Insights
No. 1
"Pride freezes us in our own image, beliefs, and positions." -Arthur C. Brooks
No. 2
“If you can approach the world’s complexities, both its glories and its horrors, with an attitude of humble curiosity, acknowledging that however deeply you have seen, you have only scratched the surface, you will find worlds within worlds, beauties you could imagine, and your own mundane preoccupations will shrink to proper size, not all that important in the greater scheme of things…” -Nietzsche
No. 3
Beliefs often come into our lives and get stuck
A Thought
Most of Life is Problem-Solving
We solve problems with as little energy as possible. Energy conservation is a survival mechanism. To help, we create mental maps of how the world works so we don’t have to process each situation from scratch. After touching a hot stove once, you don’t waste time analyzing whether it will burn you again. That shortcut is called a heuristic.
Another common heuristic, at least in some cultures: “Trustworthy people maintain eye contact.” The problem? Some trustworthy people struggle with eye contact—like those on the autism spectrum. And liars? They know the heuristic and can fake it.
Or consider hiring. You see a résumé from someone who reminds you of a great former colleague—same school, similar background. Maybe they worked at companies you admire. Your brain says, shortcut time! You skip reference checks and deep questioning. That just cost you a year of headaches. The opposite happens too: you dismiss someone because they don’t have the “right” pedigree.
As situations grow more complex and our energy levels drop, shortcuts become more tempting and dangerous. I know I’m more emotional—and more prone to bad decisions—when I’m exhausted. Whether consciously or not, I’m in energy conservation mode and looking for shortcuts.
Shortcuts evolved for survival. If a saber-toothed tiger blocked your path, you didn’t stop to analyze—you ran. But most modern decisions don’t demand that kind of speed. Today, the real risk isn’t hesitation—it’s acting without thinking.
Heuristics still serve us well in many situations, but we must recognize when deeper thinking is required. The key is knowing when your primitive brain is in control and when emotion might lead you down the wrong path. The irony is that pausing to engage our slower, more rational mind often saves energy in the long run.
Shortcuts aren’t the problem—it’s blindly trusting them or failing to recognize when you’re relying on them.
Take care and be good.
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