Cart and horse fallacy
Don't think bold, don't think big, think right
This is the first article in my new series on cognitive strategic biases. In this series I’ll research some common biases, myths, and clichés that prevent us from thinking clearly when strategizing. Subscribe and you won’t miss anything interesting.
If somebody gave me a dollar for every time I saw the slogan “Think big,” or “Think bold” on LinkedIn, Elon Musk would envy my fortune.
Dreaming big has become a mantra of strategic thinking. If the fact that you worth less than Jeff Bezos or Warren Buffet doesn’t keep you up at night, you’re not ambitious enough.
Many pop-strategists share this platitude on social media. And it is reasonable. That’s how they get a lot of what Eric Berne called ‘strokes’ – likes and reposts.
When a song is familiar, it’s easier to sing along.
But there are two problems with ‘bold thinking’ – minor one and major one.
The minor problem
‘The slopes of Everest are covered with the bodies of ambitious, highly-motivated people'
Unk…