We often hold tightly to what we already believe, even when new information challenges us to think differently. It feels safer to confirm our assumptions than to question them. However, that habit can quietly limit our growth. True wisdom begins when we recognize the pull of self-deception and make space for humility, truth, and change.
What the human being is best at doing
is interpreting all new information so that
their prior conclusions remain intact.
— Warren Buffett
Watching college football is a thing in our family, and we make it especially exciting by endlessly texting each other about the plays, penalties, performances, and so on. Trying to keep up with the texting speed of some of them may actually burn calories.
During a recent rivalry game, it was interesting how some of us saw the results so differently, driven by our own allegiances, desired outcomes, and competitiveness.
How could we be watching the same game, with detailed replays, and still argue?
Progress is impossible without change,
and those who cannot change their
minds cannot change anything.
— George Bernard Shaw
Motivated reasoning arises when we have relentless confidence in what we already believe, interpreting events to support our case and ignoring conflicting evidence.
We all suffer from this mindset. Before considering all of the evidence, a preferred theory is quickly chosen, then evidence is gathered not to test it but to confirm it.
Facts don't go away when ignored, and such confirmation bias makes it very difficult to reason with each other. Our greatest foe isn't ignorance—it's the illusion of truth.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise
than for a man to hear the song of fools.
— Ecclesiastes 7:5
A tricky thing about motivated reasoning is that it doesn’t feel like self-deception.
It feels good as our minds confidently use false arguments that are so convincing. That’s what makes this delusional foolishness so powerfully dangerous to our cause.
Wisdom isn't a natural byproduct of our curriculum or professional development.
It comes from genuine pursuit, where we seek wise counsel, humble our prideful spirit, and thoughtfully reason. That level of self-awareness makes us trustworthy.
When you check your motivations, you’ll be avoiding the traps of self-deception to keep your mind open to Truth.
