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Ask HN: What are your fav/goto decision making hacks/heuristics?

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Re: Ask HN: What are your fav/goto decision making hacks/heuristics?

#11
post #10

Some of my favorite heuristics / decision algorithms: - I see flowers at the store. Should I buy some for my $specialPerson ? Yes. - What will happen if I make this same choice 1,000 days (or more) in a row? - What I do now is what I always do. (This has two senses. First, it reminds me that I'm primed to act in a certain way now because I have been consistent in doing the same thing in the past — so it helps me reme…

Those were awesome! If there is $reading_material related to this, please post.

Nothing to read: action is what matters, not theorizing.

Put the two rules into practice, starting now. What action am I taking now? (What am I choosing to do?) Keeping in mind that what I do now is what I always do, what will happen / where will I be if I do the same thing 1,000 times/days in a row? The answer leads to these questions: Should I keep doing this? Should I be consistently doing something else?

Today I went to CrossFit even though I have a pulled muscle in my hip. I didn't feel like it, but exercising every day is what I do. I skipped the usual workout (running and squat/hinge work) because of the injury, but I did challenging chest and shoulder work instead, and I stretched afterward. Tomorrow I will go to yoga because when I do that 1,000 Saturdays in a row, it will supercharge my CrossFit and I'll have fewer instances of this (for me) already-rare injury.

Tonight if I start to feel like reaching for cookies/snacks to eat on the couch while watching TV, I will notice and either stop and decide I've already eaten enough for the day, or else I'll grab an apple instead. I'll also grab a book and read a chapter instead of watching drivel. That's what I do, and after doing that 1,000 more days in a row, I will have a better physique, less disease, and more knowledge.

Action is what matters.

Re: Ask HN: What are your fav/goto decision making hacks/heuristics?

#12

- When in doubt, save money / do the cheaper thing (mostly for consumption, vacation planning) - Say yes (for activities with friends / colleagues; cf. "The Yes Man" with Jim Carrey)

And if you say no, make plans for next time. As a Gen Z I’ve noticed a lot of people my age will always decline, never take initiative in making plans, then wonder why nobody hangs out with them.

I’ve started using what I call the ‘two strikes rule.’ If I make two attempts to invite someone out and they’re declined without reciprocative energy, I give up on maintaining the relationship. Same with conversations. I’m tired of dealing with social vampires.

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