Catching Mental Biases Before They Catch You
Bias Spotter Checklist
Use this tool when you’re about to make a decision — especially under pressure or uncertainty.
Step 1: Ask “What am I assuming?”
Biases often hide in the assumptions you don’t question. asdfasdf
Step 2: Scan for the common bias patterns
Here are five to watch for:
- Confirmation Bias: Am I only looking for evidence that supports what I already believe?
- Anchoring Bias: Is my judgment stuck to the first number, idea, or impression I saw?
- Availability Bias: Am I giving too much weight to recent or vivid events — just because they’re easy to recall?
- Overconfidence Bias: Am I more certain than my actual knowledge or experience supports?
- Loss Aversion: Am I avoiding change only because I don’t want to “lose” something — even if the gain is bigger?
Step 3: Adjust your thinking accordingly
- Gather one counterpoint to your opinion.
- Re-check your reference points.
- Bring in a second perspective.
🟢 You don’t need to overanalyze — just create a bias bump that slows you down for 30 seconds of clarity.
Land it Well
Opening Hook
Your brain is smart.
But it also cuts corners — and those shortcuts can quietly cost you.
The Big Shift
You’re not irrational.
You’re just human.
And humans have built-in mental shortcuts (ways of thinking) — called biases — that help us decide faster, but not always better.
Biases aren’t flaws. They’re time-savers.
But when you don’t notice them, they shape your decisions in ways you never intended.
Explain and Expand
Core Idea / Explanation
Here’s the core truth:
You can’t eliminate bias — but you can catch it early.
That’s the goal.
Not to be perfect.
Just to pause at the right moment and ask:
“Is this a shortcut… or a trap?”
Because once you see a bias, you can adjust for it — and make decisions based on facts, not filters.
Zoom Out
Biases are invisible — until they cost you something.
A bad hire. A poor investment. A missed opportunity.
But once you start catching them, you sharpen your edge.
This isn’t about doubting every thought.
It’s about upgrading your mental filters — so you decide smarter, faster, and with more control.
Mini Example
You’re buying a phone.
The first one you check is ₹27,000.
Then you see another at ₹22,000 and think: “Nice deal!”
But here’s what’s happening:
You’re being anchored to ₹27,000.
You didn’t ask what either phone actually offers — you’re reacting to a starting point.
Catch the anchor. Then compare clearly.
Make Personal
Recap Box
Key Insight: Biases are mental shortcuts — useful, but dangerous when unnoticed.
Tool: Bias Spotter Checklist — a 3-step filter to scan for common traps before you choose.
Why it matters: Clear thinking isn’t about having no bias — it’s about knowing when it’s whispering in your ear.
Encouraging Close
Spotting bias isn’t overthinking.
It’s upgrading.
And now, you’ve got the scanner built in.
Your brain isn’t your enemy.
It’s your best tool — once you teach it to pause, check, and think a little sharper.