Men. Intelligent. ^{™
© 2013}

 

Challenge #51

Don’t start before completing Challenge #50.
If you want to join the IntelliMen Project, start from Challenge #1.

 

Challenge: Understand how your decisions are influenced, and how to be more alert to these influences.

Explanation: Decisions determine our destiny, but you already knew this. But what if we’re not in control of them? What if the decisions we think we are making are really not made by us? Frightening… isn’t it?

That’s what behavioral economist, Dan Ariely, explains in a 17 minute video. The presentation was made in 2008 and has been seen by millions.

Watch the video, paying close attention.  Set aside an uninterrupted half an hour this week to follow Dan’s train of thought and think of the implications of what he discovered with regard to your life. The lecture is laid back, and filled with Dan’s good humor.

The video is here.

Notebook: After watching the video write down your thoughts about it. What did the presentation make you think of? How can you pay more attention to the options placed before you? How do you feel knowing that your brain can deceive you – or knowing that people are intentionally influencing your decisions? Can you recall situations where you felt like you had “no options”? Thinking back, did you feel that way because you believed you had no options, when in reality there were many?

Official Partner: Exchange thoughts and ideas about this.

Deadline: You may begin working on this challenge immediately and complete it before Challenge #52, which you can begin a week from now.

Post: After – and only after – you have completed the challenge, post your comments on the IntelliMenWorld Facebook or Twitter page, (not on your own page) and write the following:

IntelliMen Challenge #51 done: I learned to be more careful of what influences my decisions. (Add any other comment in regards to this.)

 

Links:

www.facebook.com/IntelliMenWorld

www.twitter.com/intellimenworld (when tweeting, use @intelliMenworld)

Verification Checklist

☐ I watched the video
☐ I wrote down my thoughts in my Notebook
☐ I spoke to my partner about it
☐ I posted my comments on Facebook/Twitter

 

Phrase:

It is the characteristic excellence of the strong man that he can bring momentous issues to the fore and make a decision about them. The weak are always forced to decide between alternatives they have not chosen themselves. ―Dietrich Bonhoeffer

People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people. Of course, that is not true. Decisions are made by a majority of those who make themselves heard and who vote – a very different thing. ―Walter H. Judd