Issue #17

We spend a surprising amount of energy trying to feel right.
We defend our opinions, cherry-pick examples, and build sympathetic stories about ourselves.
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Especially among doctors, this habit is as common as potholes on Indian roads.

But when your decisions shape another human’s life, there’s a huge difference between being right and merely feeling right.

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What “Feeling Right” Actually Is

It’s the mental yoga we do—knowingly or unknowingly—to protect our ego.

We ignore facts that may prove us wrong.
We build arguments that paint us as the hero of the story.
We blame the external world for things that are actually in our control.

Science has a fancy term for this: self-serving bias.

If you’ve ever said things like:
• “The idea was good (your idea), but… the execution was poor.”
• “If only I were rich/smart/good-looking, I would’ve nailed it.”
• “I did everything right; the system failed me.”

Congratulations—you chose to feel right rather than risk being wrong.

Why?
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Because being right requires vulnerability.
It means confronting facts that may embarrass us.

And honestly —who willingly leaves the warm blanket of ego-comfort to stand in the cold wind of accountability?

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What “Being Right” Means

Being right means stepping back and assessing facts purely on their merit.
No excuses. No comforting stories. No heroic self-editing.

You may need to say, “Maybe my idea wasn’t good enough for the constraints.”
Or, “Maybe I need to improve myself instead of explaining away my shortcomings.”

Being right is uncomfortable in the short term… but compounds in a good way many times over in the long term.

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A Simple Way to Escape Self-Serving Bias

Write the facts down.

Writing separates you from the story.
It forces clarity.
It exposes assumptions.
It removes the convenient shortcuts your brain takes to “save your ass.”

Use prompts like:

• What facts did I rely on when I formed this idea?
• What steps did I actually take?
• Which outcomes were truly outside my control, and which weren’t?
• What evidence contradicts my view?
• If someone else presented this same reasoning, would I buy it?

The more precise you are, the less room bias has to hide.

What do you think?

Awaiting your reply.

Cheers,

Dr. Vishal.