Escape from your comfort zone

We may think we like to go against the grain, but status quo bias says we prefer to keep most things the way they are.

Humans are creatures of habit. We enjoy keeping things as they are. It’s comforting and familiar to know that things will continue in much the way we expect them to. Plus, there’s a large amount of effort associated with implementing change, so we’re inclined to stay in our comfort zones. It’s why we keep our cell phone plans, despite knowing we can get a better deal with another provider. How extreme is our discomfort with rocking boats? In one study, more than half of participants said that if they were told their entire life was a simulation and they were given the opportunity to escape, they would choose to stay. So if you’re living in the Matrix and you’re happy with it, then Neo can go bother someone else.

Use this knowledge: Change is hard, but once a new habit is formed your natural laziness can be used reinforce it. How? By setting up an automated transfer to a goal account, your brain grows used to seeing that money disappear—and seeing your goal account grow. You can set it and forget.