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Some conversations stay with you long after the mic turns off.

This week, we unearthed the Grey Areas with @gene.lyp : Co-founder of @fieldassembly , high performance and health coach at Matter, and someone who knows what it means to keep pushing.

From the outside, Gene seems like someone who really has it together. But this was not a conversation about glorifying grit. It was about what sits underneath.

We spoke about the line between honest review and self-flagellation. The difference between grit and resilience. The trap that can look like persistence from the outside but is really just ego, avoidance, or unproductive wheel-spinning. And what it means to keep going without letting hard work become the only framework you know.These were the 6 lines we kept coming back to.

Comment GREET and we’ll DM you the full episode or check out the link in bio.

Some conversations stay with you long after the mic turns off.

This week, we unearthed the Grey Areas with @gene.lyp : Co-founder of @fieldassembly , high performance and health coach at Matter, and someone who knows what it means to keep pushing.

From the outside, Gene seems like someone who really has it together. But this was not a conversation about glorifying grit. It was about what sits underneath.

We spoke about the line between honest review and self-flagellation. The difference between grit and resilience. The trap that can look like persistence from the outside but is really just ego, avoidance, or unproductive wheel-spinning. And what it means to keep going without letting hard work become the only framework you know.These were the 6 lines we kept coming back to.

Comment GREET and we’ll DM you the full episode or check out the link in bio.

Some conversations stay with you long after the mic turns off.

This week, we unearthed the Grey Areas with @gene.lyp : Co-founder of @fieldassembly , high performance and health coach at Matter, and someone who knows what it means to keep pushing.

From the outside, Gene seems like someone who really has it together. But this was not a conversation about glorifying grit. It was about what sits underneath.

We spoke about the line between honest review and self-flagellation. The difference between grit and resilience. The trap that can look like persistence from the outside but is really just ego, avoidance, or unproductive wheel-spinning. And what it means to keep going without letting hard work become the only framework you know.These were the 6 lines we kept coming back to.

Comment GREET and we’ll DM you the full episode or check out the link in bio.

Some conversations stay with you long after the mic turns off.

This week, we unearthed the Grey Areas with @gene.lyp : Co-founder of @fieldassembly , high performance and health coach at Matter, and someone who knows what it means to keep pushing.

From the outside, Gene seems like someone who really has it together. But this was not a conversation about glorifying grit. It was about what sits underneath.

We spoke about the line between honest review and self-flagellation. The difference between grit and resilience. The trap that can look like persistence from the outside but is really just ego, avoidance, or unproductive wheel-spinning. And what it means to keep going without letting hard work become the only framework you know.These were the 6 lines we kept coming back to.

Comment GREET and we’ll DM you the full episode or check out the link in bio.

Some conversations stay with you long after the mic turns off.

This week, we unearthed the Grey Areas with @gene.lyp : Co-founder of @fieldassembly , high performance and health coach at Matter, and someone who knows what it means to keep pushing.

From the outside, Gene seems like someone who really has it together. But this was not a conversation about glorifying grit. It was about what sits underneath.

We spoke about the line between honest review and self-flagellation. The difference between grit and resilience. The trap that can look like persistence from the outside but is really just ego, avoidance, or unproductive wheel-spinning. And what it means to keep going without letting hard work become the only framework you know.These were the 6 lines we kept coming back to.

Comment GREET and we’ll DM you the full episode or check out the link in bio.

Some conversations stay with you long after the mic turns off.

This week, we unearthed the Grey Areas with @gene.lyp : Co-founder of @fieldassembly , high performance and health coach at Matter, and someone who knows what it means to keep pushing.

From the outside, Gene seems like someone who really has it together. But this was not a conversation about glorifying grit. It was about what sits underneath.

We spoke about the line between honest review and self-flagellation. The difference between grit and resilience. The trap that can look like persistence from the outside but is really just ego, avoidance, or unproductive wheel-spinning. And what it means to keep going without letting hard work become the only framework you know.These were the 6 lines we kept coming back to.

Comment GREET and we’ll DM you the full episode or check out the link in bio.

Some conversations stay with you long after the mic turns off.

This week, we unearthed the Grey Areas with @gene.lyp : Co-founder of @fieldassembly , high performance and health coach at Matter, and someone who knows what it means to keep pushing.

From the outside, Gene seems like someone who really has it together. But this was not a conversation about glorifying grit. It was about what sits underneath.

We spoke about the line between honest review and self-flagellation. The difference between grit and resilience. The trap that can look like persistence from the outside but is really just ego, avoidance, or unproductive wheel-spinning. And what it means to keep going without letting hard work become the only framework you know.These were the 6 lines we kept coming back to.

Comment GREET and we’ll DM you the full episode or check out the link in bio.

Some conversations stay with you long after the mic turns off.

This week, we unearthed the Grey Areas with @gene.lyp : Co-founder of @fieldassembly , high performance and health coach at Matter, and someone who knows what it means to keep pushing.

From the outside, Gene seems like someone who really has it together. But this was not a conversation about glorifying grit. It was about what sits underneath.

We spoke about the line between honest review and self-flagellation. The difference between grit and resilience. The trap that can look like persistence from the outside but is really just ego, avoidance, or unproductive wheel-spinning. And what it means to keep going without letting hard work become the only framework you know.These were the 6 lines we kept coming back to.

Comment GREET and we’ll DM you the full episode or check out the link in bio.

What separates genuine expertise from the illusion of it?

Research tells us that the more knowledgeable we feel in a domain, the more confidently we claim knowledge we don't have.

Atir, Rosenzweig, and Dunning (2015) ran serval studies mapping the relationship between self-perceived expertise and overclaiming, I.e. the tendency to assert familiarity with concepts and terms that do not exist.

What the studies revealed was this: self-perceived expertise generates a feeling of knowing that extends beyond actual knowledge. Rather than auditing what we actually know, we draw on self-perceptions of expertise to infer what we should or probably know.

Overclaiming glosses over the gap between what we truly know and what we don't. Mastery is more of a pursuit than an end state, and it requires the kind of curiosity that keeps us aware of, and motivated to close, these gaps.

- Gene

Reference: Atir, S., Rosenzweig, E., & Dunning, D. (2015). When knowledge knows no bounds: Self-perceived expertise predicts claims of impossible knowledge. Psychological Science, 26(8), 1295–1303.

What separates genuine expertise from the illusion of it?

Research tells us that the more knowledgeable we feel in a domain, the more confidently we claim knowledge we don't have.

Atir, Rosenzweig, and Dunning (2015) ran serval studies mapping the relationship between self-perceived expertise and overclaiming, I.e. the tendency to assert familiarity with concepts and terms that do not exist.

What the studies revealed was this: self-perceived expertise generates a feeling of knowing that extends beyond actual knowledge. Rather than auditing what we actually know, we draw on self-perceptions of expertise to infer what we should or probably know.

Overclaiming glosses over the gap between what we truly know and what we don't. Mastery is more of a pursuit than an end state, and it requires the kind of curiosity that keeps us aware of, and motivated to close, these gaps.

- Gene

Reference: Atir, S., Rosenzweig, E., & Dunning, D. (2015). When knowledge knows no bounds: Self-perceived expertise predicts claims of impossible knowledge. Psychological Science, 26(8), 1295–1303.

What separates genuine expertise from the illusion of it?

Research tells us that the more knowledgeable we feel in a domain, the more confidently we claim knowledge we don't have.

Atir, Rosenzweig, and Dunning (2015) ran serval studies mapping the relationship between self-perceived expertise and overclaiming, I.e. the tendency to assert familiarity with concepts and terms that do not exist.

What the studies revealed was this: self-perceived expertise generates a feeling of knowing that extends beyond actual knowledge. Rather than auditing what we actually know, we draw on self-perceptions of expertise to infer what we should or probably know.

Overclaiming glosses over the gap between what we truly know and what we don't. Mastery is more of a pursuit than an end state, and it requires the kind of curiosity that keeps us aware of, and motivated to close, these gaps.

- Gene

Reference: Atir, S., Rosenzweig, E., & Dunning, D. (2015). When knowledge knows no bounds: Self-perceived expertise predicts claims of impossible knowledge. Psychological Science, 26(8), 1295–1303.

What separates genuine expertise from the illusion of it?

Research tells us that the more knowledgeable we feel in a domain, the more confidently we claim knowledge we don't have.

Atir, Rosenzweig, and Dunning (2015) ran serval studies mapping the relationship between self-perceived expertise and overclaiming, I.e. the tendency to assert familiarity with concepts and terms that do not exist.

What the studies revealed was this: self-perceived expertise generates a feeling of knowing that extends beyond actual knowledge. Rather than auditing what we actually know, we draw on self-perceptions of expertise to infer what we should or probably know.

