Ever caught yourself thinking, “I thought I had enough time for this!” or, “Why am I always running late on my plans?” It’s like a never-ending loop of setting goals, missing the mark, then scratching your head in wonder.
The evidence shows that the so-called planning error is a common hiccup. In educational institutions you can see the traces of this planning fallacy, as both the teachers and students trip over it.[1] In the tech industry, only a third of projects are completed on time. Industrial design, however, takes a staggering 3.5 times as long as expected. And let’s not even talk about writers – almost 90% of them are fashionably late with their manuscripts.[2]
So, here’s the deal: If you’re serious about upping your planning game, it’s time to steer clear of the planning fallacy. Let’s figure out how.
The Planning Fallacy: Unveiling it
Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman, two giants of psychology and behavioral economy, gave us an alert about a sneaky mental trap:
In a paper from 1979,[3] They pointed out that humans have an odd habit. We often rely on our gut feeling when predicting the future instead of being logical or analytical.
The catch? Our guts aren’t always right. These mistakes…
