My Biases Are Not Failures
I’m sitting in an important meeting and make a snap decision—maybe too quickly. Later, it turns out to be wrong. How did that happen? A moment of doubt that lingers. Why did I instinctively favor a colleague even when the facts said otherwise?
Our brain is a master of shortcuts—it tricks us faster than we realize. Situations like these aren’t rare; they shine a light on how our internal mechanisms shape our choices. These moments reveal a deeper truth: our brain operates on shortcuts.
Biases, or cognitive distortions, are systematic deviations in how we perceive and assess information. They come from the way our brain processes and simplifies decisions.
Here’s the kicker: Biases aren’t deliberate misdeeds, nor are they moral failings. They’re simply part of being human, and it’s okay to have them. What matters is how we deal with them.
Why does this matter?
Understanding that biases run on autopilot takes away the pressure to be perfect. These silent companions are part of our cognitive makeup—automatic processes that help us navigate daily life, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse.
Biases can lead to misjudgments, but they’re not inherently ethical missteps. They aren’t good or bad; they just are.
And that’s okay. Once we become aware of them, we have the power to make better, informed decisions and manage these unconscious influences. Recognizing them helps us make smarter choices.
What does this mean for you?
Whether at work, during negotiations, or when interacting with colleagues, ask yourself: Am I aware of how my perception is being shaped right now? The more you know your biases, the better you can question them and make wiser choices.
Biases affect more of our lives than we’d care to admit. But those who can identify and consciously manage them regain control.
Want to make better decisions?
Start by questioning your own biases and noticing the subtle moments when biases influence your perspective. After all, we all want to make better choices.
How do I use customer feedback without losing my vision?
Balancing the needs of customers while staying true to the original product vision is a critical and challenging aspect for any founder. This dilemma often leads to the unspoken question "How do I adapt my product based on customer feedback without losing sight of my original vision?"
This is a tough spot indeed. On one hand, customer feedback is invaluable for creating a product that truly meets market needs. On the other hand, there's a risk of straying too far from the initial vision and unique value proposition that made the product special in the first place.
A key part of navigating this is to have a clear, yet flexible, vision. It’s about understanding which parts of your vision are core and non-negotiable, and which parts can be adapted or evolved based on customer input. Regularly revisiting and refining your vision based on real-world insights is crucial.Also, it's important to identify the right customers to listen to. Not all feedback is equal, and focusing on feedback from your target market or ideal customer profile is essential.What's your take on this balance? Are there specific strategies or approaches you've considered or found effective in your experience?
Tempting Startup Ideas to Better Pivot from
There are these tempting startup ideas that you would better leave unpursued or pivoting away from fast.
Dalton Caldwell and Michael Seibel discuss these seemingly irresistible startup ideas that are almost too good to be true—and that's precisely why they likely are—or are they?
They are too good to be true because they might be so called tarpit ideas. Ideas that seem obviously awesome at first, but even appearing to be fantastic opportunities to many, they harbor deep-seated issues that could doom entire venture.
Therefore, you must have compelling reasons to pursue these apparent gold rush opportunities. Tarpit ideas metaphorically represent all projects that ensnare you in situations where you expend significant effort but achieve minimal progress.
I find these ideas fascinating because it often seems not to be the technological advancement that keeps great developments from happening, but rather human factors, as we discuss in the startup idea examples.
Perhaps my interest sometimes appears as default skepticism, but I am genuinely eager to explore these ideas and delve into (yes, I said it…) the crucial question of “Why now?”.
Don’t shy away from the fact that very smart, very well-funded, very determined teams have tried them before. Maybe now is just the right point in time for the idea to find its fitness.