Matters of Great Personal Importance: Manipulation Tactics.

My Psychologist Is Me: A Space To Learn, Grow And Heal From Within.

Tips, reflections and resources on how to take care of your mental health, improve your self-esteem and develop your potential. I do not intend to replace professional help, but rather to complement it and motivate you to be your own psychologist. I hope you like it and that it inspires you.

In life, we often face challenges that lead us to question ourselves, to look inward for answers. We become our own psychotherapists when we embrace this invitation to self-reflection, exploring the deepest corners of our minds and hearts. The idea of becoming our own healers may seem like uncharted territory, but in reality, each of us possesses the innate power to understand and heal our own emotional wounds. Without the need for complicated theorizing or incomprehensible technicalities, we can embrace a practical and humane approach to our mental well-being. Furthermore, by developing this skill of self-reflection and self-therapy, we not only benefit our own lives, but we can also become a source of support and guidance for others. With empathy and understanding, we can offer our support without psychological jargon, but with a genuine and compassionate approach to the well-being of those around us.

THE CURSE OF SPECIFICITY

The curse of specificity is when extremely detailed information seems more persuasive, even if it is irrelevant. For example, right now it's 8:16 p.m. I'm at Starbucks sitting in the corner in a soft yellow chair, the aroma of the coffee and the soft music are incredible. I'm drinking a hot, delicious cappuccino while writing this script on my laptop.

Okay right now you can probably imagine me sitting in that Yellow chair or that you believed me too. But the truth is that I made it up, I'm at home trying to concentrate on this article while my 5 year old daughter is screaming in the other room for some unknown reason.

THE OSTRICH EFFECT

The ostrich effect is when you ignore negative information or comments like an ostrich burying its head in the sand. An example is not checking your bank account because you don't want to see how much you have spent, so

To counter this, regularly review your situation, even if it is uncomfortable.

INABILITY TO CLOSE DOORS

The inability to close doors is the difficulty in making decisions due to fear of losing other opportunities. For example, you work on three business ideas at the same time, you know that focusing on one is much more effective, but you don't want to lose progress on the other two, so you keep working on all three and still get no results or get average results. Focus on one thing.

THE CONTRAST EFFECT

The contrast effect is when your judgment of one thing is affected by recent exposure to something else. For example: Some real estate agents intentionally start by showing you a house in poor condition before showing you the actual house they want to sell. The real house looks amazing in comparison, which makes you like it more.

DRIVER KNOWLEDGE

Chauffeur knowledge is when someone appears knowledgeable and confident but lacks genuine expertise on a topic. These people are similar to how a parrot memorizes some phrases and repeats them over and over again. To identify these people, ask more questions because they cannot provide deeper information.

THE IKEA EFFECT

It's when you value something more because you put effort into creating it, like the furniture you put together yourself. To avoid overvaluing your work, get external feedback. This will help you see the true value of your efforts and make objective decisions.

THE REFLECTOR EFFECT

The spotlight effect is when you think people notice mistakes in your appearance or behavior more than they really do. To avoid this, remind yourself that others are often too focused on

themselves to notice minor things about you. This reduces anxiety and helps you focus on what you are doing.

THE HALO EFFECT

The Halo effect is when your impression of someone in one area influences your opinion of them in other areas. It's like thinking that someone is trustworthy because they dress well or because they are handsome. To avoid this, judge

each situation or decision by its own facts.

RECIPROCITY

Reciprocity is when you feel obligated to give back when someone gives you something. Like feeling like you have to buy from a store because you get a free sample. To avoid such influence, recognize when you are acting out of

obligation rather than genuine desire.

THE SELF-SERVICE BIAS

Self-serving bias is when you credit yourself for successes but blame external factors for failures. Like thinking that your victory was all your skill but your loss was just bad luck. To avoid this, practice taking responsibility for your actions, both good and bad.

THE DIDEROT EFFECT

The Diderot effect is when the acquisition of a new possession leads to a spiral of additional purchases such as purchasing a new outfit and then feeling the need to upgrade other items to match. To avoid this, keep in mind how a purchase can influence your overall spending.

