like weaker opponents or sheer luck system one

craves explanations and fills in G Ms with patterns that may not exist this tendency becomes especially dangerous when we look back at past events after something happens we construct neat cause and effect stories to explain it this is called hindsight bias for example after a company becomes wildly successful analysts might say it was obvious they had the right product at the right time but in reality countless other companies with similar products failed the success story feels inevitable only in hindsight because our brains smooth over the chaos of reality here's a simple thought experiment to illustrate

this imagine flipping a coin 10 times if it lands head seven times in a row you might start to think there's a pattern or maybe the coin is rigged but in reality it's just a random chance our brains are uncomfortable with Randomness so system one tries to impose order where none exists another aspect of the illusion of understanding is overconfidence when we believe we understand something deeply we're less likely to question our assumptions take the stock market for example experts often make confident predictions about where it's headed but research shows they're wrong as often as

they're right yet their confidence and our willingness to believe them creates the illusion that someone really knows what's going on the problem with this illusion is that it blinds us to uncertainty we underestimate how complex the world is and overestimate how much control we have conoman calls this the what you see is all there is effect system one Focus on the information immediately available and ignores what's missing for example if you hear about a startup raising millions in funding you might assume it's destined for success but you're not seeing the challenges it faces the competitors

in the market or the mistakes it's made this illusion also affects our decision-making consider the planning fallacy a bias where people underestimate how long a task will take or how much it will cost say you decide to renovate your kitchen you estimate it'll take 2 months and $10,000 6 months and $20,000 later you're still not done why because you ignored uncertainties unexpected delays and hidden costs your brain constructed a neat overoptimistic story instead of accounting for the messy reality kanaman suggests that Breaking Free from the illusion of understanding starts with humility acknowledge that the world

is more random and unpredictable than it seems ask yourself what information am I missing could chance or Luck play a bigger role than I think am I being overconfident in my ability to predict outcomes by questioning your assumptions and embracing uncertainty you can make better decisions and avoid falling for overly simple explanations here's the key takeaway our brains are wired to seek understanding but sometimes that understanding is an illusion the world is full of complexity Randomness and uncertainty recognizing this doesn't mean you stop trying to make sense of things it just means you approach them

with a little more skepticism and a lot less certainty part four the two selves another thought-provoking Concept in the book is the idea of the two selves Daniel Conan explains that we all have two distinct perspectives when it comes to experiencing and remembering events the experiencing self and the remembering self these two selves don't always agree on what matters and that disconnect shapes how we make decisions about our lives let's start with the experiencing self this is the part of you that lives in the moment it's the self that reacts to how things feel right

now whether you're enjoying a meal feeling the warmth of the Sun or enduring a stressful workday the experiencing self measures happiness in real time for example if you're at a concert and the music is amazing your experiencing self is having a great time now let's meet the remembering self this is the Storyteller in your mind it looks back on events and decides how you'll remember them unlike the experiencing self which lives only in the present the remembering self creates narratives about the past but it doesn't weigh every moment equally instead it focuses on two things

one the peak of the experience the most intense moment whether good or bad two the end of the experience how it concludes this leads to what conoman calls the peak end rule for example imagine you're on a vacation most of the trip is relaxing and enjoyable but on the last day you miss your flight and end up spending hours stranded at the airport your remembering self might label the entire vacation as stressful even though most of it was great the conflict between these two selves can have surprising consequences take a medical procedure as another example

if the procedure is painful but ends with a sudden sharp relief your remembering self might think it wasn't so bad but if the pain gradually eases off even if the total discomfort is less your remembering self might remember it as worse because the ending wasn't as distinct this disconnection shapes how we make choices often in irrational ways conoman explains that when we plan experiences like vacations weddings or even how we spend a weekend we often prioritize what our remembering self will enjoy rather than what our experiencing self might prefer for instance we might pack our

schedule with activities to make the trip memorable even if it leaves us too exhausted to enjoy the moment here's another interesting implication money can influence these two selves differently the experience self benefits from small daily Comforts like a good cup of coffee or a cozy place to live the remembering self on the other hand value standout experiences like buying a dream car or taking a luxury vacation if you're not careful you might spend too much on things that impress your remembering self while neglecting what makes your experiencing self happy on a day-to-day basis conoman also

