Why is it that even the smartest and most accomplished scholars cannot decide on:

• How to fix our deficit
• Whether  foreign trade is good or bad
•  What is causing the earth's warming trends
• The best way to educate our children

and the list goes on and on. The answer is that we all look at issues through our own beliefs, that were formed and influenced by our past experiences, teachings or influences from our mentors. We developed our mental models by adding and suppressing evidence for everything we encounter. We call those mental models paradigms or beliefs.  Nothing indicates that the information we store is true at all and psychologists have proven that they can insert details in our mental models which are completely made up. When we look through our paradigms about events we focus on issues and evidence which match our expectations and suppress everything which is contradicting. Our paradigms determine our reactions to issues we are confronted with and consequently they create emotions, which drive our behaviors and actions.  Over time our mental models become more and more powerful and when asked a question, we can automatically regurgitate all those "facts" we "know for sure" and are the basis of the paradigm. If somebody knows us well they know our paradigms and thus can predict with close to a 100% accuracy how we will react and decide given a certain situation.

Paradigm --> Actions "predictable" --> Outcome "same old"

Given the need for better outcomes, when should we use our rational and when our emotional brain? Both have their own challenges. If we rationalize everything, we have to slow down decision making, have to analyze facts and develop criteria to decide. Simple questions like:

• Which wine tastes best
• Which picture do we prefer
• Which car to buy

can become incredibly complex. Emotionally we know which wine we prefer or which picture looks best. If we have to rationalize it we need to develop criteria to come up with the facts for a decision. Which color combination is best, should the focal point be in the front or back of a picture? And all of a sudden the most expensive wine tastes best even if it is identical to the low priced sample and the picture by a famous artist comes out on top.  Why? Our rational brain adds general beliefs like:

• Inexpensive means lower quality
• "Facts" cannot be disregarded or
• Medicine, even replaced by a placebo, must have certain results

In addition, it takes forever to gather facts in complex situations and that slows us down. On the emotional side we look to avoid the bad and push happiness.

• Bad is stronger than good; so we try to avoid bad at all expenses
• Pleasure now is better than later
• "Wants" emotions versus "needs" rationales

If we have the choice between $200 today or $220 in four weeks, most will choose the $200 now. And for most low teaser rates on a credit card or mortgage are better than lower long term rates.

So, just relying on either one too much is equally bad. Good decision making therefore starts with analyzing the situation and not just using our paradigms. This puts us in a position to make a better choice when looking at the facts. If you have more than 5 (plus/minus 2) decision criteria, your decision should be made by your emotional brain. In most situations whatever feels the best will lead you to the best answer.

Fewer criteria can be accurately and best decided by your rational brain. We are well equipped to analyze and weigh 5 (plus/minus 2) decision criteria to choose what is best for us.

Sometimes narrowing a huge selection down with your rational brain and making the final decision emotionally is the correct approach.

Try it and you will make different (better) decisions. Different thinking will lead to different actions and new (better) outcomes.