Ever find yourself stuck on a “7” when making a decision? Whether it’s reviewing a pitch deck for an investment, deciding on a candidate after a reference check, or even rating a restaurant, 7 often feels like the safe middle ground. But here’s the problem: 7 is a non-committal cop-out.

Today, I tuned into a webinar for the Airtree Explorers Angel Investing 101 course. Raaj, an investment manager at Airtree, walked us through a fictional pitch deck (based on a real company) to share how they assess investment opportunities. With nothing more than the info provided in the deck, Raaj explained a fascinating rule Airtree follows when rating potential deals:

Each investment manager is allowed only three “7’s” per year. For the rest, they must choose a 6 or an 8—no 7’s.

Why? It turns out this rule tackles a psychological tendency called extremeness aversion. People naturally avoid making bold choices, often shying away from extremes like 1, 2, or 9, 10 on a scale. Instead, they gravitate toward the “safe middle,” like a 7, which feels less risky and more moderate.

But here’s the problem: 7 is too high to reject outright but too low to confidently pursue. It’s indecision disguised as a decision.

Airtree’s approach forces clarity. A 6 means it’s not investible—move on. An 8 means it’s got real potential—dig deeper. But you might wonder, why choose a 6 instead of a 2 or 3? A 6 acknowledges there’s merit but it’s not worth pursuing with the limited information available. It’s a rejection with context, whereas a 2 or 3 suggests something is outright terrible.

And it’s not just about investing. Extremeness aversion creeps into all kinds of decisions—hiring, reference checks, product reviews. If you’re leaning toward a 7, ask yourself: Why not a 6 or an 8? Chances are, you’ll uncover what’s holding you back and make better decisions faster.

So, what’s your take? Are you team 6/8, or do you sometimes catch yourself stuck on a “safe but sorry” 7?