Hi All!
I hope you’re having a great week so far. To make it even better, I prepared a list of tips and tricks to keep you on top of your goals.
1. With too much choice comes a poor decision. Reduce your options and good results will follow.
There are many ways we can spend our time. This is especially true when we have technology at our disposal: we can download and use countless of apps on our smartphones, browse the latest shows and movies on Netflix, or lose ourselves in the vastness of the internet.
We are presented with so much choice in day-to-day life that there is risk of making poor decisions. The key to preventing choice overload then, is to reduce your options. If you only have a handful of ways to spend your time, you are much more likely to make good decisions.
2. Spending time with friends and family feels good. We all have an innate desire to feel a sense of belonging.
Your brain is wired for belonging, and you crave it like food and water. A long time ago, being part of a social group increased your chances of survival. Those who were alone put themselves at risk of getting attacked by a predator or enemy tribe.
Craving social connectedness also applies to those who consider themselves to be introverts. People who claim they enjoy being alone, report feeling better when they spend time with friends and family. Don’t believe me? Give it a try and see for yourself.
Your Weekly Digest: Data Collection
In this week’s article, “What is Big Data? How Do Online Companies Collect Your Data?” I show how social media and e-commerce platforms collect user data, and how they use it to produce profits.
Social media companies know that humans are wired for belonging. We scroll through our timelines, engage with content, and talk to friends because it makes us feel like we belong to a group. As we navigate the platform, personal data is being collected, which allows marketers to target people with advertisements that align with specific interests. All in all this isn’t a bad thing, though, for as long as data is being used ethically and responsibly.
Until next week,
Mike van der Poel
Previous: Stay on Track: Loss Aversion, Inner Peace, and Fearmongering — Jul. 23, 2021
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