Why We’re Terrible at Decisions (And How to Fix It)

Why We’re Terrible at Decisions (And How to Fix It) In this episode, I sit down with Dan Ariely, a renowned behavioural economist, to explore the fascinating world of human irrationality and how understanding it can transform our decision-making, motivation, and overall quality of life. Dan shares powerful insights into the quirks of the human mind, how our outdated "mental tools" affect modern life, and what it really means to design environments that align with our natural tendencies. In this episode, we discuss: The concept of human irrationality and why we often make seemingly illogical choices. How cognitive biases shape our decisions in areas like risk-taking, motivation, and financial behavior. Why extrinsic motivators like salary aren’t as impactful as feeling valued and connected. The surprising effects of workplace culture, bureaucracy, and psychological safety on employee engagement and productivity. Dan’s personal journey of acceptance and resilience, including his unique experience with a “half-beard” and what it taught him about self-acceptance. This episode is packed with thought-provoking examples and practical insights on navigating life’s complexities by understanding our own cognitive limitations. If you"re curious about leading your life with purpose by working with your mind rather than against it, this is the episode for you. This episode was proudly sponsored by NZ Mortgages. You can contact them here - https://www.nzmortgages.co.nz You can learn more about Dan here - https://danariely.com/all-about-dan/ Connect with Dan here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danariely/ Purchase Dan’s books here - https://danariely.com/books/ You can view Harbor Capitals HAPI index here - https://www.harborcapital.com/etf/hapi/ Get the Growth Weekly Newsletter sent straight to your inbox and join 1000’s of other high-performers on the road to self-mastery  - https://www.jjlaughlin.com/newsletter ----- Website: https://www.jjlaughlin.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6GETJbxpgulYcYc6QAKLHA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesLaughlinOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameslaughlinofficial/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/life-on-purpose-with-james-laughlin/id1547874035 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3WBElxcvhCHtJWBac3nOlF?si=hotcGzHVRACeAx4GvybVOQ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslaughlincoaching/ James Laughlin is a High-Performance Leadership Coach, Former 7-Time World Champion, Host of the Lead On Purpose Podcast and an Executive Coach to high performers and leaders. James is based in Christchurch, New Zealand. Send me a personal text message Support the show