What is the Tocqueville Paradox? This paradox states that the more we improve, the more we expect. So, why would this be a problem? This is like progress, in a way. In other words, we realize the floor hasn’t changed at all; all that is shifting is the sky. The Tocqueville Paradox is the psychologicalContinue reading “The Tocqueville Paradox: Why Progress Creates New Dissatisfaction”
Category Archives: Better Decision Making
The Law of Triviality: Why We Obsess Over the Small Stuff
What is the Law of Triviality? The Law of Triviality says that organizations and individuals pay far more attention to, and spend a disproportionate amount of time on, trivial, insignificant topics than on complex, important issues. It is a psychological dead end that traps us where easily done becomes the thing that gets done. ThisContinue reading “The Law of Triviality: Why We Obsess Over the Small Stuff”
The Cost of Distraction: Why We Focus on the Wrong Things
September is a month when we leave summer behind and adopt a back-to-business mindset. It is a time to reset our priorities, our expectations, and our intentions. This is going to be a month about what matters most, about the complexity of life. The intention is that this series of posts will lead you fromContinue reading “The Cost of Distraction: Why We Focus on the Wrong Things”
How to Make Better Decisions When the Future Is Unclear
Why decisions feel hard We rarely see decisions as purely intellectual problems; rather, decisions are both internal, emotional, and cognitive. Our brains are ancient surviving machines built to make predictions about the future. When you are missing data points, your brain actually relates to a lack of information the same way it would fear forContinue reading “How to Make Better Decisions When the Future Is Unclear”