Overclaiming glosses over the gap between what we truly know and what we don't. Mastery is more of a pursuit than an end state, and it requires the kind of curiosity that keeps us aware of, and motivated to close, these gaps.

- Gene

Reference: Atir, S., Rosenzweig, E., & Dunning, D. (2015). When knowledge knows no bounds: Self-perceived expertise predicts claims of impossible knowledge. Psychological Science, 26(8), 1295–1303.

What separates genuine expertise from the illusion of it?

Research tells us that the more knowledgeable we feel in a domain, the more confidently we claim knowledge we don't have.

Atir, Rosenzweig, and Dunning (2015) ran serval studies mapping the relationship between self-perceived expertise and overclaiming, I.e. the tendency to assert familiarity with concepts and terms that do not exist.

What the studies revealed was this: self-perceived expertise generates a feeling of knowing that extends beyond actual knowledge. Rather than auditing what we actually know, we draw on self-perceptions of expertise to infer what we should or probably know.

Overclaiming glosses over the gap between what we truly know and what we don't. Mastery is more of a pursuit than an end state, and it requires the kind of curiosity that keeps us aware of, and motivated to close, these gaps.

- Gene

Reference: Atir, S., Rosenzweig, E., & Dunning, D. (2015). When knowledge knows no bounds: Self-perceived expertise predicts claims of impossible knowledge. Psychological Science, 26(8), 1295–1303.

What separates genuine expertise from the illusion of it?

Research tells us that the more knowledgeable we feel in a domain, the more confidently we claim knowledge we don't have.

Atir, Rosenzweig, and Dunning (2015) ran serval studies mapping the relationship between self-perceived expertise and overclaiming, I.e. the tendency to assert familiarity with concepts and terms that do not exist.

What the studies revealed was this: self-perceived expertise generates a feeling of knowing that extends beyond actual knowledge. Rather than auditing what we actually know, we draw on self-perceptions of expertise to infer what we should or probably know.

Overclaiming glosses over the gap between what we truly know and what we don't. Mastery is more of a pursuit than an end state, and it requires the kind of curiosity that keeps us aware of, and motivated to close, these gaps.

- Gene

Reference: Atir, S., Rosenzweig, E., & Dunning, D. (2015). When knowledge knows no bounds: Self-perceived expertise predicts claims of impossible knowledge. Psychological Science, 26(8), 1295–1303.

What separates genuine expertise from the illusion of it?

Research tells us that the more knowledgeable we feel in a domain, the more confidently we claim knowledge we don't have.

Atir, Rosenzweig, and Dunning (2015) ran serval studies mapping the relationship between self-perceived expertise and overclaiming, I.e. the tendency to assert familiarity with concepts and terms that do not exist.

What the studies revealed was this: self-perceived expertise generates a feeling of knowing that extends beyond actual knowledge. Rather than auditing what we actually know, we draw on self-perceptions of expertise to infer what we should or probably know.

Overclaiming glosses over the gap between what we truly know and what we don't. Mastery is more of a pursuit than an end state, and it requires the kind of curiosity that keeps us aware of, and motivated to close, these gaps.

- Gene

Reference: Atir, S., Rosenzweig, E., & Dunning, D. (2015). When knowledge knows no bounds: Self-perceived expertise predicts claims of impossible knowledge. Psychological Science, 26(8), 1295–1303.

What separates genuine expertise from the illusion of it?

Research tells us that the more knowledgeable we feel in a domain, the more confidently we claim knowledge we don't have.

Atir, Rosenzweig, and Dunning (2015) ran serval studies mapping the relationship between self-perceived expertise and overclaiming, I.e. the tendency to assert familiarity with concepts and terms that do not exist.

What the studies revealed was this: self-perceived expertise generates a feeling of knowing that extends beyond actual knowledge. Rather than auditing what we actually know, we draw on self-perceptions of expertise to infer what we should or probably know.

Overclaiming glosses over the gap between what we truly know and what we don't. Mastery is more of a pursuit than an end state, and it requires the kind of curiosity that keeps us aware of, and motivated to close, these gaps.

- Gene

Reference: Atir, S., Rosenzweig, E., & Dunning, D. (2015). When knowledge knows no bounds: Self-perceived expertise predicts claims of impossible knowledge. Psychological Science, 26(8), 1295–1303.

What separates genuine expertise from the illusion of it?

Research tells us that the more knowledgeable we feel in a domain, the more confidently we claim knowledge we don't have.

Atir, Rosenzweig, and Dunning (2015) ran serval studies mapping the relationship between self-perceived expertise and overclaiming, I.e. the tendency to assert familiarity with concepts and terms that do not exist.

What the studies revealed was this: self-perceived expertise generates a feeling of knowing that extends beyond actual knowledge. Rather than auditing what we actually know, we draw on self-perceptions of expertise to infer what we should or probably know.

Overclaiming glosses over the gap between what we truly know and what we don't. Mastery is more of a pursuit than an end state, and it requires the kind of curiosity that keeps us aware of, and motivated to close, these gaps.

- Gene

Reference: Atir, S., Rosenzweig, E., & Dunning, D. (2015). When knowledge knows no bounds: Self-perceived expertise predicts claims of impossible knowledge. Psychological Science, 26(8), 1295–1303.

What separates genuine expertise from the illusion of it?

Research tells us that the more knowledgeable we feel in a domain, the more confidently we claim knowledge we don't have.

Atir, Rosenzweig, and Dunning (2015) ran serval studies mapping the relationship between self-perceived expertise and overclaiming, I.e. the tendency to assert familiarity with concepts and terms that do not exist.

What the studies revealed was this: self-perceived expertise generates a feeling of knowing that extends beyond actual knowledge. Rather than auditing what we actually know, we draw on self-perceptions of expertise to infer what we should or probably know.

Overclaiming glosses over the gap between what we truly know and what we don't. Mastery is more of a pursuit than an end state, and it requires the kind of curiosity that keeps us aware of, and motivated to close, these gaps.

- Gene

Reference: Atir, S., Rosenzweig, E., & Dunning, D. (2015). When knowledge knows no bounds: Self-perceived expertise predicts claims of impossible knowledge. Psychological Science, 26(8), 1295–1303.

The goal to not do worse than you've done before might feel like the right thing to do with hard-earned competence, but research suggests it is one of the most damaging orientations a performer can hold.

Van Yperen et al. (2009) ran two experiments assigning participants one of four goal types before a performance task. The Mastery-avoidance group, i.e. the group striving to not do worse than before, improved less than every other group.

A year later, Baranik et al. confirmed the pattern across 25 studies and over 9,000 participants. Mastery-avoidance was negatively related to performance, most strongly associated with negative emotions, and predicted reduced help-seeking. But that's not all.

The finding that sharpens the picture most: Mastery-avoidance was positively correlated with perceived competence. The more capable people felt, the more likely they were to organize their effort around protection. The competence we've earned can shape what we aim for and how we regulate our effort.

Across the evidence, one orientation consistently supports improvement: the aim to do better than you've done before. That forward-facing standard is what keeps learning open. Sometimes, we have to get worse before we get better.

- Gene

References:

Baranik, L.E., Stanley, L.J., Bynum, B.H. and Lance, C.E. (2010) 'Examining the Construct Validity of Mastery-Avoidance Achievement Goals: A Meta-Analysis', Human Performance, 23(3), pp. 265–282

Van Yperen, N.W., Elliot, A.J. and Anseel, F. (2009) 'The influence of mastery-avoidance goals on performance improvement', European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, pp. 932–943

The goal to not do worse than you've done before might feel like the right thing to do with hard-earned competence, but research suggests it is one of the most damaging orientations a performer can hold.

Van Yperen et al. (2009) ran two experiments assigning participants one of four goal types before a performance task. The Mastery-avoidance group, i.e. the group striving to not do worse than before, improved less than every other group.

A year later, Baranik et al. confirmed the pattern across 25 studies and over 9,000 participants. Mastery-avoidance was negatively related to performance, most strongly associated with negative emotions, and predicted reduced help-seeking. But that's not all.

The finding that sharpens the picture most: Mastery-avoidance was positively correlated with perceived competence. The more capable people felt, the more likely they were to organize their effort around protection. The competence we've earned can shape what we aim for and how we regulate our effort.

Across the evidence, one orientation consistently supports improvement: the aim to do better than you've done before. That forward-facing standard is what keeps learning open. Sometimes, we have to get worse before we get better.

- Gene

References:

Baranik, L.E., Stanley, L.J., Bynum, B.H. and Lance, C.E. (2010) 'Examining the Construct Validity of Mastery-Avoidance Achievement Goals: A Meta-Analysis', Human Performance, 23(3), pp. 265–282

Van Yperen, N.W., Elliot, A.J. and Anseel, F. (2009) 'The influence of mastery-avoidance goals on performance improvement', European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, pp. 932–943

The goal to not do worse than you've done before might feel like the right thing to do with hard-earned competence, but research suggests it is one of the most damaging orientations a performer can hold.

