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In real life our behavior is far more complex than the textbook allows and often confounds the idea that we’re purely rational.

…when it comes to even the most important positions, our selection decisions are a good deal less rational than we think.

…a lack of sleep causes people to make lousy decisions and turns them into impatient jerks – and when deprivation is severe, people turn irrational and fly into wild rages.

In decisions about whether to move forward, they do take into account what they’ve already spent. They do this because they irrationally think that the only way to recover or justify the costs is if they continue on.

Whether is comes to following through with diet plans or work plans or study plans… precommitment contracts get people to act more rationally.

…an outside observer, like a friend or a loved one, is much more likely to have a rational view on your situation, because they are not in it with you.

It’s our decision whether to quit, and we’re the ones least equipped to make a rational choice.

Diversification doesn’t just afford you a softer landing if you’re forced to quit. It also helps you to make more rational decisions about walking away from something that’s no longer worth pursuing.

…goals have a dark side. They point to numerous negative consequences of goal setting, several of which interfere with rational quitting behavior.

…when dealing with emerging trends, you may very well have to go against rational extrapolation of data and rely instead on anecdotal observations and your instincts.