We make bad decisions because our brain thinks it knows what will make us happy, but sometimes it's wrong, like when you pick your favorite candy, only to realize later there was an even better one hiding in the bag.
Imagine you're at a candy store with two kinds of candy: chocolate and gummy worms. You really love gummy worms, so you grab a whole bag of them. But then, after eating half the bag, you remember that your friend loves chocolate more than anything, and they had a full bag right there! You might feel silly for not choosing chocolate instead.
This is like what happens in our brain when we make decisions. It tries to predict how happy we’ll be with each choice, but it can’t always see the whole picture. Sometimes it’s like picking your favorite toy without knowing there's an even cooler one waiting behind the couch.
Why does this happen?
Our brain uses something called happiness memory, it remembers how happy we were with past choices and tries to repeat that feeling. But if we don’t look closely, we might miss out on something even better. It’s like choosing your favorite shirt without checking the closet for a new one you haven't tried yet!
Examples
- Choosing a candy bar over a healthier option just because it's familiar.
- Picking the first job offer without considering other possibilities.
- Sticking with an old friend even when they're not good for you.
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See also
- What are bad decisions?
- How To Always Make the Right Decision? – Sadhguru?
- How Does Knowing When to Say Yes or No Work?
- Why You Can't Make Any Important Decision In Your Life?
- Why is it So Hard to Make Decisions?