Van Yperen et al. (2009) ran two experiments assigning participants one of four goal types before a performance task. The Mastery-avoidance group, i.e. the group striving to not do worse than before, improved less than every other group.

A year later, Baranik et al. confirmed the pattern across 25 studies and over 9,000 participants. Mastery-avoidance was negatively related to performance, most strongly associated with negative emotions, and predicted reduced help-seeking. But that's not all.

The finding that sharpens the picture most: Mastery-avoidance was positively correlated with perceived competence. The more capable people felt, the more likely they were to organize their effort around protection. The competence we've earned can shape what we aim for and how we regulate our effort.

Across the evidence, one orientation consistently supports improvement: the aim to do better than you've done before. That forward-facing standard is what keeps learning open. Sometimes, we have to get worse before we get better.

- Gene

References:

Baranik, L.E., Stanley, L.J., Bynum, B.H. and Lance, C.E. (2010) 'Examining the Construct Validity of Mastery-Avoidance Achievement Goals: A Meta-Analysis', Human Performance, 23(3), pp. 265–282

Van Yperen, N.W., Elliot, A.J. and Anseel, F. (2009) 'The influence of mastery-avoidance goals on performance improvement', European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, pp. 932–943

The goal to not do worse than you've done before might feel like the right thing to do with hard-earned competence, but research suggests it is one of the most damaging orientations a performer can hold.

Van Yperen et al. (2009) ran two experiments assigning participants one of four goal types before a performance task. The Mastery-avoidance group, i.e. the group striving to not do worse than before, improved less than every other group.

A year later, Baranik et al. confirmed the pattern across 25 studies and over 9,000 participants. Mastery-avoidance was negatively related to performance, most strongly associated with negative emotions, and predicted reduced help-seeking. But that's not all.

The finding that sharpens the picture most: Mastery-avoidance was positively correlated with perceived competence. The more capable people felt, the more likely they were to organize their effort around protection. The competence we've earned can shape what we aim for and how we regulate our effort.

Across the evidence, one orientation consistently supports improvement: the aim to do better than you've done before. That forward-facing standard is what keeps learning open. Sometimes, we have to get worse before we get better.

- Gene

References:

Baranik, L.E., Stanley, L.J., Bynum, B.H. and Lance, C.E. (2010) 'Examining the Construct Validity of Mastery-Avoidance Achievement Goals: A Meta-Analysis', Human Performance, 23(3), pp. 265–282

Van Yperen, N.W., Elliot, A.J. and Anseel, F. (2009) 'The influence of mastery-avoidance goals on performance improvement', European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, pp. 932–943

The goal to not do worse than you've done before might feel like the right thing to do with hard-earned competence, but research suggests it is one of the most damaging orientations a performer can hold.

Van Yperen et al. (2009) ran two experiments assigning participants one of four goal types before a performance task. The Mastery-avoidance group, i.e. the group striving to not do worse than before, improved less than every other group.

A year later, Baranik et al. confirmed the pattern across 25 studies and over 9,000 participants. Mastery-avoidance was negatively related to performance, most strongly associated with negative emotions, and predicted reduced help-seeking. But that's not all.

The finding that sharpens the picture most: Mastery-avoidance was positively correlated with perceived competence. The more capable people felt, the more likely they were to organize their effort around protection. The competence we've earned can shape what we aim for and how we regulate our effort.

Across the evidence, one orientation consistently supports improvement: the aim to do better than you've done before. That forward-facing standard is what keeps learning open. Sometimes, we have to get worse before we get better.

- Gene

References:

Baranik, L.E., Stanley, L.J., Bynum, B.H. and Lance, C.E. (2010) 'Examining the Construct Validity of Mastery-Avoidance Achievement Goals: A Meta-Analysis', Human Performance, 23(3), pp. 265–282

Van Yperen, N.W., Elliot, A.J. and Anseel, F. (2009) 'The influence of mastery-avoidance goals on performance improvement', European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, pp. 932–943

The goal to not do worse than you've done before might feel like the right thing to do with hard-earned competence, but research suggests it is one of the most damaging orientations a performer can hold.

Van Yperen et al. (2009) ran two experiments assigning participants one of four goal types before a performance task. The Mastery-avoidance group, i.e. the group striving to not do worse than before, improved less than every other group.

A year later, Baranik et al. confirmed the pattern across 25 studies and over 9,000 participants. Mastery-avoidance was negatively related to performance, most strongly associated with negative emotions, and predicted reduced help-seeking. But that's not all.

The finding that sharpens the picture most: Mastery-avoidance was positively correlated with perceived competence. The more capable people felt, the more likely they were to organize their effort around protection. The competence we've earned can shape what we aim for and how we regulate our effort.

Across the evidence, one orientation consistently supports improvement: the aim to do better than you've done before. That forward-facing standard is what keeps learning open. Sometimes, we have to get worse before we get better.

- Gene

References:

Baranik, L.E., Stanley, L.J., Bynum, B.H. and Lance, C.E. (2010) 'Examining the Construct Validity of Mastery-Avoidance Achievement Goals: A Meta-Analysis', Human Performance, 23(3), pp. 265–282

Van Yperen, N.W., Elliot, A.J. and Anseel, F. (2009) 'The influence of mastery-avoidance goals on performance improvement', European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, pp. 932–943

The goal to not do worse than you've done before might feel like the right thing to do with hard-earned competence, but research suggests it is one of the most damaging orientations a performer can hold.

Van Yperen et al. (2009) ran two experiments assigning participants one of four goal types before a performance task. The Mastery-avoidance group, i.e. the group striving to not do worse than before, improved less than every other group.

A year later, Baranik et al. confirmed the pattern across 25 studies and over 9,000 participants. Mastery-avoidance was negatively related to performance, most strongly associated with negative emotions, and predicted reduced help-seeking. But that's not all.

The finding that sharpens the picture most: Mastery-avoidance was positively correlated with perceived competence. The more capable people felt, the more likely they were to organize their effort around protection. The competence we've earned can shape what we aim for and how we regulate our effort.

Across the evidence, one orientation consistently supports improvement: the aim to do better than you've done before. That forward-facing standard is what keeps learning open. Sometimes, we have to get worse before we get better.

- Gene

References:

Baranik, L.E., Stanley, L.J., Bynum, B.H. and Lance, C.E. (2010) 'Examining the Construct Validity of Mastery-Avoidance Achievement Goals: A Meta-Analysis', Human Performance, 23(3), pp. 265–282

Van Yperen, N.W., Elliot, A.J. and Anseel, F. (2009) 'The influence of mastery-avoidance goals on performance improvement', European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, pp. 932–943

The goal to not do worse than you've done before might feel like the right thing to do with hard-earned competence, but research suggests it is one of the most damaging orientations a performer can hold.

Van Yperen et al. (2009) ran two experiments assigning participants one of four goal types before a performance task. The Mastery-avoidance group, i.e. the group striving to not do worse than before, improved less than every other group.

A year later, Baranik et al. confirmed the pattern across 25 studies and over 9,000 participants. Mastery-avoidance was negatively related to performance, most strongly associated with negative emotions, and predicted reduced help-seeking. But that's not all.

The finding that sharpens the picture most: Mastery-avoidance was positively correlated with perceived competence. The more capable people felt, the more likely they were to organize their effort around protection. The competence we've earned can shape what we aim for and how we regulate our effort.

Across the evidence, one orientation consistently supports improvement: the aim to do better than you've done before. That forward-facing standard is what keeps learning open. Sometimes, we have to get worse before we get better.

- Gene

References:

Baranik, L.E., Stanley, L.J., Bynum, B.H. and Lance, C.E. (2010) 'Examining the Construct Validity of Mastery-Avoidance Achievement Goals: A Meta-Analysis', Human Performance, 23(3), pp. 265–282

Van Yperen, N.W., Elliot, A.J. and Anseel, F. (2009) 'The influence of mastery-avoidance goals on performance improvement', European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, pp. 932–943

The goal to not do worse than you've done before might feel like the right thing to do with hard-earned competence, but research suggests it is one of the most damaging orientations a performer can hold.

Van Yperen et al. (2009) ran two experiments assigning participants one of four goal types before a performance task. The Mastery-avoidance group, i.e. the group striving to not do worse than before, improved less than every other group.

A year later, Baranik et al. confirmed the pattern across 25 studies and over 9,000 participants. Mastery-avoidance was negatively related to performance, most strongly associated with negative emotions, and predicted reduced help-seeking. But that's not all.

