Great news! You've identified the cognitive biases that trick your brain. Now comes the exciting part: learning practical techniques to counteract these mental shortcuts.

These debiasing techniques are your brain's quality control system.

Engagement Message

Where in your life would clearer thinking help most?

Think of debiasing like having a thinking checklist. Pilots use pre-flight checklists to catch errors before they become disasters. You'll use debiasing techniques to catch mental errors before they become bad decisions.

The key is making these techniques automatic, not just knowing about them.

Engagement Message

What's one recent decision you'd like to have made more carefully?

Let's start with "Consider the Opposite"—the simplest yet most powerful debiasing technique. Before making any important decision, deliberately ask: "What if I'm wrong? What evidence contradicts my view?"

This directly counters confirmation bias by forcing you to seek opposing viewpoints.

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When did you last actively seek information that challenged your opinion?

Here's how to apply "Consider the Opposite": You're convinced your business idea will succeed. Instead of seeking supporters, deliberately ask: "What could make this fail? Who would disagree and why?"

This simple question reveals blind spots and strengthens your decision-making.

Engagement Message

What's one strong opinion you hold that you've never seriously questioned?

Next technique: the premortem. Before starting any project, imagine it's failed spectacularly. Then work backward: "What went wrong? What warning signs did we miss?"

This counters overconfidence bias and helps you prepare for likely problems.

Engagement Message

For your current project, what possible failure haven't you planned for yet?

Here's your third technique: the strategic pause. When facing pressure to decide quickly, build in a 24-hour delay for important choices.

This counters availability bias—emotional or recent events won't dominate your thinking after a cooling-off period.

Engagement Message

What recent quick decision might you have made differently with more time?

The magic happens when you combine these techniques. Consider the opposite (what could go wrong?), run a premortem (imagine failure), then pause (sleep on it).

This triple-check catches most bias-driven errors before they hurt you.

Engagement Message

Which of these three techniques feels most natural to you?

Start small: pick one upcoming decision and use all three techniques. The goal isn't perfect objectivity—it's better decision-making by catching your most obvious blind spots.

With practice, these techniques become automatic mental habits that improve every choice you make.

Engagement Message

What's one decision you're facing where you could practice these techniques?

Type

Swipe Left or Right

Practice Question

Let's practice recognizing good versus poor debiasing approaches. Swipe each approach based on whether it effectively counters cognitive bias.

Labels

• Left Label: Good Debiasing
• Right Label: Poor Debiasing

Left Label Items

• Sleep on important decisions before deciding
• Actively seek information that contradicts your view
• Imagine your project failing and identify why
• Ask trusted friends to challenge your reasoning

Right Label Items

• Make decisions quickly to avoid overthinking
• Focus on information that supports your gut feeling
• Assume your first instinct is usually correct
• Avoid negative feedback that might discourage you