Why Fifty Bits?

Q.Why do we so often make choices that cost us money, threaten our health, and lead to other bad outcomes?

A.Our brains process about 10 million bits of information per second. But the part of which we’re consciously aware – our minds – process only fifty bits per second.

Almost everything our brains do is automatic, happening below the radar and beyond our grasp. This leads to lots of inattention and inertia. And that keeps us from engaging in better behaviors and decisions.

Fortunately, there are seven proven strategies for activating the good intentions we already have. We can use these strategies to craft interactions designed to address this “fifty bits” limitation.

That’s the power of fifty bits – the new science of turning good intentions into positive results.