INVESTMENTS & PENSIONS
WE ’ RE LIVING IN THE MOS UNCERTAIN TIMES THE WO HAS EVER KNOWN . AND , I RESPONSE IT ’ S NATURAL T WANT TO PLAY IT SAFE .
This article is written by Sam Conniff from the Uncertainty Experts . It represents the views and opinions of Sam Conniff and does not necessarily represent the views or opinion of Aviva .
In fact , our brains default to ‘ safety mode ’. Their job is to keep and safe from harm . But , for the world that we ’ re living in now , safety begins to mean something different . “ Safe ” can stop us from making bold decisions , and it can keep our clients timid and risk-averse .
But , the more you know about how your brain is wired , the more you can make bold decisions that will support you to better support your clients , improve your relationships and enable you to deliver on your ambitious growth plans .
In this article , you ’ ll learn :
1 . What a Safety Behaviour is , why it ’ s unhelpful , and how to avoid it
2 . Why fear of regret can be a powerful decision-making tool
3 . Why uncertainty creates ideal neural conditions for learning
SAFETY BEHAVIOURS
Uncertainty makes people afraid . So , it ’ s useful to know that there ’ s very real science behind why we play it safe .
PLAYING IT SAFE
Doom scrolling , binge-watching boxsets , emotionally eating the cupboards bare ( please stop when you feel seen ). Whether it ’ s online shopping , gambling or worse , every single one of us engages in safety behaviours to distract us from the discomfort of the unknown .
Safety behaviours are a very simple and evolutionary nervous system conditioning . In the psychology and scientific research of uncertainty , we ’ re learning that our need for safety guides everything we do : our behaviours , the choices we make and the societies we build .
My most persistent safety behaviour is a glass of wine . If I ’ ve had a bad day today and I ’ ve got a big day tomorrow , a large glass or two of Malbec seems like a great idea — even though I know it ’ s going to make work , life and parenting more difficult tomorrow .
SEEMING-SAFE SOCIETIES
So the question is , what can we do about it , how can we stop undermining our long term
decisions , with our short term fears ? Well , the answer lies in one of the stories of the Uncertainty Experts I shared in the last Aviva Wealth Advisers Forums .
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