Five You Repeat Daily

Most everyday slips come down to a short list. Watch for these in your own head, not just other people's:

• Confirmation bias — collecting facts that back what you already think, and skipping the ones that don't
• Ad hominem — rejecting a point because you dislike the person making it
• Appeal to emotion — deciding by how a thing feels rather than what the evidence shows
• Sunk cost — sticking with a failing plan because you already poured in time or money
• False dilemma — seeing only two options when several exist

Naming the pattern as it happens is the first real step to breaking it.