THE ANCHORING EFFECT

The anchoring effect is when your first impression or an initial number shapes your subsequent thinking. For example, thinking that a $50 shirt is cheap because you first saw a similar one for $100. Always see the offers and decisions independently, not just in comparison to the first option you saw.

NEGATIVITY BIAS

Negativity bias is when more attention is paid to negative events than positive ones. For example, I would read 100 comments under my articles and 99 of them would be positive, only one would be negative. Guess what comment I end up remembering and thinking yes you're right that one from some random guy who probably has nothing to do with his life and spends all day in his pajamas sitting in his messy room arguing with people on the internet. Now that I say this I realize how ridiculous it sounds but most of us are programmed to focus on the negative. To counteract this we need to consciously shift our perspective to positive events and be grateful.

THE SUNK COST FALLACY

The sunk cost fallacy is when you keep doing something just because you've already invested a lot in it, not because it's the best option at the moment. This

It's like continuing to eat terrible food just because you paid for it. To overcome this, think about what is the best action. Starting today, your investment or business decisions should be based on possible future returns.

instead of past costs.

THE PARADOX OF CHOICE

The paradox of choice is when having too many options makes it harder to make a decision. For example, you have felt overwhelmed when choosing from a menu with 50 dishes. To counteract this, it limits

your own choices and the choices you give to others. For example, if you are selling three products, mentioning the one that is the best seller can simplify the decision-making process and lead to a sale.

THE FRAMING EFFECT

The framing effect is when your decisions are influenced by the way information is presented. For example, imagine that a doctor says there is a 90% chance that you will survive, but now imagine that the

doctor said there is a 10% chance that you will die. Both statements mean the same thing but you would feel terrible in the second case. Always consider the facts from multiple perspectives before making a decision.

THE ILLUSION OF THE END OF STORY

The illusion of the end of the story is when you believe that who you are now is who you will be forever. To counteract this, embrace the idea of change, recognize that your preferences and beliefs will change and that is okay.

THE PYGMALION EFFECT

The pygmalion effect is when higher expectations of yourself lead to an increase in performance. For example, if your goal is to achieve your one-year goals in the first few months, your performance will increase significantly. There is a book titled: The 12 Week Year, which explains how to do it, unfortunately I don't have the reference link now.

PRINCIPLE OF CONSISTENCY

The principle of consistency is based on the desire to be consistent with what we have previously said or done. For example, if you tell your friends that you plan to start exercising regularly, you are more likely to stick to it. That's why finding someone to hold you accountable can significantly improve your commitment to your goals.

THE PLANNING FALLACY

The planning fallacy is when you underestimate the time it will take to do something like thinking you can clean your entire house in an hour. To avoid this always add some extra time. This helps you plan your day better and reduce stress

CONFIRMATION BIAS

Confirmation bias is when people only notice things that support what they already believe. For example, if you think your favorite soccer team is the best, you may only notice the games they win. To avoid this, actively seek out information that challenges your views. This helps you make decisions based on all the facts, not just what you want to believe.

THE BANDWAGON EFFECT (WAVE EFFECT)

The bandwagon effect is copying what others do, like buying a trendy phone just because everyone else has it, not because you need it. To avoid this ask yourself why you are making a decision, is it really what you want or are you just following the crowd?

THE DUNNING KRUGER EFFECT

The Kruger dunning effect is when people with less skill or knowledge overestimate their ability. This is like reading some famous books on investing and thinking that now you know everything. To avoid this, especially when making decisions, it is important to consult with experts.

LOSS AVERSION

Loss aversion is when the fear of losing something motivates you more than the potential gain, such as not investing in a good opportunity because you are afraid of losing money. To overcome this, focus on what you could gain, not just what you could lose.

THE LURE EFFECT

The decoy effect is when your preference between two options changes when a third, less attractive option is introduced such as choosing a medium popcorn because it seems cheaper compared to the large one. To avoid this, evaluate each option on its own. This helps you choose what you really want, not just what seems like a better deal in comparison.

