Did you know that the first number you're shown, no matter how random or unrelated, can unconsciously shape the decisions you make afterward? 

This is known as anchoring bias. It's a cognitive bias where people rely heavily on the first piece of information (the "anchor") when making judgments, even the number is irrelevant.

In a classic study, psychologists Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman asked participants to spin a rigged wheel that landed on either 10 or 65. Afterward, they were asked to estimate the percentage of African countries in the United Nations. Participants who spun 10 gave significantly lower estimates than those who spun 65, showing how even arbitrary, unrelated numbers can sway judgment.

Anchoring bias shows up in everyday life. For example, in salary negotiations, the first number mentioned often sets the tone for the entire discussion, and can heavily influence the final agreement. 

Understanding anchoring bias can help you pause and reassess whether your decisions are grounded in real value, or just being influenced by the first number that caught your eye.

Source: Tversky & Kahneman, 1974

Change is hard, even if it’s a change you want to make. Maybe you’ve been told by your doctor that you should change your lifestyle to reduce your risk of disease. We all know that lifestyle choices directly and indirectly impact our health and well-being. Eating too much sugar can put us at risk for diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Lack of activity can put us at risk for heart disease and increase our risk for falls as we age. Not enough quality sleep puts us at increased risk for cognitive decline, among many other things. 

The list goes on and on. Behavior change can seem overwhelming. Especially knowing where to start and how. Here's a few tips from our National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Jenn Stover

Identify your values

As a health coach, I often recommend that clients start by identifying their values. Your values, or what is most important to you, will be a road map for your behaviors. What do you care about most? What makes you feel fulfilled? What is meaningful? Is it family? Your health? Your career? What brings you joy and peace? What makes you feel content? Once your values are clear to you, they become your guiding force.  

Find your “why”

The next step is to ask yourself, “Why?” Why is this behavior change important? What would it mean if I were able to achieve this change? What would I be able to accomplish? What would it feel like?  Is this behavior change meaningful to me? How is this shift in behavior meaningful? How does this behavior align with my values?  “How will making this change improve my life?” The more your reasons for change align with your values, the more likely you are to make the change. 

Set realistic goals

Once you have decided on a lifestyle change, here are a few things to consider: Set small, measurable goals. Monitor your progress; pay attention to progress, not perfection. Try thinking of goals as experiments or trials. The phrases I keep hearing lately are ‘that without experimentation, there is no learning’ and ‘growth mindset’. When we try new things, we learn about ourselves. Then we understand what works and doesn’t work for us, and have grown in the process.