Cognitive Rigidity: 5 Lessons to build a flexible mind - [Cognitive Biases #6]
How to master cognitive flexibility by understanding the biases that keep you stuck.
In WWI, generals sent horses against machine guns. Cognitive Rigidity mean they couldn't reimagine the battlefield.
In this episode, I break down the five mental traps keeping you stuck. We look at why you value your own bad ideas more than good ones (The Endowment Effect) and why you can’t stop scrolling TikTok instead of working (Hyperbolic Discounting). We even cover why Einstein—the genius of flexibility—eventually got stuck in his ways and rejected quantum mechanics.
Actionable Takeaways:
Reimagine the tool: Don't ask what it is, ask what it could be to overcome functional fixedness.
Question the crowd: The Bandwagon Effect offers safety, not truth; dare to be the outlier.
Respect the future: Overcome the urge for immediate gratification by empathizing with your future self.
Choose to see the world differently and open the door to possibility.
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Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
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CHAPTERS
00:00 A Personal Story of Cognitive Rigidity
03:48 Defining Cognitive Rigidit
04:54 Functional Fixedness
09:37 Overcoming Functional Fixedness
11:01 The Endowment Effect
15:07 Overcoming the Endowment Effect
16:32 The Bandwagon Effect
20:29 Understanding Hyperbolic Discounting
25:14 Einstein's Personal Struggles and Successes
29:26 The Zeigarnik Effect: Unfinished Tasks and Obsession
33:55 Relationships and Social Media: The Open Loop Trap
38:32 Einstein's Journey: Genius and Cognitive Biases
40:51 Embracing Growth and Self-Acceptance
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The Illusion of Control: 7 Ways we lie to ourselves that even defeated Napoleon - [Cognitive Biases #5]
How the mind blinds us to reality by showing us what we want to believe.
We don't see with our eyes; we see with our stories. In 1951, psychologists proved that fans from opposing teams physically saw different fouls during the same game. This is the power and danger of perception.
It is the tension between what is real and what we believe is possible. When a doctor gives a patient a placebo, the patient heals not because of medicine, but because of the story of the medicine.
In this episode, we explore the cognitive biases that shape our culture and our work. From the "Baader-Meinhof" phenomenon to the tragedy of Napoleon’s retreat, we examine how our perceptions limit our possibilities.
Actionable Takeaways:
Change the narrative: Use the Placebo Effect to create positive outcomes through the power of expectation.
See the system: Recognize how the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon highlights opportunities you previously ignored.
Reframing value: Use the Contrast Effect to understand how relative comparison dictates the worth of your work.
Go make a ruckus by changing how you choose to see the world around you.
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NEW SHOW - How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation
Learn about the evolving story of the human species and our ideas told in chronological order.
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT
Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast
RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8
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Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
CHAPTERS
00:00 The Historic Football Game
01:35 Selective Perception in Politics
02:26 Reality Distortion Fields
04:13 Napoleon's Rise and Fall
05:58 The Exposure Effect
09:06 The Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon
11:26 The Placebo Effect
15:57 The Illusion of Control
19:04 Napoleon's Russian Campaign
21:29 The Clustering Illusion
25:34 The Contrast Effect
30:03 Reflections on Cognitive Biases
33:09 Closing Thoughts and Call to Action
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Why You Make Bad Decisions: Confirmation Bias and the 7 Sins of Lazy Thinking [Cognitive Biases #4]
How to make smarter decisions that improve your life by understanding your mind and it's hidden psychology.
We are all storytelling creatures, desperate to fit the world into a narrative that makes sense to us. Thus, we build echo chambers not because we are stupid, but because we are afraid.
The Confirmation Bias is a shield against the discomfort of being wrong. The Availability Bias shapes our worldview based on the loudest stories, not the most important facts.
This episode reviews 7 cognitive biases the explore the friction between what is comfortable and what is true. Learning helps us build tools for the art of long-term thinking in a short-term world.
Audit your inputs: Step outside your algorithmic feed to find the friction of opposing views.
Reframe the risk: Turn "Black Swan" surprises into "White Swan" predictions by analyzing the unsexy data.
