Key Takeaway
Slow down to speed up. Quick fixes are comfort pills, not cures.
A child asks “why?” to everything.An adult follows instructions without asking once.
Somewhere between growing up and fitting in,we replaced curiosity with convenience.
And without realizing it,we stopped being informed… and started being influenced
Welcome to another blog—one that doesn’t aim to overload you with information, but to spark a few thoughtful, almost childlike questions.
Because somewhere along the way, we stopped questioning out of curiosity.And that, perhaps, is the real problem.
Before we dive into examples, let’s establish a simple but powerful distinction:
Being influenced is fast thinking.Being informed is slow thinking.
Influenced decisions are quick, effortless, and often driven by emotion, repetition, or social validation.Informed decisions, on the other hand, require pause, attention, and conscious effort.
This idea is deeply explored in Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman, where human thinking is explained through two systems—one instinctive and fast, the other deliberate and analytical.
In a world that rewards speed, we are naturally drifting toward influence over understanding.
Finance: Convenience vs Clarity
In the financial world, a common narrative is:
“SIP in mutual funds is the right way.”
While this may be broadly valid, the real question is—did you arrive at this decision, or did it arrive at you?
If you’ve started an SIP through an agent or recommendation, pause and reflect:
- Why this particular fund?
- Why not other similar options?
- Who is the fund manager?
- Where exactly is your money being allocated?
- What risks or underlying factors are you overlooking?
Or was the decision influenced by:
- Social media messaging,
- Popular opinion, or
- Familiar voices saying, “Mutual fund sahi hai…”
That is fast thinking—being influenced.
But when you take the time to evaluate, compare, and understand—that is slow thinking—being informed.
And when it comes to money, the difference is not small.It’s fundamental.
Health: Trends vs Understanding
Now consider the health space, where another popular belief exists:
“Diet and workout are essential for good health.”
Again, not wrong—but rarely questioned.
What does dieting actually mean?
- Is it simply calorie counting?
- How did humans maintain health before modern tools and metrics?
- How did our ancestors live without structured “diet plans”?
- Is everything labeled “scientific” genuinely grounded in truth?
- Or is it sometimes a structured distraction that keeps the mind occupied?
Blindly following a trending diet is fast thinking.Understanding your body, habits, and needs—that is slow thinking.
And perhaps more importantly:What do we really mean when we say something is “scientific”?
Does labeling something as science automatically make it superior to nature—or just more acceptable?
Across both money and health, the pattern remains the same:
Fast thinking seeks convenience.Slow thinking seeks clarity.
One follows.The other questions.
Final Thought
This blog is not here to tell you what is right or wrong.
It serves a simpler purpose:to remind you to pause.
To question.
To think.
Because ultimately, the difference between an informed life and an influenced oneis the difference between:
- Speed and depth
- Reaction and awareness
- Dependency and ownership
And the quality of your life will always reflectwhich side you choose more often.
Thanks for staying till last. Keep enjoying mindful contents.Till then stay healthy stay safe and enjoy your life.