Day 9: System 2 Thinking: Slower, Smarter – but Lazy
System 2 – The mental muscle that can save you… but you “gotta” use it!
THINGS TO CONSIDER
KEY INSIGHT: System 2 thinking isn’t just about being careful—it’s about being willing to challenge your own assumptions when the stakes are high. The most dangerous decisions are the ones that feel obvious. If you want to make better decisions, you need to build the habit of triggering System 2.
Create cognitive friction. Slow down. Ask:
• What assumptions am I making?
• What don’t I know?
•What’s at stake if I’m wrong?
Make it a rule: If it’s important, it’s worth thinking through.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Think about a time when your first instinct about a major decision turned out to be wrong. What would have happened if you had slowed down and analyzed it more carefully? Conversely, can you recall a time when everyone around you was excited about something, but you had nagging doubts that proved correct?
TODAY’S EXERCISE: Identify one significant decision you’re currently facing (or expect to face soon). Write down your immediate, gut reaction to what you should do. Now, deliberately engage System 2 by asking these three questions:
1. What would have to be true for my gut reaction to be wrong?
2. What information am I missing that could change my perspective?
3. If I made this decision and it failed, what would I wish I had considered?
Keep these questions handy. The goal isn’t to overthink every decision, but to recognize when the stakes are high enough to warrant deeper analysis.