The Science of Good Decisions: Why Thinking Less Can Sometimes Be Smarter
- Dominique Giger
- 9 hours ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
Leaders are often seen as rational decision-makers. They weigh options, calculate risks, and make choices based on experience and data. However, neuroscience paints a different picture: it is not rational thought, but energy management, unconscious patterns, and mental fatigue that shape how we decide. Those who understand the brain’s mechanisms make not only better but also healthier decisions.
The Brain: The Body’s Largest Energy Consumer
The human brain accounts for only about 2% of body weight but consumes around 20% of total energy. Every decision and deliberation costs measurable energy. Social psychologist Roy Baumeister coined the term Decision Fatigue to describe this phenomenon.
In experiments, he showed that participants, after a series of decisions, exhibited significantly less self-control, acted impulsively, or avoided making choices altogether.
In other words: the more exhausted our brain, the more irrational our decisions become.
Willpower Is Not a Matter of Discipline
For a long time, willpower was considered a question of character. According to Baumeister, however, it is a limited cognitive resource. How long it lasts depends not only on biology but also on mindset.
Psychologist Carol Dweck demonstrated in her studies that people who believe willpower is unlimited actually perform longer and achieve better results than those who believe it is limited.
Thus, the way we think about ourselves directly influences our neurobiological systems—a finding with far-reaching implications for leadership, self-management, and resilience.
Self-Control vs. Self-Regulation
Those who want to remain productive under stress must understand the difference between self-control and self-regulation.
Self-control means suppressing a short-term impulse, for example: “I will not eat cake.”
Self-regulation, in contrast, explores the cause: “Why do I crave something sweet right now?”
Only those who understand why they react can manage their behaviour in the long term.
Baumeister describes four guiding principles:
Standards: What rules do I set for myself? E.g., “After 9 PM, I no longer answer emails.”
Monitoring: Do I notice when I deviate?
Willpower: Trainable like a muscle, but finite.
Purpose: The “why” provides motivation and thus perseverance.
Four Strategies for Better Decisions
Research has identified proven methods to improve decision quality and conserve mental energy:
Implementation Intentions (“If-Then”-Plans):
Psychologist Peter Gollwitzer showed that clear if-then rules increase the likelihood of execution. Example: Everest climbers’ rule: “If it is after 3 PM, I turn back on the ascent, no matter where I am.”
Eliminate Trivial Decisions:
Steve Jobs almost always wore the same black turtleneck, and Barack Obama rotated only between two suit colours, conserving decision capacity for what truly matters.
Routines:
Habits take over decisions automatically when willpower is depleted. For example, if you go jogging every morning, it becomes routine and requires no conscious decision-making each day.
Organisation and Prioritisation:
Tools like to-do lists or Kanban boards relieve the brain. Additionally, completing tasks triggers dopamine release, reinforcing motivation.
Brain Nutrition Pyramid
Neuroscientist David Rock recommends seven mental energy sources in the Healthy Mind Platter: sleep, exercise, focused work, play, social connection, downtime, and mindfulness. Maintaining these restores cognitive performance.
The Subconscious Decides First
Conscious awareness processes roughly 40 pieces of information per second, whereas the subconscious handles 1.2 million.
This means most decisions emerge unconsciously. Our rational thinking explains them retrospectively. This also gives rise to implicit biases.
Neuroimaging studies show that the amygdala, the brain’s fear centre, reacts more strongly when people see unfamiliar faces, even without conscious prejudice.
These patterns are learned and therefore changeable.
Why Thinking Less Can Sometimes Be Smarter
Leaders often believe they must consciously analyse every decision. However, research shows:
When we take breaks and let our subconscious “continue working,” outcomes improve measurably.
The brain needs downtime to recognise patterns and develop creative solutions. Similar to a computer running background calculations.
About the Author
Dominique Giger is an expert in leadership, mindset, and transformation. She combines a Master of Science in Computer Science (ETH Zurich) with over 18 years of experience in international transformation management. As a consultant, coach, and speaker, her focus is on leadership in uncertain times, mental strength, and sustainable performance.
She is the host of the podcast “Humanity in the Age of AI”, in which she translates scientific insights about the brain into practical, everyday leadership strategies.
🎧 This episode is based on episode #22:“What Everest Climbers, Steve Jobs, and Barack Obama Have in Common - What Really Drives Our Brain”
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/folge-22-was-unser-gehirn-wirklich-steuert-und-wie/id1801021329?i=1000732154144
References
Baumeister, R. F. et al. (1998). Ego Depletion: Is the Active Self a Limited Resource? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Dweck, C. et al. (2010). Willpower: It’s All in Your Head. Psychological Science
Gollwitzer, P. (1999). Implementation Intentions: Strong Effects of Simple Plans. American Psychologist
Rock, D. & Siegel, D. (2011). The Healthy Mind Platter. NeuroLeadership Journal
Phelps, E. A. et al. (2000). Performance on Indirect Measures of Race Evaluation Predicts Amygdala Activation. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
Dijksterhuis, A. (2006). The Unconscious Thought Theory
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