Split Thinking: Why We Act Irrationally and How to Reclaim Consistency

For a brief period in my younger years, I worked out at the gym with a friend. The gym was a bit of a drive from where we lived, so we typically drove there and parked in the lot next to the gym. Occasionally, when the lot was full, we needed to park a few minutes away- just a short 2–3 minute walk.

Even when we knew in advance that we’d likely find parking only in the farther lot, we still circled around hoping to find a closer spot to save an extra few steps. And then- ironically- we’d enter the gym and start our workout, which began, of course, with enthusiastic walking!

We’d laugh at ourselves, calling it out for what it was: two lazy guys trying to avoid a 3-minute walk, only to then sweat it out on a treadmill. Sounds ridiculous, right? This kind of contradictory behavior is very common in life.

Irrational Decisions

Many of us insist on drinking diet soda at a meal, only to indulge in a high-calorie dessert that wipes out the “savings.” Or we’ll drive across town to save a few dollars on a product, spending more on gas and parking than we saved.

We might argue with the bank about a small monthly fee, but overlook obvious opportunities to save larger sums on routine purchases simply because we got used to paying them.

Why do we do this? It’s not a lack of awareness. Most of us are well aware of the nutritional value of dessert or the realities of our bank accounts. Let’s explore what's really going on.

When Logic Gets Lost

Researchers Uri Gneezy (UC San Diego) and Aldo Rustichini (University of Minnesota) conducted a study at daycare centers to reduce late pickups by parents. They introduced a monetary fine for those who arrived late.

Logically, the fine should have discouraged tardiness, but surprisingly, late pickups increased. Once a price was assigned, the fine was no longer seen as a penalty, but as a fee. Parents were no longer driven by guilt or social pressure but were making cost-benefit decisions, and the internal motivation disappeared.

Even after the fine was removed, late pickups didn’t go back down because the mental framework had already shifted.

Torah's Answer: One Mind, One Direction

Judaism teaches us to maintain a unified, consistent mindset guided by purpose, awareness, and integrity: 

“Shiviti Hashem lenegdi tamid” – “I have set G-d before me always.”
“B’chol derachecha da’ehu” – “Know Him in all your ways.”
“Let a person direct their heart toward Heaven in all they do.”

The Torah encourages us not to live in mental compartments. Not to have one set of values at the gym and another at home. Not one mindset on Yom Kippur, and another in daily life. It teaches us to pursue consistency using a single mental operating system.

It’s easy to be refined in synagogue because the environment supports it. What happens at home, where we feel entitled to “be ourselves”? That’s where our values matter most and where our behavior can have the greatest impact.

The Real Challenge – and Real Opportunity

The true challenge is to live with consistency and to behave with integrity and purpose not only in moments of inspiration, but also in the mundane. Not only in public, but also in private. Not only in theory, but also in action.

When we align our mental patterns across all areas of life, we begin to make better decisions. We stop contradicting ourselves, and start moving forward with clarity.

Living a life guided by unified values doesn’t just make sense- it makes life more meaningful.