When Alice decided to write a PhD thesis, she largely overestimated her abilities. At least, she would realize this later.

However, this also led her to conclude that with a realistic picture of her abilities she would never have started in the first place. In fact, she even congratulated herself for her ability to underestimate future tasks in relation to her abilities. That trait might help her to get rid of bad habits later, may be even to quit smoking ...

Chapter 17 of Information Economics offers more on the economics of self-management. Among all the chapters this is the one that may change your life ...