The finding that sharpens the picture most: Mastery-avoidance was positively correlated with perceived competence. The more capable people felt, the more likely they were to organize their effort around protection. The competence we've earned can shape what we aim for and how we regulate our effort.

Across the evidence, one orientation consistently supports improvement: the aim to do better than you've done before. That forward-facing standard is what keeps learning open. Sometimes, we have to get worse before we get better.

- Gene

References:

Baranik, L.E., Stanley, L.J., Bynum, B.H. and Lance, C.E. (2010) 'Examining the Construct Validity of Mastery-Avoidance Achievement Goals: A Meta-Analysis', Human Performance, 23(3), pp. 265–282

Van Yperen, N.W., Elliot, A.J. and Anseel, F. (2009) 'The influence of mastery-avoidance goals on performance improvement', European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, pp. 932–943

Our sense of competence can become a trap.

When growth requires leaving a "working" version of yourself behind, the first response is rarely excitement. More often, it's avoidance and a preoccupation with not losing the status quo.

Research shows that this attachment usually manifests as a withdrawal from feedback. To protect the validated identity, we stop seeking help or asking the questions that could open an opportunity to growth.

When we measure our worth by comparing ourselves only to our previous peak, every new, clunky beginning feels like a failure of our current self rather than a step toward a better one.

The question to ask is whether we want to work hard to defend our current competence, or work hard to discover our next one.

- Gene

References:

Baranik, L.E., Stanley, L.J., Bynum, B.H. and Lance, C.E. (2010) 'Examining the Construct Validity of Mastery-Avoidance Achievement Goals: A Meta-Analysis', Human Performance, 23(3), pp. 265–282.

Van Yperen, N.W., Elliot, A.J. and Anseel, F. (2009) 'The influence of mastery-avoidance goals on performance improvement', European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, pp. 932–943

Our sense of competence can become a trap.

When growth requires leaving a "working" version of yourself behind, the first response is rarely excitement. More often, it's avoidance and a preoccupation with not losing the status quo.

Research shows that this attachment usually manifests as a withdrawal from feedback. To protect the validated identity, we stop seeking help or asking the questions that could open an opportunity to growth.

When we measure our worth by comparing ourselves only to our previous peak, every new, clunky beginning feels like a failure of our current self rather than a step toward a better one.

The question to ask is whether we want to work hard to defend our current competence, or work hard to discover our next one.

- Gene

References:

Baranik, L.E., Stanley, L.J., Bynum, B.H. and Lance, C.E. (2010) 'Examining the Construct Validity of Mastery-Avoidance Achievement Goals: A Meta-Analysis', Human Performance, 23(3), pp. 265–282.

Van Yperen, N.W., Elliot, A.J. and Anseel, F. (2009) 'The influence of mastery-avoidance goals on performance improvement', European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, pp. 932–943

Our sense of competence can become a trap.

When growth requires leaving a "working" version of yourself behind, the first response is rarely excitement. More often, it's avoidance and a preoccupation with not losing the status quo.

Research shows that this attachment usually manifests as a withdrawal from feedback. To protect the validated identity, we stop seeking help or asking the questions that could open an opportunity to growth.

When we measure our worth by comparing ourselves only to our previous peak, every new, clunky beginning feels like a failure of our current self rather than a step toward a better one.

The question to ask is whether we want to work hard to defend our current competence, or work hard to discover our next one.

- Gene

References:

Baranik, L.E., Stanley, L.J., Bynum, B.H. and Lance, C.E. (2010) 'Examining the Construct Validity of Mastery-Avoidance Achievement Goals: A Meta-Analysis', Human Performance, 23(3), pp. 265–282.

Van Yperen, N.W., Elliot, A.J. and Anseel, F. (2009) 'The influence of mastery-avoidance goals on performance improvement', European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, pp. 932–943

Our sense of competence can become a trap.

When growth requires leaving a "working" version of yourself behind, the first response is rarely excitement. More often, it's avoidance and a preoccupation with not losing the status quo.

Research shows that this attachment usually manifests as a withdrawal from feedback. To protect the validated identity, we stop seeking help or asking the questions that could open an opportunity to growth.

When we measure our worth by comparing ourselves only to our previous peak, every new, clunky beginning feels like a failure of our current self rather than a step toward a better one.

The question to ask is whether we want to work hard to defend our current competence, or work hard to discover our next one.

- Gene

References:

Baranik, L.E., Stanley, L.J., Bynum, B.H. and Lance, C.E. (2010) 'Examining the Construct Validity of Mastery-Avoidance Achievement Goals: A Meta-Analysis', Human Performance, 23(3), pp. 265–282.

Van Yperen, N.W., Elliot, A.J. and Anseel, F. (2009) 'The influence of mastery-avoidance goals on performance improvement', European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, pp. 932–943

Our sense of competence can become a trap.

When growth requires leaving a "working" version of yourself behind, the first response is rarely excitement. More often, it's avoidance and a preoccupation with not losing the status quo.

Research shows that this attachment usually manifests as a withdrawal from feedback. To protect the validated identity, we stop seeking help or asking the questions that could open an opportunity to growth.

When we measure our worth by comparing ourselves only to our previous peak, every new, clunky beginning feels like a failure of our current self rather than a step toward a better one.

The question to ask is whether we want to work hard to defend our current competence, or work hard to discover our next one.

- Gene

References:

Baranik, L.E., Stanley, L.J., Bynum, B.H. and Lance, C.E. (2010) 'Examining the Construct Validity of Mastery-Avoidance Achievement Goals: A Meta-Analysis', Human Performance, 23(3), pp. 265–282.

Van Yperen, N.W., Elliot, A.J. and Anseel, F. (2009) 'The influence of mastery-avoidance goals on performance improvement', European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, pp. 932–943

Our sense of competence can become a trap.

When growth requires leaving a "working" version of yourself behind, the first response is rarely excitement. More often, it's avoidance and a preoccupation with not losing the status quo.

Research shows that this attachment usually manifests as a withdrawal from feedback. To protect the validated identity, we stop seeking help or asking the questions that could open an opportunity to growth.

When we measure our worth by comparing ourselves only to our previous peak, every new, clunky beginning feels like a failure of our current self rather than a step toward a better one.

The question to ask is whether we want to work hard to defend our current competence, or work hard to discover our next one.

- Gene

References:

Baranik, L.E., Stanley, L.J., Bynum, B.H. and Lance, C.E. (2010) 'Examining the Construct Validity of Mastery-Avoidance Achievement Goals: A Meta-Analysis', Human Performance, 23(3), pp. 265–282.

Van Yperen, N.W., Elliot, A.J. and Anseel, F. (2009) 'The influence of mastery-avoidance goals on performance improvement', European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, pp. 932–943

Our sense of competence can become a trap.

When growth requires leaving a "working" version of yourself behind, the first response is rarely excitement. More often, it's avoidance and a preoccupation with not losing the status quo.

Research shows that this attachment usually manifests as a withdrawal from feedback. To protect the validated identity, we stop seeking help or asking the questions that could open an opportunity to growth.

When we measure our worth by comparing ourselves only to our previous peak, every new, clunky beginning feels like a failure of our current self rather than a step toward a better one.

The question to ask is whether we want to work hard to defend our current competence, or work hard to discover our next one.

- Gene

References:

Baranik, L.E., Stanley, L.J., Bynum, B.H. and Lance, C.E. (2010) 'Examining the Construct Validity of Mastery-Avoidance Achievement Goals: A Meta-Analysis', Human Performance, 23(3), pp. 265–282.

Van Yperen, N.W., Elliot, A.J. and Anseel, F. (2009) 'The influence of mastery-avoidance goals on performance improvement', European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, pp. 932–943

Have we overindexed on persistence?

To be fair, persistence is a highly valuable trait. Both anecdotal and research evidence tells us so. It's hard to find someone persistently committed who never succeeds, or someone successful who never had to persist.

Both studies deliberately used tasks that were impossible to solve, conditions unlikely in day-to-day life.

So persistence generally helps.
But persistence works better with adjustment. Renewed effort in the same form, at the same failed problem, is unlikely to yield different results. Deliberate adjustments to optimize may be more economical than raw persistence.

The point is that there are situations and tasks where persistence and performance are simply not correlated. Knowing when you're in one of those situations is the skill that matters.

The problem wasn't about working hard. It was on assuming that hard work alone was enough.

- Gene

References:

McFarlin, D.B., Baumeister, R.F. and Blascovich, J. (1984) On knowing when to quit: Task failure, self-esteem, advice, and nonproductive persistence. Journal of Personality, 52(2), pp.138-155.

Almeda, M.V.Q. (2018) When practice does not make perfect: Differentiating between productive and unproductive persistence. PhD Thesis. Columbia University.

