How to escape the grip of cognitive biases that keep us stuck, then create a brighter future

 
 


Unseen biases can keep us in a job, a relationship, or a situation that no longer

truly works for us, but which we are very reluctant to let go of.


Recognising a bias is the first step to understanding our current reality and

moving towards a much better one. It allows us to admit to outgrowing a familiar

situation, and opens the door for personal growth and change.


What exactly is a cognitive bias?


According to Mind Tools:


‘Cognitive bias can be defined as a set of predictable mental errors

that arise from our limited ability to process information objectively.

It can result in illogical and irrational decisions, and it can cause

you to misjudge risks and threats.’


This implies that our decisions, including the choice to stay where we are and do

nothing, are not always based on logic or reasoning. They may not even be put into

coherent thoughts or strung into words. Better decisions are

made when we have everything out in the clear light of day – including the unseen

impulses that I’m calling bias.


So let’s dive into this more deeply.


Do you recognize any of these 3 biases?


1. Familiarity Bias


As its name suggests, this bias keeps us in a well-known space. If you find this

bias at play in your head, it’s worth checking the reality – is the familiar really

where you need to stay, or do you need to challenge yourself to something new?


Familiarity bias urges you to:


- maintain the status quo, in the belief that ‘better the devil you know’

- stay safely in your comfort zone

- negative self-talk might dial up fear of the unknown, not allowing you to

explore how the unknown could actually be much better for you


2. Commitment bias


This one amplifies the investment you have already made in term of money, time

or emotion. It assumes that walking away means you will have wasted your time:


- I’ve invested so much I can’t walk away

- the tendency to remain committed to a decision or action even though it may

not have favourable outcomes. This may be about not being able to recognize or

admit that things have changed

- It serves our inclination for consistency, not losing face, and the sunk cost

fallacy familiar in the world of economics


3. Regret Aversion Bias


This is about projecting potential regret into our future without assessing the

costs of staying where we are:


- projecting regret for what is lost – nostalgia and missing something or someone

- stems from a fear of doing or not doing something (commission/omission)

- priority is given to a potential future state – it is in fact unreal

- people tend to overestimate future regret


If you think one of these biases is actively clouding a healthy outlook

and the choices you can make, here are 5 ways to create something that suits the

person you are today.


How to choose something better


Do you sense you might be swayed by any of these biases? If you do, there’s a

great chance you can escape from its influence. Knowing this gives you the

possibility of creating a brighter future – one that’s based on what you really

need and want.


Here are 5 ways you can get a clearer view of the future you really want


1. Understand what you want and need in your life NOW


In the busyness of our lives we can easily get swept along on a tide of tasks and

deadlines. We forget to look up and ask:


Am I heading in the right direction - for me?


Taking time to think about what you need for a happy life and fulfilling work is

an easy way to start designing a future that you have consciously chosen. Try answering these questions:


What kind of balance would you like between work and play?

Who else will contribute to your happiness, what kind of people would you love to work with or clients you would enjoy providing a service for?

Where would you live and with whom?

How will you measure your success at work? For this one, you might find my Success Criteria worksheet helpful in understanding what really motivates and rewards you in your career.


2. Know your WHY – values, purpose, strengths


Business guru Simon Sinek urges us to ‘Start with Why’ when aiming for

business success.

I apply the same approach to career. Knowing what fulfills you at work is one

thing, but understanding at a deeper level WHY this is, provides a

north start to guide you towards the next more fulfilling chapter of your career.

In terms of career fulfillment you need to understand three things:


VALUES – what matters most to you in life

PURPOSE – what gives work and life meaning and makes it worthwhile for you

STRENGTHS – which strengths you want to use to solve interesting or

meaningful problems


We all have a unique career WHY – it’s the best-kept secret and unlocks an

exciting and fulfilling future.


3. Give yourself permission to experiment


It’s a misleading myth to believe we only have one shot at getting our careers

right!


For one thing, our needs change as we move through life. For another the world

shape shifts around us. Being able to reinvent our professional selves to meet

these changes give us all immense power and agility.


By adopting a design-thinking approach to our careers we can prototype options.

By entering our first career, with further training, by producing good results and

gaining valuable experience, we are already winning. But at some point it may no

longer work for us – what then?


Try saying ‘That was chapter 1 – my first career experiment. What will the

second one be? What do I need it to do for me this time?’


4. Step into your powerful self – dial down the fears, dial up hope and belief


Think of a time when you were at the top of your game – solutions came easily

and confidence flowed. This version of you is the one you need to embody to

design a more fulfilling future. Your powerful self can not only see the

possibilities of success but also feel them within her grasp! Visualize that version

of yourself, inhabit her, and you are ready to create.

When you make space for hope and believe in your capacity to make a better

work life for yourself, you will have the foundations to rise above the sabotaging

fears that accompany any type of change.


5. Bring your ideal into focus


What would your perfect work environment be? Imagine you have all the

conditions in place to succeed – now zoom in to that dream scenario and uncover

what you really need to thrive.

Think about the culture, the values, the beliefs, the atmosphere, the location, the

colleagues, the work, your clients… everything about your ideal work place!

What would an ideal work day look and feel like? When you know that, you will

have some important data to work with.


If you’re struggling to get started, think about what’s wrong or missing in your

current work – do you need the opposite? Do you need less of some things and

more of others? You are building your own criteria to evaluate options, and

that’s a great place to start.

..

So when you have recognized those invisible biases that are keeping you

somewhere that no longer meets your needs, you’ve also begun an exciting

journey towards something much brighter and more fulfilling.


But don’t think you have to go it alone.


If you need a comprehensive structure to understand all aspects of what

‘fulfilling’ looks like to you, and a supportive guide to help you make a well-

informed decision that is perfect for you at this point in your life, get in touch. I’d

love to meet you and help you find your true north!


 
Becky KilsbyComment