Becoming Anchor-Proof

You cannot eliminate anchoring, but you can reduce its grip:

• Set your own number first — before any negotiation, decide your figure backed by data, so someone else's number cannot become your starting point
• In negotiations, make the first offer to set the anchor in your favor
• When you see a "sale price," ignore the original and ask: "What is this actually worth to me?"
• Consider the opposite — if a number seems high, deliberately build the case for the lowest defensible value

The most important defense is awareness. Simply knowing that the first number you hear will bias everything that follows gives you a fighting chance to resist its pull.