The illusion of control
The illusion of control is the tendency to overestimate our own influence on events that are random or only partially dependent on us.
Definition
This phenomenon appears especially where people want to feel predictable: in risk, randomness, games, investing or assessing the future. The illusion of control may temporarily reduce anxiety, but it makes it difficult to learn from data because it directs attention to rituals, over-interpretations and apparent dependencies. Healthy agency is about distinguishing the area of influence from the area of uncertainty.
Key ideas
Missing key ideas.
Practice and life
When making a difficult decision, divide the sheet of paper into three parts: I have influence, I have partial influence, I have no influence. Plan activities only in the first two areas.
Common misunderstanding
It is a mistake to go to both extremes: to assume that everything depends on me, or that I have no influence. A common mistake is to interpret a single success as evidence of control over the entire system.
Questions for self-reflection
No questions for self-reflection.
Sources
No sources.