The 12 principles below will be covered in future posts and content.
- A prediction is needed for every decision
- A utility (or outcome, goal) is needed for every decision
- Decisions can be influenced by your values
- Our brains know that it takes energy to think about and make more predictions; saying “do it now” can help us get the brain to use energy for reprediction.
- Our brains like thinking to be easy, and to avoid cognitive dissonance causes more energy to be used to link together information; this can happen when prediction.
- Available time to make more predictions can affect the quality of the decision
- Expanding on the time factor, fast decisions can be based on predictions which have not been aligned to your higher-level values
- Taking more time, such as using reprediction, to evaluate decisions also takes more energy, which the brain as a default will try to avoid
- Available brain energy to make the predictions can affect the quality of the decision
- It is usually helpful to look for the influence of the brain’s low-energy bias in a decision
- When you are uncomfortable with a decision, it may tie back to not being aligned to your values and to your self-identity (even if it is aligned to your overall survival)
- Looking at the predicted energy use for a decision can allow reprediction to consciously choose a higher energy use option which has a higher alignment with your values and your personal identity,d
Reprediction?
Since I’m using a term which is newly created, providing a definition is essential:
- Reprediction: Based on the word prediction, along with the prefix “re” (which means back or again), reprediction means to predict again. Reprediction for our purposes is used related to decisions.
To dive deeper, refer to Principle 1, which is from the assertion that when you make a decision, you have a prediction of the outcome which you expect from the choice you have made. So a sub-part of the principle is that you predict a result for some or all of the choices you consider for a decision.
You may observe the amounts of personal energy predicted for the choices affected which ones you prefer. We are biased to prefer the easier options, even if they are not aligned with our goals and dreams. And we do notice or feel that we are “making a bad decision” or one that “doesn’t feel comfortable”.
And this is where reprediction can be used. With practice, you can easily isolate the bias, and counteract it. You already “re-predict” in various ways, for various reasons.
If you see someone struggling to open a door, you may first think “They will be fine… I don’t have time, and I need to get to my appointment.” But, you feel bad about walking away, and you reconsider. Your personal values say to help people in need. You will probably think about that person for the rest of the day, wondering if you made the right decision. (This part also involves some of Principle 5).
You look at your watch, and think “If I walk faster, it is possible to still be on time, and the exercise is nice for me as well.” You took the “easy path” choice and via a reprediction, you realized the personal mental energy of hours of second-guessing was energy you didn’t want to spend. And via a reprediction of the helpful choice, you made it more attractive as a lower-overall-energy choice. And you added in an additional benefit of exercise.
Sure, the above example is nuanced. But, as the principles and other techniques to follow are learned and followed, it allows awesome higher-level observations. Looking through the “Energicial lens” can reduce stress. And you can achieve more life satisfaction… happiness.