Husain Journal

Our minds are incredible, but they’re not always rational. Cognitive biases — mental shortcuts and errors in judgment — can often lead us astray, influencing decisions about money, time, and relationships. Here I’ll break down four of the most common biases, show how they play out in everyday life, and provide practical solutions to avoid them. 1. Anchor Bias What is it? Anchor bias occurs when we rely too heavily on the first piece of information (the "anchor") presented to us, even if it’s arbitrary. Everyday Example: Imagine you’re shopping for a shirt without a set budget in mind. The salesperson shows you a shirt for ₹2,000. You reject it as too expensive, so they offer a ₹1,500 shirt. Finally, you settle for one priced at ₹1,200. Here’s the catch: Your original budget — ₹800 — was never part of the conversation. Instead, you anchored yo...

Suspicion in some places is shattering and disastrous. What you expect of the other person he is very likely to become like it. If you think that that person is good, he likely will elevate himself to meet your expectations, but if you think that he is bad, you likely are going to see the reality stooping down to match your expectations. In How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie suggests “Giving others a great reputation to live up to.” This is called The Expectation Effect. Yes, it’s possible that sometimes cold waters of cheating might sweep away your trust, yet overall it’s beneficial in relationship, work, and in all other dealings. What I’m saying here might appear flimsy to you at first, but give it a long, hard look, and you’ll find many businesses standing on this policy. How? A lot of businesses give the customers the guarantee that if they didn’t like their products post-purchase, they can return them and take back their full money without any ques...

Picture this to yourself… You’re crazily in love with an innocent and gorgeous girl. Just the kind of lady you ever dreamt to be with you on your tea and dinner table. You’re spinning up excuses to be around her. You’re creative in doing things to please her. You’re repeatedly opening your heart to show her your overflowing love. But oops…she thinks that you’re becoming a drag on her. Your constant indulgence is making her sick of you. Yes, it doesn’t mean that your love for her is untrue. No, you’re sincere, earnest, and you love her from your full heart and soul. But the only problem? You’re unable to make an effective proposal. A proposal that she would thank you for, can’t wait to jump upon, and finally drench you by her angelic affection you so dream of. Paradise on earth, right? And while you’re making frantic efforts to woo her, the cruel fate grins and something cruel stings you right on your face. Smash… A cleverer guy walks in, dials the right number, and she is g...