Summary

Anchoring bias is a quiet manipulator—it doesn’t force decisions, it frames them. The best defense is awareness. When faced with a number, ask yourself: What would I think if I didn’t know this reference point? Resetting your baseline breaks the illusion. Whether it’s a price tag, a statistic, or a self-judgment, remember: the first number isn’t always the truth—it’s just the starting point of persuasion.