Have we overindexed on persistence?

To be fair, persistence is a highly valuable trait. Both anecdotal and research evidence tells us so. It's hard to find someone persistently committed who never succeeds, or someone successful who never had to persist.

Both studies deliberately used tasks that were impossible to solve, conditions unlikely in day-to-day life.

So persistence generally helps.
But persistence works better with adjustment. Renewed effort in the same form, at the same failed problem, is unlikely to yield different results. Deliberate adjustments to optimize may be more economical than raw persistence.

The point is that there are situations and tasks where persistence and performance are simply not correlated. Knowing when you're in one of those situations is the skill that matters.

The problem wasn't about working hard. It was on assuming that hard work alone was enough.

- Gene

References:

McFarlin, D.B., Baumeister, R.F. and Blascovich, J. (1984) On knowing when to quit: Task failure, self-esteem, advice, and nonproductive persistence. Journal of Personality, 52(2), pp.138-155.

Almeda, M.V.Q. (2018) When practice does not make perfect: Differentiating between productive and unproductive persistence. PhD Thesis. Columbia University.

Have we overindexed on persistence?

To be fair, persistence is a highly valuable trait. Both anecdotal and research evidence tells us so. It's hard to find someone persistently committed who never succeeds, or someone successful who never had to persist.

Both studies deliberately used tasks that were impossible to solve, conditions unlikely in day-to-day life.

So persistence generally helps.
But persistence works better with adjustment. Renewed effort in the same form, at the same failed problem, is unlikely to yield different results. Deliberate adjustments to optimize may be more economical than raw persistence.

The point is that there are situations and tasks where persistence and performance are simply not correlated. Knowing when you're in one of those situations is the skill that matters.

The problem wasn't about working hard. It was on assuming that hard work alone was enough.

- Gene

References:

McFarlin, D.B., Baumeister, R.F. and Blascovich, J. (1984) On knowing when to quit: Task failure, self-esteem, advice, and nonproductive persistence. Journal of Personality, 52(2), pp.138-155.

Almeda, M.V.Q. (2018) When practice does not make perfect: Differentiating between productive and unproductive persistence. PhD Thesis. Columbia University.

Have we overindexed on persistence?

To be fair, persistence is a highly valuable trait. Both anecdotal and research evidence tells us so. It's hard to find someone persistently committed who never succeeds, or someone successful who never had to persist.

Both studies deliberately used tasks that were impossible to solve, conditions unlikely in day-to-day life.

So persistence generally helps.
But persistence works better with adjustment. Renewed effort in the same form, at the same failed problem, is unlikely to yield different results. Deliberate adjustments to optimize may be more economical than raw persistence.

The point is that there are situations and tasks where persistence and performance are simply not correlated. Knowing when you're in one of those situations is the skill that matters.

The problem wasn't about working hard. It was on assuming that hard work alone was enough.

- Gene

References:

McFarlin, D.B., Baumeister, R.F. and Blascovich, J. (1984) On knowing when to quit: Task failure, self-esteem, advice, and nonproductive persistence. Journal of Personality, 52(2), pp.138-155.

Almeda, M.V.Q. (2018) When practice does not make perfect: Differentiating between productive and unproductive persistence. PhD Thesis. Columbia University.

Have we overindexed on persistence?

To be fair, persistence is a highly valuable trait. Both anecdotal and research evidence tells us so. It's hard to find someone persistently committed who never succeeds, or someone successful who never had to persist.

Both studies deliberately used tasks that were impossible to solve, conditions unlikely in day-to-day life.

So persistence generally helps.
But persistence works better with adjustment. Renewed effort in the same form, at the same failed problem, is unlikely to yield different results. Deliberate adjustments to optimize may be more economical than raw persistence.

The point is that there are situations and tasks where persistence and performance are simply not correlated. Knowing when you're in one of those situations is the skill that matters.

The problem wasn't about working hard. It was on assuming that hard work alone was enough.

- Gene

References:

McFarlin, D.B., Baumeister, R.F. and Blascovich, J. (1984) On knowing when to quit: Task failure, self-esteem, advice, and nonproductive persistence. Journal of Personality, 52(2), pp.138-155.

Almeda, M.V.Q. (2018) When practice does not make perfect: Differentiating between productive and unproductive persistence. PhD Thesis. Columbia University.

Have we overindexed on persistence?

To be fair, persistence is a highly valuable trait. Both anecdotal and research evidence tells us so. It's hard to find someone persistently committed who never succeeds, or someone successful who never had to persist.

Both studies deliberately used tasks that were impossible to solve, conditions unlikely in day-to-day life.

So persistence generally helps.
But persistence works better with adjustment. Renewed effort in the same form, at the same failed problem, is unlikely to yield different results. Deliberate adjustments to optimize may be more economical than raw persistence.

The point is that there are situations and tasks where persistence and performance are simply not correlated. Knowing when you're in one of those situations is the skill that matters.

The problem wasn't about working hard. It was on assuming that hard work alone was enough.

- Gene

References:

McFarlin, D.B., Baumeister, R.F. and Blascovich, J. (1984) On knowing when to quit: Task failure, self-esteem, advice, and nonproductive persistence. Journal of Personality, 52(2), pp.138-155.

Almeda, M.V.Q. (2018) When practice does not make perfect: Differentiating between productive and unproductive persistence. PhD Thesis. Columbia University.

Have we overindexed on persistence?

To be fair, persistence is a highly valuable trait. Both anecdotal and research evidence tells us so. It's hard to find someone persistently committed who never succeeds, or someone successful who never had to persist.

Both studies deliberately used tasks that were impossible to solve, conditions unlikely in day-to-day life.

So persistence generally helps.
But persistence works better with adjustment. Renewed effort in the same form, at the same failed problem, is unlikely to yield different results. Deliberate adjustments to optimize may be more economical than raw persistence.

The point is that there are situations and tasks where persistence and performance are simply not correlated. Knowing when you're in one of those situations is the skill that matters.

The problem wasn't about working hard. It was on assuming that hard work alone was enough.

- Gene

References:

McFarlin, D.B., Baumeister, R.F. and Blascovich, J. (1984) On knowing when to quit: Task failure, self-esteem, advice, and nonproductive persistence. Journal of Personality, 52(2), pp.138-155.

Almeda, M.V.Q. (2018) When practice does not make perfect: Differentiating between productive and unproductive persistence. PhD Thesis. Columbia University.

Have we overindexed on persistence?

To be fair, persistence is a highly valuable trait. Both anecdotal and research evidence tells us so. It's hard to find someone persistently committed who never succeeds, or someone successful who never had to persist.

Both studies deliberately used tasks that were impossible to solve, conditions unlikely in day-to-day life.

So persistence generally helps.
But persistence works better with adjustment. Renewed effort in the same form, at the same failed problem, is unlikely to yield different results. Deliberate adjustments to optimize may be more economical than raw persistence.

The point is that there are situations and tasks where persistence and performance are simply not correlated. Knowing when you're in one of those situations is the skill that matters.

The problem wasn't about working hard. It was on assuming that hard work alone was enough.

- Gene

References:

McFarlin, D.B., Baumeister, R.F. and Blascovich, J. (1984) On knowing when to quit: Task failure, self-esteem, advice, and nonproductive persistence. Journal of Personality, 52(2), pp.138-155.

Almeda, M.V.Q. (2018) When practice does not make perfect: Differentiating between productive and unproductive persistence. PhD Thesis. Columbia University.

Have we overindexed on persistence?

To be fair, persistence is a highly valuable trait. Both anecdotal and research evidence tells us so. It's hard to find someone persistently committed who never succeeds, or someone successful who never had to persist.

Both studies deliberately used tasks that were impossible to solve, conditions unlikely in day-to-day life.

So persistence generally helps.
But persistence works better with adjustment. Renewed effort in the same form, at the same failed problem, is unlikely to yield different results. Deliberate adjustments to optimize may be more economical than raw persistence.

The point is that there are situations and tasks where persistence and performance are simply not correlated. Knowing when you're in one of those situations is the skill that matters.

The problem wasn't about working hard. It was on assuming that hard work alone was enough.

- Gene

References:

McFarlin, D.B., Baumeister, R.F. and Blascovich, J. (1984) On knowing when to quit: Task failure, self-esteem, advice, and nonproductive persistence. Journal of Personality, 52(2), pp.138-155.

Almeda, M.V.Q. (2018) When practice does not make perfect: Differentiating between productive and unproductive persistence. PhD Thesis. Columbia University.

Sometimes, quitting matters more than pushing through.

There is such a thing as unproductive persistence. Research refers to this as "wheel-spinning".

The deeper skill here is discrimination. The ability to distinguish between effort that leads somewhere and effort that doesn’t is more valuable than persistence alone.

