The Psychology of Mistakes - 7 Ways To Fix Lazy Thinking
We celebrate 'hard work" but forget to consider the benefits of thinking "hard thoughts".
This episode teaches how to navigate uncertainty without taking easy options by building a capacity for complexity.
Allow doubt to improve our decisions
Understand multiple causes behind outcomes
Reduce judgement of others
Improve your field of vision
Weight statistics properly
Take ownership of forming opinion without using others
Accept lower confidence and greater accuracy
The mind is full of complexity and it relentlessly tries to optimise and take shortcuts. This serves is well in many aspects but cultivating a practice of taking the harder path in our thinking allows us to see hidden truths behind out assumptions.
To arrive at better decisions we need to learn to balance uncertainty with statistics and see beyond our limited field of view. It isn't easy but the benefits can greatly improve your outcomes and your mindsets.
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Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
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Chapters:
00:00 Benefits of thinking hard thoughts
01:12 Optimizing for the wrong things
03:59 1st - Elimination of doubt
06:55 2nd - Single cause explanation to complex events
09:12 3rd - Justification of your own action whilst judging the actions of others
12:02 Morgan Housel - we are blind to the vast majority of what people are thinking
12:12 Lessons from the book 'Evil'
14:20 4th - Your own field of vision is the same as everyone else's
18:05 5th - The desire to prioritize stories over statistics
20:46 6th - Outsourcing our hard decisions to the opinions of pundits, consultants, and experts
24:09 7th - Overconfidence
26:21 Annie Duke - Thinking of bets
28:22 Accepting probabilities and the reality of a situation
29:33 Outro
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Om Podcasten
Most self-help advice is guesswork dressed up as wisdom. We dig into psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral science to find what actually changes lives.
WHY LISTEN?
Over 8 million downloads because we answer the questions that matter: How do I build mental strength? What creates lasting motivation? How can I understand my own mind well enough to work with it, not against it?
This podcast is for curious skeptics who want frameworks backed by psychology studies, not Instagram quotes. Whether you're navigating procrastination, building self-discipline, or designing your own philosophy for a life well lived—we explore the hidden psychology behind real change.
WHAT YOU'LL GET
Mental models and simple techniques from cognitive psychology, positive psychology, and ancient wisdom traditions like Stoicism and Buddhism.
Being a human can be confusing, learning about it doesn’t have to be.
We cover everything from emotional intelligence and habit formation to brain health and the nervous system.
WHAT YOU DON’T GET
No pseudoscience. No oversimplified "hacks." No hustle porn.
Just practical insights on mindset improvement, self-development, and human psychology that respect your intelligence and mental health.
THE APPROACH
Instead of telling you what to think, we explore how thinking works. Armed with psychology studies, social science research, and relentless curiosity, we uncover the mechanics of belief change, attitude change, and personal development.
Success is personal. You might want to leverage your neurodiverse strengths, build a business, or simply discover how to be happier. We provide the mental frameworks to pursue your definition of success with mental strength and self-care that fits your life.
YOUR HOST
I'm Sam Webster Harris—a lifelong learner with ADHD and an obsession with finding answers to hard questions. After launching businesses, traveling the world, and nearly dying a few times, I concluded that psychology and science are where real wisdom lives.
This show is my excuse to dive deep into health and fitness research, behavioral psychology, and cool science while helping you build genuine self-discipline and motivation.
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PAST SERIES
Previous guests include Olympians, Scientists, Billionaires, and Sam's Mum.
Past series:
— Psychology vs Stoicism
— Time Management for Busy Mortals
— Independence and Knowing Yourself
— Cognitive Biases and Rational Thinking
— Psychology of Connection and Relationships
— Carol Dweck and the Multiverse of Mindsets
— Addiction and Behaviour Change
— Nervous System Mastery and Polyvagal Theory
— Mental Strength and Self-Discipline