1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: tip is that knowing what you need to do is 4 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 1: not enough. It also takes smart planning to make progress 5 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: toward your goals. Psychologist Laurie Santos and philosopher and cognitive 6 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:33,839 Speaker 1: scientist Tamar Jindler have written about what they call the 7 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 1: Gi Joe fallacy. Listeners of a certain age may be 8 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 1: able to guess what this is. Each episode of the 9 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:47,160 Speaker 1: nineteen eighties cartoon Gi Joe ended with a public service 10 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:51,519 Speaker 1: announcement providing a tip for making good choices, things like 11 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 1: don't give a stranger your address or don't tell anyone 12 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 1: you're home alone. Now I know, the informed child would say, 13 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: and knowing is half the battle, the PSA would conclude. 14 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:07,679 Speaker 1: It turns out Gijo is wrong. According to these experts, 15 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: in a lot of domains, knowing is actually less than 16 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 1: half the battle. Hence the fallacy. Knowledge alone isn't enough 17 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 1: to make good choices. We are more influenced by the 18 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: situation and our habits and emotions. I think if you 19 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:27,759 Speaker 1: think about it, this will seem pretty clear. Most people 20 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:30,320 Speaker 1: know that to lose weight. We are supposed to eat 21 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 1: well in exercise, but that doesn't mean we do it. 22 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: We know that we are supposed to save for a 23 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 1: rainy day or for retirement. I don't think a lot 24 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,679 Speaker 1: of people didn't know that saving money was a good thing. 25 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 1: It's just that in the moment, there are often other 26 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: things to spend money on. Knowing is part of the battle, 27 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:55,080 Speaker 1: but probably not half of it. Instead, we can set 28 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 1: ourselves up for success by shaping our environments. If you 29 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 1: don't want to drink alcohol, don't have it in the house. 30 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: If you don't want to eat junk food, don't keep 31 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:09,359 Speaker 1: it around. Stock your pantry with healthy snacks so they're 32 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:11,679 Speaker 1: right in front of you. If you want to spend 33 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 1: less time on social media, delete the social media apps 34 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 1: from your phone. If you want to save money, create 35 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 1: an automatic transfer from your paycheck to your investment accounts 36 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 1: so you never even see the cash. You might also 37 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:30,160 Speaker 1: try making a plan. You may intend not to drink 38 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: at a party because you know you have a big 39 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: workout planned in the morning, but if you don't have 40 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 1: a plan for what you'll say when someone offers you 41 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:40,840 Speaker 1: a glass of wine. Knowing that you will feel better 42 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:45,079 Speaker 1: if you don't drink. Isn't going to be enough? Instead, 43 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: maybe you decide in advance that you will say, Oh, 44 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: I'd love a Seltzer, let me go glab that the 45 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 1: gido fallacy confirms what we have probably realized from experience, 46 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 1: knowing what we need to do isn't enough, It isn't 47 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: how the battle. Instead, we are wise to also shape 48 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:09,399 Speaker 1: our environment, build habits, and plan to set ourselves up 49 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 1: for success. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, 50 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 1: and here's to making the most of our time. Thanks 51 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: for listening to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, 52 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 1: or feedback, you can reach me at Laura at Laura 53 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 1: vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. 54 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, 55 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.