Anchoring Bias

Humans tend to use the previous thing as a point of reference to judge the current thing.

I’d like to share a mental model that helps you get the most out of Jiu-Jitsu. Or life, really.

It’s called the anchoring bias. Maybe you’ve heard of it before, but I’m guessing you haven’t considered it in the context of Jiu-Jitsu.

The anchoring bias is the natural human tendency to use the previous thing as a point of reference to judge the current thing.

Let’s give a real-life example of the anchoring bias. Ever been in a job interview where they asked you how much you’re currently making? You know why they do that, right? It’s because they’re looking to your prior employer for cues as to “what you’re worth.”

When you tell a potential employer what you’re currently getting paid, you’re giving them an “anchor” to benchmark what they should pay you. And you can bet any offer you get won’t be far off from that benchmark. That’s the anchoring bias in action.

(Side note: That “how much are you currently making” tactic is bullshit and sometimes not even legal. Never answer that question. The correct answer is always either, “That information isn’t relevant to why I’m here today,” or, “I can’t disclose that due to confidentiality.”)

Similarly, it’s a common (and somewhat unethical) negotiation tactic to open with a lowball offer and make the other party haggle for something more reasonable. If I quote you $10,000 that might sound like a lot…but if I open with a $20,000 offer and let you haggle me down to $10,000, suddenly it feels like you got a really good deal! The outcome is the same either way: you pay $10,000. But if we started with a higher “anchor” you’ll feel a lot better about the price, even if you’d pay $10,000 either way.

The anchoring bias is a mental shortcut we use to make faster decisions. But like all biases, this shortcut doesn’t guarantee those quick decisions will be good ones.

Like most biases, the way to overcome the anchoring bias is with awareness. This starts with recognizing when you’re being anchored, either by yourself or someone else.

Releasing the anchors

If you are being “anchored,” you need to release that anchor immediately.

Sometimes the anchor is self-imposed. You might be afraid to ask for more money because you’re so used to being underpaid. That’s a roadblock you need to overcome for yourself.

Sometimes, however, the anchor is imposed by the people around you. Maybe your boss, coach, your team see you at a certain level. Maybe they even like having you stuck at that level, if it serves them.

When someone else is anchoring you, you’ve got three choices:

#1: Accept it, and live with the status quo.

#2: Make them aware of this bias and convince them to discard it. (Yes, this is as difficult as it sounds.)

#3: Change your environment. Start fresh in a place where those anchors don’t exist. And whatever you do, don’t bring the anchors with you.

Although changing your environment is the most drastic option, unfortunately it’s often the only option that works. No matter how hard you try, you can’t force the people around you to see you as more than they currently do. If you have bigger aspirations than your team will support, it might be time to move on.

This isn’t just about switching jobs because your boss won’t give you a promotion. It’s relevant to Jiu-Jitsu too. Changing your environment is an incredible opportunity to reset and reinvent yourself. Sometimes the secret to achieving your goals is as simple as a fresh start.

I’m sure we can all think of Jiu-Jitsu athletes who switched camps and suddenly looked like totally different competitors. When I see this, I sometimes wonder if their transformation was really the result of a new coach or team. Maybe it’s as simple as moving on from an environment that was holding them back.

My advice: release your anchors. The anchoring bias shows us why it’s so important to continually reinvent ourselves. It’s hard to make quantum leaps forward when you’re surrounded by biases holding you back.

On the podcast:

• Ep. 307: Agents & Representation, feat. Sara Rafferty

Further study:

• Anchoring Bias — The Decision Lab