#32 Waves of Clarity: How the Beach Shapes My Decisions

I’ve spent countless hours on the shore, staring at the ocean, lost in the rhythm of crashing waves. It is within these moments that the best decisions of my life have been made.

Even to this day, the beach shapes my decisions. But why does the beach possess such a profound influence? One possible answer might lie in the wisdom of a Nobel Prize-winning psychologist and economist. Here’s what I discovered.

We Are Unreliable Decision-Makers

The book “Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment,” published in 2021, was co-authored by Nobel Prize-Winner Daniel Kahneman., Olivier Sibony, and Cass R.Sunstein. The authors elaborate on humans as unreliable decision-makers.

Why are we unreliable?

Because our judgments are strongly influenced by irrelevant factors, such as the weather, time of the day, our current mood, or if our favorite football team won or lost.

Noise

Imagine you have a group of people who are tasked with making decisions. These decisions could be anything from evaluating job applications to assessing medical diagnoses. Now, ideally, you would expect these people to make consistent judgments based on the same information and criteria.

For example, a group of judges is presented with similar cases. We would expect their sentences to be very similar, assuming they are applying the same legal principles and criteria.

But here’s the catch: individuals make different decisions for no apparent reason.

This inconsistency in decision-making is what the authors refer to as Noise.

Occasion Noise

From the Book: Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment

Even a 4-year-old understands and learns to leverage this phenomenon to their advantage. When their mom is in a good mood, there is room for negotiation, but if she is in a bad mood, their chances diminish.

Mood is the hidden ingredient that can generate different outcomes from identical inputs. Mood makes us inconsistent and unpredictable. And ultimately makes us unreliable decision-makers.

The Weather

Do you have a favorite month of the year? If so, chances are it's connected to the weather. The weather not only affects my mood but also influences my thinking. Lately, we've experienced some atypical weather patterns with unusually heavy rainfall for this time of year.

On the first day of rain, I usually feel alright and use the time to catch up on tasks I've been procrastinating. By the second day, I start to get a bit annoyed, and by the third day, my mood takes a nosedive.

Being in a bad mood often makes me impatient, and this impatience tends to lead to short-sighted decisions that may not be the best in the long run.

Whether we like it or not, external factors can significantly impact our thoughts, emotions, and, ultimately, our decision-making process. It's almost like our decision-making becomes a game of chance.

Silencing the Noise

So, if we know we are unreliable decision-makers, what actions can we take based on this understanding?

The authors of the book propose a systematic approach. According to Kahneman and his colleagues, the first step is to cultivate awareness and implement measurement systems to evaluate the level of noise. By recognizing our own biases and inconsistencies, we lay the foundation for improvement.

As a next step, they recommend developing algorithms and decision rules to rely on. Their belief is that clear guidelines, structured processes, and adequate training and calibration can enhance consistency and minimize noise. It´s important to note that their focus primarily lies in reducing noise within professional contexts.

However, what about our personal lives?

How can we become better decision-makers without relying on algorithms and constant measurements?

Resetting

Personally, the key to improving my decision-making lies in the concept of resetting.

Take a moment to reflect: when does your decision-making process become noisy decision-making, unreliable, and inconsistent?

I’ve found that my decision-making becomes compromised when I´m consumed by worry. When worry takes hold, my thoughts become erratic and fragile. It´s as if my mind becomes cluttered with noise, making it difficult to reach a clear decision.

During such times, I recognize the need for a timeout and a reset.

Why the Beach?

There’s something intriguing about the beach that I can’t quite unravel, but let me share what I feel there.

Humbled

Standing before the vast expanse of the ocean, I can’t help but feel a humbling sense of insignificance. I´m reminded of how trivial our everyday worries truly are. Suddenly, worrying seems utterly senseless against the backdrop of such majesty.

The Law of Change

The beach and the ocean are constantly moving. With every visit, a new chapter unfolds, never to be replicated. The sands beneath my feet, a mosaic of shifting patterns, remind me that nothing stays the same. Life itself is a master of adaptations and transformation and is beyond my complete control. No matter how much I yearn for stability, change is inevitable.

Waves of Clarity

Looking at the bigger picture and observing long enough, you will notice the order amidst the apparent chaos. On the beach, nothing stands still, yet nothing is rushed. Things appear random, but they possess a secret harmony, an innate perfection. If you observe the ocean long enough, understanding will gradually unfold.

How the Beach Shapes My Decisions

The beach allows me to take a break from everything. The beach is like a pause button. It shields me from distractions, allowing my mind to find clarity.

Time spent on the beach enhances my ability to think clearly. It enables me to see things for what they truly are, free from my own emotions and worries.

The vast expanse of the open sea offers me a powerful tool. Staring at the ocean feels like looking through a tiny window into the future. It fills me with hope, provides guidance, and rejuvenates my spirit.

The beach shapes my decisions.

And helps me to make better choices.