- Gene

References:

McFarlin, D.B., Baumeister, R.F. and Blascovich, J. (1984) On knowing when to quit: Task failure, self-esteem, advice, and nonproductive persistence. Journal of Personality, 52(2), pp.138-155

Almeda, M.V.Q. (2018). When practice does not make perfect: Differentiating between productive and unproductive persistence. PhD Thesis. Columbia University.

Sometimes, quitting matters more than pushing through.

There is such a thing as unproductive persistence. Research refers to this as "wheel-spinning".

The deeper skill here is discrimination. The ability to distinguish between effort that leads somewhere and effort that doesn’t is more valuable than persistence alone.

- Gene

References:

McFarlin, D.B., Baumeister, R.F. and Blascovich, J. (1984) On knowing when to quit: Task failure, self-esteem, advice, and nonproductive persistence. Journal of Personality, 52(2), pp.138-155

Almeda, M.V.Q. (2018). When practice does not make perfect: Differentiating between productive and unproductive persistence. PhD Thesis. Columbia University.

Sometimes, quitting matters more than pushing through.

There is such a thing as unproductive persistence. Research refers to this as "wheel-spinning".

The deeper skill here is discrimination. The ability to distinguish between effort that leads somewhere and effort that doesn’t is more valuable than persistence alone.

- Gene

References:

McFarlin, D.B., Baumeister, R.F. and Blascovich, J. (1984) On knowing when to quit: Task failure, self-esteem, advice, and nonproductive persistence. Journal of Personality, 52(2), pp.138-155

Almeda, M.V.Q. (2018). When practice does not make perfect: Differentiating between productive and unproductive persistence. PhD Thesis. Columbia University.

Sometimes, quitting matters more than pushing through.

There is such a thing as unproductive persistence. Research refers to this as "wheel-spinning".

The deeper skill here is discrimination. The ability to distinguish between effort that leads somewhere and effort that doesn’t is more valuable than persistence alone.

- Gene

References:

McFarlin, D.B., Baumeister, R.F. and Blascovich, J. (1984) On knowing when to quit: Task failure, self-esteem, advice, and nonproductive persistence. Journal of Personality, 52(2), pp.138-155

Almeda, M.V.Q. (2018). When practice does not make perfect: Differentiating between productive and unproductive persistence. PhD Thesis. Columbia University.

Sometimes, quitting matters more than pushing through.

There is such a thing as unproductive persistence. Research refers to this as "wheel-spinning".

The deeper skill here is discrimination. The ability to distinguish between effort that leads somewhere and effort that doesn’t is more valuable than persistence alone.

- Gene

References:

McFarlin, D.B., Baumeister, R.F. and Blascovich, J. (1984) On knowing when to quit: Task failure, self-esteem, advice, and nonproductive persistence. Journal of Personality, 52(2), pp.138-155

Almeda, M.V.Q. (2018). When practice does not make perfect: Differentiating between productive and unproductive persistence. PhD Thesis. Columbia University.

Sometimes, quitting matters more than pushing through.

There is such a thing as unproductive persistence. Research refers to this as "wheel-spinning".

The deeper skill here is discrimination. The ability to distinguish between effort that leads somewhere and effort that doesn’t is more valuable than persistence alone.

- Gene

References:

McFarlin, D.B., Baumeister, R.F. and Blascovich, J. (1984) On knowing when to quit: Task failure, self-esteem, advice, and nonproductive persistence. Journal of Personality, 52(2), pp.138-155

Almeda, M.V.Q. (2018). When practice does not make perfect: Differentiating between productive and unproductive persistence. PhD Thesis. Columbia University.

Sometimes, quitting matters more than pushing through.

There is such a thing as unproductive persistence. Research refers to this as "wheel-spinning".

The deeper skill here is discrimination. The ability to distinguish between effort that leads somewhere and effort that doesn’t is more valuable than persistence alone.

- Gene

References:

McFarlin, D.B., Baumeister, R.F. and Blascovich, J. (1984) On knowing when to quit: Task failure, self-esteem, advice, and nonproductive persistence. Journal of Personality, 52(2), pp.138-155

Almeda, M.V.Q. (2018). When practice does not make perfect: Differentiating between productive and unproductive persistence. PhD Thesis. Columbia University.

Much of the debate on attention centers around whether we have control over it. We talk about it like it's a matter of willpower.

But a 2024 review synthesizing decades of research tells us that our understanding of attention has evolved past a simple dichotomy of conscious effort vs reflex, goal-directed vs stimulus-driven, top-down vs bottom-up.

Attentional control is a learned pattern. For the general population, it's trained by whatever environments and habits we repeatedly immerse ourselves in.

The question is what patterns we want to train it on.

- Gene

Reference: Theeuwes, J. (2024) 'Attentional capture and control', Annual Review of Psychology, 76(1). doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-011624-025340.

Much of the debate on attention centers around whether we have control over it. We talk about it like it's a matter of willpower.

But a 2024 review synthesizing decades of research tells us that our understanding of attention has evolved past a simple dichotomy of conscious effort vs reflex, goal-directed vs stimulus-driven, top-down vs bottom-up.

Attentional control is a learned pattern. For the general population, it's trained by whatever environments and habits we repeatedly immerse ourselves in.

The question is what patterns we want to train it on.

- Gene

Reference: Theeuwes, J. (2024) 'Attentional capture and control', Annual Review of Psychology, 76(1). doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-011624-025340.

Much of the debate on attention centers around whether we have control over it. We talk about it like it's a matter of willpower.

But a 2024 review synthesizing decades of research tells us that our understanding of attention has evolved past a simple dichotomy of conscious effort vs reflex, goal-directed vs stimulus-driven, top-down vs bottom-up.

Attentional control is a learned pattern. For the general population, it's trained by whatever environments and habits we repeatedly immerse ourselves in.

The question is what patterns we want to train it on.

- Gene

Reference: Theeuwes, J. (2024) 'Attentional capture and control', Annual Review of Psychology, 76(1). doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-011624-025340.

Much of the debate on attention centers around whether we have control over it. We talk about it like it's a matter of willpower.

But a 2024 review synthesizing decades of research tells us that our understanding of attention has evolved past a simple dichotomy of conscious effort vs reflex, goal-directed vs stimulus-driven, top-down vs bottom-up.

Attentional control is a learned pattern. For the general population, it's trained by whatever environments and habits we repeatedly immerse ourselves in.

The question is what patterns we want to train it on.

- Gene

Reference: Theeuwes, J. (2024) 'Attentional capture and control', Annual Review of Psychology, 76(1). doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-011624-025340.

Much of the debate on attention centers around whether we have control over it. We talk about it like it's a matter of willpower.

But a 2024 review synthesizing decades of research tells us that our understanding of attention has evolved past a simple dichotomy of conscious effort vs reflex, goal-directed vs stimulus-driven, top-down vs bottom-up.

Attentional control is a learned pattern. For the general population, it's trained by whatever environments and habits we repeatedly immerse ourselves in.

The question is what patterns we want to train it on.

- Gene

Reference: Theeuwes, J. (2024) 'Attentional capture and control', Annual Review of Psychology, 76(1). doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-011624-025340.

Much of the debate on attention centers around whether we have control over it. We talk about it like it's a matter of willpower.

But a 2024 review synthesizing decades of research tells us that our understanding of attention has evolved past a simple dichotomy of conscious effort vs reflex, goal-directed vs stimulus-driven, top-down vs bottom-up.

Attentional control is a learned pattern. For the general population, it's trained by whatever environments and habits we repeatedly immerse ourselves in.

The question is what patterns we want to train it on.

- Gene

Reference: Theeuwes, J. (2024) 'Attentional capture and control', Annual Review of Psychology, 76(1). doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-011624-025340.

Much of the debate on attention centers around whether we have control over it. We talk about it like it's a matter of willpower.

But a 2024 review synthesizing decades of research tells us that our understanding of attention has evolved past a simple dichotomy of conscious effort vs reflex, goal-directed vs stimulus-driven, top-down vs bottom-up.

Attentional control is a learned pattern. For the general population, it's trained by whatever environments and habits we repeatedly immerse ourselves in.

The question is what patterns we want to train it on.

- Gene

Reference: Theeuwes, J. (2024) 'Attentional capture and control', Annual Review of Psychology, 76(1). doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-011624-025340.

Much of the debate on attention centers around whether we have control over it. We talk about it like it's a matter of willpower.

But a 2024 review synthesizing decades of research tells us that our understanding of attention has evolved past a simple dichotomy of conscious effort vs reflex, goal-directed vs stimulus-driven, top-down vs bottom-up.

Attentional control is a learned pattern. For the general population, it's trained by whatever environments and habits we repeatedly immerse ourselves in.