Choose commitment: Overcome the paralysis of infinite choice by making a "good enough" decision and sticking to it.
Go make a ruckus by choosing to think clearly today.
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NEW SHOW - How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation
Learn about the evolving story of the human species and our ideas told in chronological order.
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT
Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast
RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8
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Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
CHAPTERS
00:00 The Confirmation Bias
04:14 The Availability Bias
07:08 The Neglect of Probability Bias
09:12 Black Swan vs. White Swan Events
11:00 The Hindsight Bias
13:47 The Outcome Bias
16:15 The Paradox of Choice Bias
18:56 The Time Discounting Bias
21:10 Becoming More Rational Thinkers
22:14 Wrap Up
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Why We Don't Understand Money: How to fix your thinking flaws - [Cognitive Biases #3]
Think you konw what you're doing with you money on your mind? Think again.
You walk into a cinema and buy the $12 large popcorn because the medium is $10. You think you got a deal, but you actually just fell for the "Decoy Effect."Your brain is wired to latch onto the first number it sees.
In this episode, I break down the psychological pricing traps that businesses use to hack your wallet.
We also cover why Sir Isaac Newton lost his fortune to the Sunk Cost Fallacy and why having more information actually makes you a worse investor. It’s not about being smart; it’s about understanding the system.
Key Takeaways:
"Consider the Opposite" strategy: Mentally flip the price anchor to neutralize the urge to buy.
Spot the Decoy: Identify products that exist solely to make expensive options look cheap.
The 5-Point Rule: Stop researching after five data points to avoid the Information Bias trap.
Listen now to stop your brain from leaking money on deals that aren't real.
SPONSORS
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NEW SHOW - How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation
Learn about the evolving story of the human species and our ideas told in chronological order.
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT
Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast
RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8
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Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
CHAPTERS
00:00 Money Traps - Financial Cognitive biases #2
02:49 The Opposite Strategy
08:01 Decoy Effect
10:44 Gambler's Fallacy
16:48 Sunk Cost Fallacy
19:24 Bad Prediction Flaws
19:59 Overconfidence Bias
21:33 Information Bias
25:43 Send Off
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29:52
Ego Blindspots: Common cognitive distortions of the self - [Cognitive Biases #2]
Ever caught yourself defending a dumb idea just to look smart?
That's your ego controlling your brain. Cognitive biases and ego team up to screw your decisions daily.
Picture this: confirmation bias has you cherry-picking facts that stroke your self-image, while ego whispers you're too smart for mistakes. Spot the traps like Dunning-Kruger (overestimating skill) or sunk cost fallacy (throwing good money after bad).
Takehomes:
Point at one bias daily: "Am I ignoring counter-evidence like a muscly Irishman blocking the door?"
Test decisions: Can you drop it on your foot? If abstract, make it concrete now.
Audit ego weekly: List three "wins" that were actually luck—kill the illusion.
Hit play and arm yourself against yourself today.
SPONSORS
👨💻 NordStellar
Security across your business
20% off: BLACKFRIDAY-20 (valid before 10th Dec)
10% off: GROWTHMINDSET-10
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NEW SHOW - How to Change the World: The History and Future of Innovation
Learn about the evolving story of the human species and our ideas told in chronological order.
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1Fj3eFjEoAEKF5lWQxPJyT
Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-change-the-world-the-history-of-innovation/id1815282649
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@HowToChangeTheWorldPodcast
RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8
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🏖️ Ad-free listening
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Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
CHAPTERS
00:00 Spotlight Effect
02:07 Dunning Kruger Effect
04:25 Status Quo Bias
06:13 Curse of Knowledge
08:04 Cognitive Dissonance
10:17 The Halo Effect
13:54 Fundamental Attribution Error
16:01 Actor-Observer Bias
17:20 Self-Serving Bias
19:42 Hostile Attribution Bias
23:30 Don't blame other peoples behaviours
24:09 Don't get lost in our own world
27:09 These Biases exist for a reason
28:20 Don't get easily offended
29:01 Send Off
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Sobre Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement
Most self-help advice is guesswork dressed up as wisdom. We dig into psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral science to find what actually changes lives.
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