Journaling about Sources of Congitive Biases

 Decisions , Decisions and more Decisions!

Our decision making processes are biased by problems related to memory, attention and other mental mistakes.  These are uncouscious decision-making processes that affect our ability to make sound decisions, without us realizing their affect on us. 

If we only have the ability to project into the future, to see the outcome of our decisions.  Let's just hope that decisions I make today a better for future for my life and those around me.  

Problems with perception and memory, our memory bias affects our recall of past events, situations and perceptions of what really happened.  We may take a rosy outlook, which paints a different scene and how will that effect our decisions.  

Over time our life moves forward, we have changed.   More importantly how do we correct memory bias, and what questions do we need to ask ourselves knowing our current attitudes, behaviors, moods or emotions will skew our recall of the past.  

“Most people, probably, are in doubt about certain matters ascribed to their past. They may have seen them, may have said them, done them, or they may only have dreamed or imagined they did so.” — William James.

Entering the situation room.  

Let's say the situation is the same but our resources are very different.  We may have gone bankrupt and have forgotten the had financial hardship of the past.  Possibly we have reverted back to a time and place when jobs available, not ever believing work would not be available.  Our view of the world is different since our prior situation was one filled an attitude of abundance since we had financial resources. 

Look we are human and we do not always make rational decisions , there are times we act compulsively.  Here is a mental problem , I can spend more time or more money that I can afford to spend.  Say for instance, I pull out my credit card and charged the meal, not thinking about what I spent this month on entertainment was more than I could afford.  Or I spend more time solving problems that are not creating a better future for myself, and my life.  

Possibly we are not keeping accurate account of our expenses or a detailed recored of how we spend our time, and we make rash decisions believing we have more time and money that we actually do.  We need to correct our thinking find solutions for our mental mistakes.  

Knowing that compulsive actions - which one example is compulsive spending generating problems that lead to financial distress or depression.  Not puting our attention on setting goals that taking actions that create a better future for ourselves.  Jump on the other side of the fence and state that saving money and managing our time is simply a decision we make when we put our attention and time on setting realistic goals that match the vision of our future.