General Knowledge Everyone Should Know (Batch 1 of 2)

To test hypotheses through observation and experiment

To describe philosophical beliefs

To prove theories permanently

To collect only qualitative opinions

Fixed mindset: talents are fixed

Growth mindset: abilities can be developed

Procrastination mindset: delay tasks

Perfectionist mindset: avoid mistakes

Government-imposed fees

The monetary cost only

The value of the best alternative foregone

The total sunk costs

Prioritizing tasks by importance and urgency

Always saying yes to requests

Multitasking between many tasks

Waiting until inspiration strikes

Produce energy for cells

Store genetic instructions for development and function

Act as a structural muscle component

Transport oxygen in blood

Relying on social media comments

Cross-checking claims with multiple reputable sources

Trusting the first article you read

Only reading headlines

Law based solely on tradition

Rule of law ensuring everyone is subject to the law

Rule by a single leader without constraints

No legal systems at all

Ignoring all costs in decisions

Continuing a course due to past investments rather than current value

Choosing options based on future benefits only

Always minimizing initial expenses

Avoiding deadlines to reduce stress

Relying on vague verbal instructions

Shortening all messages to one word

Using specific, measurable objectives when assigning tasks

Biodiversity reduces oxygen production

Fewer species always lower productivity

Only aesthetic value matters

Diverse species increase resilience and ecosystem stability

Establish tax rates for citizens

Regulate daily commercial contracts

Define fundamental principles and distribution of government power

Serve as a travel document

Ignore feedback during practice

Memorize without understanding

Break material into small, focused chunks

Cram everything in one long session

Vitamins

Water

Fiber

Carbohydrates

Saving only once a decade

Automating regular contributions to savings or investments

Keeping savings only in cash at home

Investing randomly without plan

Only physical files ever need backup

Backups slow systems and are harmful

Redundancy prevents total data loss when failures occur

Faster processors eliminate the need for backups

Ignoring social cues

Recognizing and managing one's own and others' emotions

Suppressing emotions completely

Only intellectual problem solving

Inflation rate measured by a consumer price index

Number of new startups

Unrelated weather reports

Daily stock market ticker

They are only useful for math problems

They simplify complex situations and guide better decisions

They replace data entirely

They guarantee perfect predictions

Changing questions per candidate freely

Structured interviews using the same criteria for all candidates

Relying only on informal gut feelings

Hiring the first impressed candidate

Hydropower, which never changes

Nuclear power, because it stops at night

Solar power, due to variability with sunlight

Geothermal power, which depends on tides

Feedback always confuses learners

It only matters after mastery is reached

It should be avoided to maintain confidence

It directs improvement by identifying errors and guiding adjustments

Combining vaccination, hand hygiene, and ventilation

Ignoring symptoms while socializing

Opening windows without other measures

Only relying on herbal remedies

Reading once quickly before sleep

Relying on passive exposure only

Cramming the night before tests

Spaced repetition of material over time

Using only technical jargon

Avoiding solutions in messages

Connecting climate impacts to local, immediate concerns

Focusing solely on distant future scenarios

Using strong, unique passwords and two-factor authentication

Posting personal documents publicly

Sharing passwords with friends for convenience

Using the same password everywhere

It mandates all stakeholders approve the initial plan

It guarantees that no unexpected risks will occur

It replaces the need for regular progress updates

It forces teams to imagine possible failures and plan mitigations

Actively searching for evidence that could disprove the argument

Assuming details are true if the language seems authoritative

Trusting the first source you encounter

Only considering the most popular perspective

Rely exclusively on credit cards for emergencies

Keep funds in your checking account to access them easily

Only save after major purchases are complete

Automate small recurring transfers to a separate savings account

Zero-sum thinking — every gain equals a loss

Availability heuristic — base judgment on vivid examples

Regression to the mean — expecting extreme results to move toward average

Sunk cost focus — prioritize past investments

Using simple analogies that map to the audience's experience

Assuming everyone shares your background knowledge

Adding as much technical detail as possible

Avoiding any examples to stay concise

Blocking all unfamiliar accounts

Teaching people to verify claims with primary sources and cross-checks

Relying solely on algorithms to filter content

Trusting widely shared posts as accurate

Highlighting every interesting sentence

Rereading the same paragraph repeatedly

Periodically recalling key ideas from memory without looking

Skimming multiple books at once

Reducing frequent short car trips by combining errands or using transit

Switching light bulbs without changing usage patterns

Buying the most expensive household products

Only focusing on recycling at home

Exploring underlying interests before stating demands

Refusing to make any concessions early

Only discussing price and ignoring other terms

Using aggressive deadlines to pressure the other side

Napping late in the evening to make up for lost sleep

Relying on energy drinks to stay alert

Checking screens right before bed to catch up

Keeping a consistent sleep and wake schedule, even on weekends

Avoiding planning and improvising daily

Making each decision anew to stay flexible

Delegating only complex decisions, not routine ones

Creating standard rules or defaults for recurring decisions

It is published in a blog post

The claim lacks replication or independent verification

The claim uses technical language

It comes from a university

Rewarding only outcomes without evaluating processes

Allowing leaders to self-audit without oversight

Promoting secrecy about decisions to prevent leaks

Establishing transparent accountability and reporting channels

Waiting months before considering what went wrong

Blaming external factors without analysis

Conducting brief root-cause reflections immediately after the event

Ignoring mistakes to avoid discouragement

Trusting gut feeling without data

Relying solely on vivid recent examples

Assuming worst-case outcomes are most likely

Comparing your estimate to base rates or historical data

Skipping meals to lower calorie intake

Drinking energy drinks to maintain alertness

Eating only sugary snacks between meals

Combining carbohydrates with protein or healthy fats at meals

Use predictable patterns based on the site name

Memorize one strong password for all sites

Use a reputable password manager to generate and store unique passwords

Write passwords on paper and keep them in your wallet

Set very vague broad intentions

Change many habits at once for quick results

Rely solely on strong motivation spikes

Attach the new behavior to an existing routine and make it specific

How visually professional the website looks

If the source shares your political views

How often the content is posted

Whether the source cites evidence and allows verification

Defining clear acceptance criteria and change processes upfront

Changing scope frequently to adapt to new ideas

Allowing any stakeholder to change scope informally

Avoiding documentation to stay flexible

Avoiding all news to reduce stress

Only consuming content that agrees with you

Refusing to discuss politics with neighbors

Engaging in informed voting and civil dialogue about policy choices

Taking sole credit to appear competent

Withholding praise to avoid favoritism

Regularly giving credit for others' contributions publicly

Only addressing problems in private never publicly

Use a reference class by comparing to similar past cases

Rely exclusively on expert intuition without data

Assume your project is unique and ignore precedents

Double estimates when unsure to be safe

Cooking large batches without freezing extras

Buying bulk without a plan to save money

Plan meals, shop with a list, and store food properly

Ignoring expiration dates entirely

Assuming footnotes imply accuracy without checking them

Checking referenced studies and following up on key citations

Relying on reviews instead of primary claims

Only reading the author's biography for credibility