How we think about things can have an outsize impact on whether we achieve our goals.

Take, for example, the research we might do to make an important decision. If we’re already committed to a certain way of thinking, it’s likely we’ll only focus on information that confirms what we already believe. It’s what scientists call confirmation bias, and it can cause us to overlook, or even dismiss, information critical to things like our health, our finances, and our careers.

And it’s not the only mental bias we hold.

That’s why, to make better decisions, we need to start by understanding what these biases are. Next, we need to learn when they’re most likely to kick in. Then, we need to know how to circumvent them. These are the reasons Woo-kyoung Ahn wrote her book, Thinking 101: How to Reason Better to Live Better.

Ahn’s book is based on the wildly popular course she teaches at Yale. It includes riveting examples, amazing research findings, and targeted steps we can take to address our biases. She provides a versatile set of tools we can use to improve our mental performance.

Episode Links

Bias on the Brain

Be Mindwise: Perspective Taking vs Perspective Getting

What's Fueling Lonnie Walker IV's Surge with the Los Angeles Lakers by Dave McMenamin

The Team

Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.

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CM 228: Woo-kyoung Ahn on Thinking Smarter

Curious Minds at Work