Sir Patrick Bijou, based in the United Kingdom, is urging individuals to adopt a simple decision standard built to improve trust, judgement, and financial outcomes.

LONDON, GB / ACCESS Newswire / February 13, 2026 / Sir Patrick Bijou, a UK-based investment banker and fund manager specialising in debt capital markets and private placements, today promoted a personal best practice he calls the One-Page Clarity Standard. The method is designed to help people reduce avoidable mistakes in money, career choices, and high-stakes commitments by forcing clear thinking before action.

The standard is built on a simple idea: most preventable losses come from skipping fundamentals. In consumer fraud alone, reported losses reached more than $10 billion in 2023, with investment scams accounting for more than $4.6 billion. Cybercrime losses reported to the FBI's IC3 exceeded $16 billion in 2024. On the business side, the average global cost of a data breach reached $4.88 million in 2024. In the UK, the government's Cyber Security Breaches Survey estimated the mean annual cost of cyber crime for businesses at about £1,120 per victim (excluding incidents where the only activity was phishing).

Bijou's One-Page Clarity Standard asks people to slow down long enough to write a one-page decision brief, run a basic stress test, and set a verification step before money or reputation is on the line.

"Most people do not need a complex framework. They need a repeatable habit that prevents the same errors from showing up again and again," said Sir Patrick Bijou.

"The page is the point. If you cannot explain a decision clearly, you are not ready to take the risk that comes with it," he said.

"In finance, uncertainty never goes away. The best defence is structure, and structure starts with clarity," Bijou said.

"Trust is earned through consistency. A simple standard helps people keep promises to themselves, not just to others," he added.

The One-Page Clarity Standard

A single page that answers:

What am I deciding?

What is the downside if I am wrong?

What must be true for this to work?

What would change my mind?

What is my verification step before I commit?

30-day implementation plan

Week 1: Build the habit

Pick one decision category to start: finances, career, or learning.

Create a template for your one-page brief.

Write three briefs for small decisions to practise clarity.

Milestone: You can complete a one-page brief in 12 minutes or less.

Week 2: Add verification

Add a verification step to every brief.

For money decisions: confirm counterparties, fees, and transfer method.

For career decisions: confirm role scope, success metrics, and decision-maker.

Milestone: Zero commitments made without a verification step.

Week 3: Stress-test your assumptions

For each brief, write one "stress sentence" describing the risk in plain language.

Run a simple downside drill: what happens if the best-case does not show up?

Identify the single assumption most likely to fail and plan around it.

Milestone: Every brief includes a downside plan and an exit trigger.

Week 4: Standardise and review

Review the last 30 days of briefs.

Identify the top three recurring failure points.

Update your template to address those failures.

Milestone: A final template you will keep using, with a weekly 20-minute review.

One-page personal checklist

Use this checklist before any decision involving money, reputation, or a long commitment.

Clarity

I can describe the decision in one sentence.

I can list three concrete outcomes I am choosing between.

I can explain why now is the right time to decide.

Verification

I have verified the person or organisation involved.

I understand the fee structure, timelines, and obligations.

I have confirmed the payment or transfer method and the recipient details.

Downside control

I can describe the downside in one plain sentence.

I have identified the single assumption most likely to fail.

I know my exit trigger and the earliest warning sign.

Decision hygiene

I have written the plan on one page.

I will wait 24 hours for high-stakes decisions unless timing is truly fixed.

I will review the outcome in seven days and note what I missed.

Sir Patrick Bijou is encouraging individuals, teams, and community organisations to adopt the One-Page Clarity Standard for the next 30 days, then share the checklist with a colleague, friend, or family member who makes frequent financial or career decisions. The goal is to normalise clearer thinking before commitment and reduce avoidable harm caused by skipping the basics.

About Sir Patrick Bijou

Sir Patrick Bijou is a UK-based investment banker and fund manager specialising in debt capital markets and private placements. He has over 30 years of experience in the financial industry, has held roles at major financial institutions including a Director position at BlackRock, and is the author of best-selling books on private placement programmes. He is also involved in philanthropy, with initiatives that include irrigation systems in Sierra Leone, housing support for vulnerable children in India, and charity work connected to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.

Media Contact

Sir Patrick Bijou
info@sirpatrickbijouinvestor.com
https://www.sirpatrickbijouinvestor.com/

SOURCE: Sir Patrick Bijou