Smart people can be hoodwinked into bad situations when a) they’re afraid to ask questions and b) they choose to trust the majority groupthink over their own ability to analyze.

We see a this exemplified in one of the greatest Ponzi schemes of all time, the man who stole $65-billion dollars, Bernard Madoff.

Although he didn’t actually steal that amount -Madoff’s billions were mostly fictional as he forged the numbers to make others believe he had created that much money – I don’t think I could I’ll ever comprehend the amount of physical and emotional damage inflicted on those he stole from.

Specifically the damage to their trust.

Trust being a driving factor in our daily lives, is behind many of our purchasing decisions and what creates a mutual bond with others.

When you sit down in a chair – you trust that it will hold you. When you schedule a time with your friend to chat you trust they’re going to show up.

We make decisions based on trust, which can be good, but balance your trust with in-depth questioning to allow for personal analysis.