THE AVAILABILITY HOURISTICS

Availability hueristics is when you judge the probability of events based on how easily you can remember them. You might think that plane crashes are common simply because they have been in the air so much.

the news recently. To avoid this, look for real facts and statistics before making a decision.

THE PLAYER'S FALLACY

The gambler's fallacy is when you think that past events affect future ones, especially in random situations like thinking you're about to win after losing a coin toss several times. Remember that each event is independent, especially in random scenarios. This helps you make decisions based on logic and not false patterns.

BIAS IN HINDSIGHT

Hindsight bias is when you believe after an event has occurred that you predicted it even though you didn't, such as after a match saying you knew the outcome all along.

THE REACTION BIAS

Reaction bias is when you want to do the opposite of what you're told because you feel like your freedom is being threatened. Like not wanting to wear your seat belt just because a sign says you have to. To avoid this, focus on why the action is beneficial to you, not because you are told to do it.

ACTION BIAS

Action bias is when you feel pressured to act, even when doing nothing is a better option. Like feeling like you have to do something in a slow business period when waiting might be more prudent. To avoid this, consider the benefits of patience and not acting. Sometimes the best action is not to act.

SURVIVAL BIAS

Survivorship bias is when you only notice the great successes and forget about the struggles and failures. It's like thinking that having your own business means wearing suits and sitting in fancy offices just because that's what you see. In the media you don't see the sleepless nights, the arguments with their partners, the difficult decisions and the risks they took to get there. Before entering into a new business, investigate both sides to get a real insight.

THE PRINCIPLE OF UNITY

The principle of unity is when you are most convinced by people who you feel are part of your group. How to trust a product more if the person selling it comes from your hometown. To avoid it, make your decisions

based on the information not just on who presents it

THE ZEIGARNICK EFFECT

The Zeigarnick effect is when you remember incomplete tasks better than completed ones. For example, constantly thinking about a report that you need to finish. To use this to your advantage, organize tomorrow today. Every day, for example at lunchtime, take a few minutes and plan your next day. The moment you create a plan in your mind, the subconscious will work on it in the background. When you wake up the next day you'll have a clear to-do list, plus some creative ideas.

THE PASSER BY EFFECT

The bystander effect is when you are less likely to help someone in need when others are present. For example, not speaking in a meeting because you think someone else will. Avoid sending an email or a request to a group of people and saying: "hey can someone help me", everyone will probably ignore it thinking that someone else will help. Instead, direct your request to a specific person.

THE AMBIGUITY EFFECT

The ambiguity effect is essentially our tendency to avoid decisions that are unclear, even if they could lead to better outcomes. For example, when you're at a restaurant instead of trying a new dish that you might end up loving, you go for the same average meal you always order. Evaluate the risks and benefits of ambiguous options. Sometimes taking well-calculated risks can lead to significant rewards.

THE CURSE OF KNOWLEDGE

The curse of knowledge is when you assume others know what you know which leads to unclear communication. To avoid this, put yourself in your audience's shoes and imagine what it was like when you were a beginner. Imagine what it was like without knowing it and explain it, as if you were explaining it to your younger version.

THE ILLUSION OF AVERAGES

The illusion of averages is the mistaken belief that average numbers always reveal the whole story. For example, you are in a car with two of your best friends and you do the average wealth in the car, suddenly your friend's friend also gets in and it turns out to be Elon Musk, now can you tell me what the average wealth is in that car? ? You see it's silly to talk about averages in this case, that's why it always goes deeper.

especially in business and investing depending on the size of the data, averages might not mean anything.

THE ENDOWMENT EFFECT

The endowment effect is when you value something more just because you own it, like not throwing away your old clothes despite the fact that you no longer wear them and there is no shelf space. To avoid this, see things from a stranger's perspective.

I will discuss many of the principles mentioned in this article in greater depth in future installments. If you want more information, follow me on this platform (Bulb: @1nfinity - https://www.bulbapp.io?referral_code=vrjvgt). AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR READING ME.