The question is what patterns we want to train it on.

- Gene

Reference: Theeuwes, J. (2024) 'Attentional capture and control', Annual Review of Psychology, 76(1). doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-011624-025340.

Much of the debate on attention centers around whether we have control over it. We talk about it like it's a matter of willpower.

But a 2024 review synthesizing decades of research tells us that our understanding of attention has evolved past a simple dichotomy of conscious effort vs reflex, goal-directed vs stimulus-driven, top-down vs bottom-up.

Attentional control is a learned pattern. For the general population, it's trained by whatever environments and habits we repeatedly immerse ourselves in.

The question is what patterns we want to train it on.

- Gene

Reference: Theeuwes, J. (2024) 'Attentional capture and control', Annual Review of Psychology, 76(1). doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-011624-025340.

If you feel like you're doing a lot but accomplishing little, the problem probably isn't work ethic or planning.

It's attention.

We know what matters but we get distracted by smaller tasks, urgent-feeling requests, or whatever is loudest. It feels productive, but nothing moves.

Research on attentional control shows that what separates high performers under pressure isn't just sharper focus. It is stronger inhibition: the ability to suppress the pull of irrelevant distractors improved performance across both cognitive and physical tasks. It's a skill that can be developed.

The work is in building the capacity to filter out what shouldn't get your attention, so the effort you're already putting in can go where it matters.

Gene

References:

Ducrocq, E., Wilson, M., Vine, S. and Derakshan, N. (2016) ‘Training Attentional Control Improves Cognitive and Motor Task Performance’, Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 38, pp. 521–533.

Theeuwes, J. (2024) ‘Attentional Capture and Control’, Annual Review of Psychology

If you feel like you're doing a lot but accomplishing little, the problem probably isn't work ethic or planning.

It's attention.

We know what matters but we get distracted by smaller tasks, urgent-feeling requests, or whatever is loudest. It feels productive, but nothing moves.

Research on attentional control shows that what separates high performers under pressure isn't just sharper focus. It is stronger inhibition: the ability to suppress the pull of irrelevant distractors improved performance across both cognitive and physical tasks. It's a skill that can be developed.

The work is in building the capacity to filter out what shouldn't get your attention, so the effort you're already putting in can go where it matters.

Gene

References:

Ducrocq, E., Wilson, M., Vine, S. and Derakshan, N. (2016) ‘Training Attentional Control Improves Cognitive and Motor Task Performance’, Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 38, pp. 521–533.

Theeuwes, J. (2024) ‘Attentional Capture and Control’, Annual Review of Psychology

If you feel like you're doing a lot but accomplishing little, the problem probably isn't work ethic or planning.

It's attention.

We know what matters but we get distracted by smaller tasks, urgent-feeling requests, or whatever is loudest. It feels productive, but nothing moves.

Research on attentional control shows that what separates high performers under pressure isn't just sharper focus. It is stronger inhibition: the ability to suppress the pull of irrelevant distractors improved performance across both cognitive and physical tasks. It's a skill that can be developed.

The work is in building the capacity to filter out what shouldn't get your attention, so the effort you're already putting in can go where it matters.

Gene

References:

Ducrocq, E., Wilson, M., Vine, S. and Derakshan, N. (2016) ‘Training Attentional Control Improves Cognitive and Motor Task Performance’, Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 38, pp. 521–533.

Theeuwes, J. (2024) ‘Attentional Capture and Control’, Annual Review of Psychology

If you feel like you're doing a lot but accomplishing little, the problem probably isn't work ethic or planning.

It's attention.

We know what matters but we get distracted by smaller tasks, urgent-feeling requests, or whatever is loudest. It feels productive, but nothing moves.

Research on attentional control shows that what separates high performers under pressure isn't just sharper focus. It is stronger inhibition: the ability to suppress the pull of irrelevant distractors improved performance across both cognitive and physical tasks. It's a skill that can be developed.

The work is in building the capacity to filter out what shouldn't get your attention, so the effort you're already putting in can go where it matters.

Gene

References:

Ducrocq, E., Wilson, M., Vine, S. and Derakshan, N. (2016) ‘Training Attentional Control Improves Cognitive and Motor Task Performance’, Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 38, pp. 521–533.

Theeuwes, J. (2024) ‘Attentional Capture and Control’, Annual Review of Psychology

If you feel like you're doing a lot but accomplishing little, the problem probably isn't work ethic or planning.

It's attention.

We know what matters but we get distracted by smaller tasks, urgent-feeling requests, or whatever is loudest. It feels productive, but nothing moves.

Research on attentional control shows that what separates high performers under pressure isn't just sharper focus. It is stronger inhibition: the ability to suppress the pull of irrelevant distractors improved performance across both cognitive and physical tasks. It's a skill that can be developed.

The work is in building the capacity to filter out what shouldn't get your attention, so the effort you're already putting in can go where it matters.

Gene

References:

Ducrocq, E., Wilson, M., Vine, S. and Derakshan, N. (2016) ‘Training Attentional Control Improves Cognitive and Motor Task Performance’, Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 38, pp. 521–533.

Theeuwes, J. (2024) ‘Attentional Capture and Control’, Annual Review of Psychology

If you feel like you're doing a lot but accomplishing little, the problem probably isn't work ethic or planning.

It's attention.

We know what matters but we get distracted by smaller tasks, urgent-feeling requests, or whatever is loudest. It feels productive, but nothing moves.

Research on attentional control shows that what separates high performers under pressure isn't just sharper focus. It is stronger inhibition: the ability to suppress the pull of irrelevant distractors improved performance across both cognitive and physical tasks. It's a skill that can be developed.

The work is in building the capacity to filter out what shouldn't get your attention, so the effort you're already putting in can go where it matters.

Gene

References:

Ducrocq, E., Wilson, M., Vine, S. and Derakshan, N. (2016) ‘Training Attentional Control Improves Cognitive and Motor Task Performance’, Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 38, pp. 521–533.

Theeuwes, J. (2024) ‘Attentional Capture and Control’, Annual Review of Psychology

If you feel like you're doing a lot but accomplishing little, the problem probably isn't work ethic or planning.

It's attention.

We know what matters but we get distracted by smaller tasks, urgent-feeling requests, or whatever is loudest. It feels productive, but nothing moves.

Research on attentional control shows that what separates high performers under pressure isn't just sharper focus. It is stronger inhibition: the ability to suppress the pull of irrelevant distractors improved performance across both cognitive and physical tasks. It's a skill that can be developed.

The work is in building the capacity to filter out what shouldn't get your attention, so the effort you're already putting in can go where it matters.

Gene

References:

Ducrocq, E., Wilson, M., Vine, S. and Derakshan, N. (2016) ‘Training Attentional Control Improves Cognitive and Motor Task Performance’, Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 38, pp. 521–533.

Theeuwes, J. (2024) ‘Attentional Capture and Control’, Annual Review of Psychology

Staying busy can feel responsible, but it can also be a way to avoid discomfort without realising it.

Effort and progress aren’t always the same thing.

Sometimes the question isn’t whether you’re doing enough, but whether what you’re doing is helping you grow.

Research has a lot to say about procrastination, not as laziness or a flaw in motivation or personality, but as something we can learn to manage.

- Gene

References:

Lieberman, C. (2019) ‘Why You Procrastinate (It Has Nothing to Do With Self-Control)’, The New York Times, 25 March. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/smarter-living/why-you-procrastinate-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-self-control.html (Accessed: 21 February 2026).

Ludwig, V.U., Brown, K.W. and Brewer, J.A. (2020) ‘Self-Regulation Without Force: Can Awareness Leverage Reward to Drive Behavior Change?’, Perspectives on Psychological Science, 15(6), pp. 1382–1399.

Metin, U.B., Peeters, M.C.W. and Taris, T.W. (2018) ‘Correlates of procrastination and performance at work: The role of having “good fit”’, Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 46(3), pp. 228–244.

Steel, P., Brothen, T. and Wambach, C. (2001) ‘Procrastination and personality, performance, and mood’, Personality and Individual Differences, 30(1), pp. 95–106.

Thakkar, N. (2009) ‘Why Procrastinate: An Investigation of the Root Causes behind Procrastination’, Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 4(2)

Staying busy can feel responsible, but it can also be a way to avoid discomfort without realising it.

Effort and progress aren’t always the same thing.

Sometimes the question isn’t whether you’re doing enough, but whether what you’re doing is helping you grow.

Research has a lot to say about procrastination, not as laziness or a flaw in motivation or personality, but as something we can learn to manage.

- Gene

References:

Lieberman, C. (2019) ‘Why You Procrastinate (It Has Nothing to Do With Self-Control)’, The New York Times, 25 March. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/smarter-living/why-you-procrastinate-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-self-control.html (Accessed: 21 February 2026).