points out that we often let our remembering self dominate big life decisions for example when choosing a career we might focus on how proud we'll feel looking back at our achievements even if the work itself doesn't make us happy in the moment similarly when deciding whether to attend a long event or celebration we might say yes because we think we'll enjoy the memory even if the event itself feels boring or stressful so how do you balance these two selves kanaman suggests becoming aware of their differences ask yourself am I prioritizing the present experience or the

memory I'll create would my experiencing self enjoy this or am I just trying to impress my remembering self can I focus more on creating enjoyable moments rather than just Peaks and endings the goal isn't to ignore oneself in favor of the other it's to find a balance after all your experiencing self lives in the moment but your remembering self writes the story you'll carry with you by understanding their conflict you can make choices that satisfy both creating a life that feels good in real time and looks just as good in hindsight here's the key takeaway

happiness isn't just about what happens to you it's also about how you remember it the two selves show us that living a good life means more than chasing moments of Joy or crafting perfect stories it's about learning how to honor both [Music] perspectives Conan's Thinking Fast and Slow is packed with insights but how do you actually apply them in everyday life here are some prac IAL takeaways to help you think better make smarter decisions and avoid common mental traps one be mindful of System One Snap judgments system one is fast and efficient but it's also

prone to mistakes start by questioning your gut reactions especially in high-stake situations if something feels obvious or certain pause and ask yourself if system 2 should step in for example before making a big purchase consider whether system one is being swayed by an emotional sales pitch or a flashy discount when judging someone ask if you relying on a superficial first impression two engage system 2 when it matters system 2 requires effort but it's your best tool for complex decisions train yourself to slow down and think critically when faced with financial decisions don't trust your intuition

when investing or budgeting take time to analyze the facts when faced with long-term planning use system two to weigh the pros and cons and consider future consequences a simple trick is to sleep on it delaying your decision gives system two more time to process three watch out for cognitive biases awareness of biases is the first step to avoiding them here are a few strategies anchoring bias set your own benchmarks before someone else anchors you for example research fair prices before negotiating a deal availability heuristic don't let recent or dramatic events Cloud your judgment look for

actual data instead of relying on what comes to mind first confirmation bias seek out opinions and evidence that challenge your beliefs it's uncomfortable but it's how you grow four Embrace uncertainty life is unpredictable and the illusion of understanding can lead to overconfidence accepting uncertainty helps you stay flexible and make better choices plan for the unexpected whether it's a project timeline or a financial goal add a buffer for surprises ask better questions instead of asking what will happen ask what could happen five balance the two selves to improve your well-being consider the needs of both your

experiencing self and remembering self for the experiencing self focus on small daily Pleasures that make life enjoyable in the moment a good meal quality sleep or a walk outside can make a big difference for the remembering self invest in meaningful experiences with strong Peaks and positive endings for example plan Vacations or celebrations that leave lasting joyful memories six make better choices by slowing down system one love shortcuts but when you're making big decisions take your time ask yourself am I reacting emotionally or am I thinking logically what am I not seeing or considering is this

decision based on facts or assumptions seven use the peak and rule to your advantage since your remembering self focuses on the peak and the end of an experience you can apply this rule intentionally when creating memories end experiences on a high note for example finish a dinner party with dessert everyone loves or end a workout with an activity you enjoy reflect on the most significant moments of an event rather than focusing on minor inconveniences eight don't rely too much on intuition intuition is powerful but not always accurate especially in unfamiliar situations Conan emphasizes the importance

of expert intuition which develops only after years of practice in a specific field if you're not an expert don't assume your instincts will guide you correctly instead gather information and make decisions based on evidence nine improve your decision-making environment sometimes small changes and how you frame decisions can make a big difference remove distractions a calm focused mind is better equipped to engage system 2 reframe the question instead of asking what should I do try what would I advise a friend in this situation this distance helps reduce bias 10 cultivate a habit of reflection regularly reflect

on your decisions and thought processes ask did I fall into any cognitive traps was I influenced by biases or shortcuts how can I improve next time over time this habit strengthens your ability to recognize when system one is steering you wrong and helps you engage system two more effectively by applying these lessons you can navigate life's challenges with more clarity and less regret Conan's work isn't just a guide to understanding your mind it's a tool for living smarter happier and more intentional lives thanks for joining me on this journey through thinking fast and slow if

you found these ideas helpful hit that like button subscribe and stay tuned for more books that challenge the way we think and live together we'll keep exploring the most fascinating ideas from the greatest Minds see you in the next one