Why We Make Mistakes - Hallinan

As a professional problem solver I am intrigued by the fact that in my day job I can decompose a problem, put together a number of corrective actions, evaluate those actions with quantitative and qualitative factors, and recommend a competent solution.  Why, when I’m away from the office, equipped with the same problem solving skill set, do I make seemingly endless mistakes?  Investment decisions are of course the most painful.  The only thing easing that pain is the knowledge that everyone (almost everyone) is suffering along with me.  But I am also plagued by more common decisions like should I switch insurance companies?  Should I put my kid in braces?  or my favorite…should I fire my lawn guy?  I will give you more details on the fate of my lawn guy in a minute.  So basically I have this endless feeling of incompetence stemming from the endless array of everyday decisions I always seem to get wrong.   Enter Joseph T. Hallinan and his book, “Why We Make Mistakes?”  I can sum up his book with three words word…”Oh, that’s why”.  

It appears, according to Hallinan, the entire world conspires against our ability to make correct decisions.  Or, we have been set up, since birth, to make mistakes--at least by our birth into modern society.  Speaking from the standpoint that we are products of evolution, we simply are not equipped to make correct decisions in our modern world based on the way were receive and process information.  Our memory’s stink, we scan and simplify what’s in our field of view, we wing it, and we bias things unconsciously all day every day.  His book is very easy to read and while it is clearly comprehensive, well researched, and detailed, it flows effortlessly off the page making perfect sense as it winds along.   After reading his book I highly suspect I do everything wrong.   It’s all there and I am guilty down to my last ounce of over confidence.

Yet somehow I must not do everything wrong. I’ve been equipped with a great education that allows me to have a super job.  I have a super family and can honestly say I am a very happy person who is afforded leisure time, to not only read Hallinan’s book, but to write about it.   But I fret over the simplest of decisions…I make decisions, I don’t delay, but I worry if I’ve made the right ones.  And typically they don’t appear so good after I’ve made them however I have a tremendous ability to rationalize them or put the blame on something beyond my control.  Of course that’s exactly what Hallinan says I do.  So he is right again.  

In the end he really doesn’t provide a recipe for not making mistakes.  We will continue to make mistakes and waste time in the process.  He just wants us to be aware of the things that influence us, when we don’t realize we are being influenced.  He believes that it’s the mistakes that keep us from enjoying life that are the ones we want to try hardest to avoid.  So tomorrow I will fire my lawn guy.  One he is too expensive for the service he provides. Two he gives me a headache when all I want is my lawn mowed.  Three he is constantly badgering me for more work.  And four, I’ve always enjoyed mowing my own lawn, typically on Saturday’s, with a gin and tonic, and a slice of lime.