The Art of Charm

772: Dan Ariely: How to Defeat Indecision and Regret


Listen Later

The harder a decision seems to be for people, the less likely it is that we will spend enough time researching it in order to determine what to do - but why is that, how should we handle the component of time when it comes to waiting to make decisions, and what can you do to eliminate the fear of regret in your life?


What to Listen For

  • Why do we spend a lot of time researching insignificant decisions and little time researching significant decisions?
  • How can you approach life-changing decisions from a neutral point of view so you can make the decision for the right reasons?
  • How do does action versus inaction affect our likelihood to regret a certain event and how can you change your perspective in order to eliminate regret?
  • How do we take time into account when deciding how much time to spend researching minor and major decisions?
  • What are the three types of decisions and how can your awareness of each one help you to avoid wasting valuable time
  • What is anchoring and how does it affect our decision making as we make decisions that build on one another and how can your awareness of it prevent you from falling into an unhealthy trap?
  • What are market norms and social norms and how do they affect your willingness to oblige someone’s request for help?
  • How do market norms reduce the trust between people and turn relationships into economic transactions?

  • We make decisions that affect our lives every single day. Some decisions are small, some are big, and some are repeated on a regular basis. Unfortunately, we only have so much time to think about these decisions so it can save us a lot of time if we at least understand how to approach each one. Small decisions, like what movie theater to go to or what appetizer to get, should take the least amount of our time since they impact our lives the least, and our time is better spent being present or contemplating more important decisions. Big decisions, like where to live or who to marry, should necessitate more time as they will have lasting effects on our lives. And lastly, decisions that are made regularly, like your morning routine or what to eat each day, should be automated as much as possible to reduce the drain on your willpower so that it can be used for resource-intensive tasks like work, or studying, or solving complex problems in your life. We only have so much time to live - don’t waste it on unimportant issues in your life.


    A Word From Our Sponsors

    Share your vulnerabilities, victories, and questions in our 17,000-member private Facebook group at theartofcharm.com/challenge. This is a unique opportunity where everyone — both men and women — celebrate your accountability on the way to becoming the best version of yourself. Register today here!


    Lumen5 is empowering everyone with the ability to create short-form videos in a matter of minutes. You can transform an article, blog post, or text message into a video. Enter your text and the Lumen5 A.I. will help you summarize your content, and automatically match it with videos and photos. Right now Lumen Five has a special offer just for you! Go to lumen5.com/charm and you’ll get 50 percent off your first month.


    Resources from this Episode

    Dan Ariely

    Dan Ariely on Facebook

    Dan Ariely on Twitter

    Dan’s podcast Arming the Donkeys

    Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely

    The Upside of Irrationality by Dan Ariely

    The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty by Dan Ariely

    Amazing Decisions by Dan Ariely

    The Art of Charm Bootcamp in Vienna


    Check in with AJ and Johnny!

    AJ on Instagram

    Johnny on Instagram

    The Art of Charm on Instagram

    The Art of Charm on YouTube

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    The Art of CharmBy The Art of Charm

    • 4.7
    • 4.7
    • 4.7
    • 4.7
    • 4.7

    4.7

    10,465 ratings


    More shows like The Art of Charm

    View all
    The Knowledge Project by Shane Parrish

    The Knowledge Project

    2,670 Listeners

    Coaching for Leaders by Dave Stachowiak

    Coaching for Leaders

    1,457 Listeners

    HBR IdeaCast by Harvard Business Review

    HBR IdeaCast

    1,832 Listeners

    The School of Greatness by Lewis Howes

    The School of Greatness

    21,203 Listeners

    Negotiate Anything by Kwame Christian Esq., M.A.

    Negotiate Anything

    702 Listeners

    How to Be Awesome at Your Job by How to be Awesome at Your Job

    How to Be Awesome at Your Job

    1,032 Listeners

    The Tony Robbins Podcast by Tony Robbins

    The Tony Robbins Podcast

    6,379 Listeners

    10% Happier with Dan Harris by 10% Happier

    10% Happier with Dan Harris

    12,732 Listeners

    The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett by DOAC

    The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

    8,618 Listeners

    The Daily Stoic by Daily Stoic | Backyard Ventures

    The Daily Stoic

    4,889 Listeners

    On Purpose with Jay Shetty by iHeartPodcasts

    On Purpose with Jay Shetty

    27,759 Listeners

    Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques by Matt Abrahams, Think Fast Talk Smart

    Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

    805 Listeners

    A Bit of Optimism by Simon Sinek

    A Bit of Optimism

    2,115 Listeners

    Huberman Lab by Scicomm Media

    Huberman Lab

    29,180 Listeners

    The Daily Motivation by Lewis Howes

    The Daily Motivation

    912 Listeners