We consistently underestimate how long things will take.
Kahneman showed that humans use an "inside view" — imagining the best case from their perspective — rather than the "outside view" — how long similar projects actually take. The result is chronic optimism about timelines, followed by chronic disappointment.
Take your current timeline estimate for a project. Double it. Then ask whether that doubled estimate is closer to realistic.
What current project or goal are you planning from an inside view? What does the historical average of similar efforts suggest about realistic timelines?
Turn one idea into a daily practice. Life OS is a free, private two-minute check-in across the five pillars of a full life — with a Sunday review and a banyan that grows with you.
Practise this daily →