Our evaluation of a certain experience can be heavily influenced by things that actually have nothing to do with it. For example, if we happen to be very thirsty when we sample a new beverage, we may later remember it as being far better than it actually was.
It’s called attribution bias. And if left unexamined, it can lead us to make choices or decisions that are not based on our actual goals and values.
As with so many other things, correcting for attribution bias starts with becoming aware of its existence.