Ludwig, V.U., Brown, K.W. and Brewer, J.A. (2020) ‘Self-Regulation Without Force: Can Awareness Leverage Reward to Drive Behavior Change?’, Perspectives on Psychological Science, 15(6), pp. 1382–1399.

Metin, U.B., Peeters, M.C.W. and Taris, T.W. (2018) ‘Correlates of procrastination and performance at work: The role of having “good fit”’, Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 46(3), pp. 228–244.

Steel, P., Brothen, T. and Wambach, C. (2001) ‘Procrastination and personality, performance, and mood’, Personality and Individual Differences, 30(1), pp. 95–106.

Thakkar, N. (2009) ‘Why Procrastinate: An Investigation of the Root Causes behind Procrastination’, Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 4(2)

Staying busy can feel responsible, but it can also be a way to avoid discomfort without realising it.

Effort and progress aren’t always the same thing.

Sometimes the question isn’t whether you’re doing enough, but whether what you’re doing is helping you grow.

Research has a lot to say about procrastination, not as laziness or a flaw in motivation or personality, but as something we can learn to manage.

- Gene

References:

Lieberman, C. (2019) ‘Why You Procrastinate (It Has Nothing to Do With Self-Control)’, The New York Times, 25 March. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/smarter-living/why-you-procrastinate-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-self-control.html (Accessed: 21 February 2026).

Ludwig, V.U., Brown, K.W. and Brewer, J.A. (2020) ‘Self-Regulation Without Force: Can Awareness Leverage Reward to Drive Behavior Change?’, Perspectives on Psychological Science, 15(6), pp. 1382–1399.

Metin, U.B., Peeters, M.C.W. and Taris, T.W. (2018) ‘Correlates of procrastination and performance at work: The role of having “good fit”’, Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 46(3), pp. 228–244.

Steel, P., Brothen, T. and Wambach, C. (2001) ‘Procrastination and personality, performance, and mood’, Personality and Individual Differences, 30(1), pp. 95–106.

Thakkar, N. (2009) ‘Why Procrastinate: An Investigation of the Root Causes behind Procrastination’, Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 4(2)

Staying busy can feel responsible, but it can also be a way to avoid discomfort without realising it.

Effort and progress aren’t always the same thing.

Sometimes the question isn’t whether you’re doing enough, but whether what you’re doing is helping you grow.

Research has a lot to say about procrastination, not as laziness or a flaw in motivation or personality, but as something we can learn to manage.

- Gene

References:

Lieberman, C. (2019) ‘Why You Procrastinate (It Has Nothing to Do With Self-Control)’, The New York Times, 25 March. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/smarter-living/why-you-procrastinate-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-self-control.html (Accessed: 21 February 2026).

Ludwig, V.U., Brown, K.W. and Brewer, J.A. (2020) ‘Self-Regulation Without Force: Can Awareness Leverage Reward to Drive Behavior Change?’, Perspectives on Psychological Science, 15(6), pp. 1382–1399.

Metin, U.B., Peeters, M.C.W. and Taris, T.W. (2018) ‘Correlates of procrastination and performance at work: The role of having “good fit”’, Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 46(3), pp. 228–244.

Steel, P., Brothen, T. and Wambach, C. (2001) ‘Procrastination and personality, performance, and mood’, Personality and Individual Differences, 30(1), pp. 95–106.

Thakkar, N. (2009) ‘Why Procrastinate: An Investigation of the Root Causes behind Procrastination’, Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 4(2)

Staying busy can feel responsible, but it can also be a way to avoid discomfort without realising it.

Effort and progress aren’t always the same thing.

Sometimes the question isn’t whether you’re doing enough, but whether what you’re doing is helping you grow.

Research has a lot to say about procrastination, not as laziness or a flaw in motivation or personality, but as something we can learn to manage.

- Gene

References:

Lieberman, C. (2019) ‘Why You Procrastinate (It Has Nothing to Do With Self-Control)’, The New York Times, 25 March. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/smarter-living/why-you-procrastinate-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-self-control.html (Accessed: 21 February 2026).

Ludwig, V.U., Brown, K.W. and Brewer, J.A. (2020) ‘Self-Regulation Without Force: Can Awareness Leverage Reward to Drive Behavior Change?’, Perspectives on Psychological Science, 15(6), pp. 1382–1399.

Metin, U.B., Peeters, M.C.W. and Taris, T.W. (2018) ‘Correlates of procrastination and performance at work: The role of having “good fit”’, Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 46(3), pp. 228–244.

Steel, P., Brothen, T. and Wambach, C. (2001) ‘Procrastination and personality, performance, and mood’, Personality and Individual Differences, 30(1), pp. 95–106.

Thakkar, N. (2009) ‘Why Procrastinate: An Investigation of the Root Causes behind Procrastination’, Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 4(2)

Staying busy can feel responsible, but it can also be a way to avoid discomfort without realising it.

Effort and progress aren’t always the same thing.

Sometimes the question isn’t whether you’re doing enough, but whether what you’re doing is helping you grow.

Research has a lot to say about procrastination, not as laziness or a flaw in motivation or personality, but as something we can learn to manage.

- Gene

References:

Lieberman, C. (2019) ‘Why You Procrastinate (It Has Nothing to Do With Self-Control)’, The New York Times, 25 March. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/smarter-living/why-you-procrastinate-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-self-control.html (Accessed: 21 February 2026).

Ludwig, V.U., Brown, K.W. and Brewer, J.A. (2020) ‘Self-Regulation Without Force: Can Awareness Leverage Reward to Drive Behavior Change?’, Perspectives on Psychological Science, 15(6), pp. 1382–1399.

Metin, U.B., Peeters, M.C.W. and Taris, T.W. (2018) ‘Correlates of procrastination and performance at work: The role of having “good fit”’, Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 46(3), pp. 228–244.

Steel, P., Brothen, T. and Wambach, C. (2001) ‘Procrastination and personality, performance, and mood’, Personality and Individual Differences, 30(1), pp. 95–106.

Thakkar, N. (2009) ‘Why Procrastinate: An Investigation of the Root Causes behind Procrastination’, Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 4(2)

What if feeling ready is not something that comes before you take action, but what comes after it?

Many of us often wait and over-prepare because acting before we feel ready feels like it's inviting failure. We want to be primed for success, or at least protect ourselves from when or if things go wrong.

But readiness is rarely built through preparation alone.

Research suggests that readiness doesn’t come only from planning, but also from initial success. Even the most modest of successes is often enough to change how our next step feels. It signals that we can.

Readiness often shows up only after movement begins. Waiting rarely teaches us what acting does.

- Gene

References:

Damen, T. G. E., van Baaren, R. B., Brass, M., Aarts, H. and Dijksterhuis, A. (2015) 'Put Your Plan Into Action: The Influence of Action Plans on Agency and Responsibility', Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(6), pp. 850–866.

Iso-Ahola, S. E. and Dotson, C. O. (2014) 'Psychological Momentum: Why Success Breeds Success', Review of General Psychology, 18(1), pp. 19–33.

Iso-Ahola, S. E. and Dotson, C. O. (2016) 'Psychological Momentum—A Key to Continued Success', Frontiers in Psychology, 7, p. 1328

What if feeling ready is not something that comes before you take action, but what comes after it?

Many of us often wait and over-prepare because acting before we feel ready feels like it's inviting failure. We want to be primed for success, or at least protect ourselves from when or if things go wrong.

But readiness is rarely built through preparation alone.

Research suggests that readiness doesn’t come only from planning, but also from initial success. Even the most modest of successes is often enough to change how our next step feels. It signals that we can.

Readiness often shows up only after movement begins. Waiting rarely teaches us what acting does.

- Gene

References:

Damen, T. G. E., van Baaren, R. B., Brass, M., Aarts, H. and Dijksterhuis, A. (2015) 'Put Your Plan Into Action: The Influence of Action Plans on Agency and Responsibility', Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(6), pp. 850–866.

Iso-Ahola, S. E. and Dotson, C. O. (2014) 'Psychological Momentum: Why Success Breeds Success', Review of General Psychology, 18(1), pp. 19–33.

Iso-Ahola, S. E. and Dotson, C. O. (2016) 'Psychological Momentum—A Key to Continued Success', Frontiers in Psychology, 7, p. 1328

What if feeling ready is not something that comes before you take action, but what comes after it?

Many of us often wait and over-prepare because acting before we feel ready feels like it's inviting failure. We want to be primed for success, or at least protect ourselves from when or if things go wrong.

But readiness is rarely built through preparation alone.

Research suggests that readiness doesn’t come only from planning, but also from initial success. Even the most modest of successes is often enough to change how our next step feels. It signals that we can.

Readiness often shows up only after movement begins. Waiting rarely teaches us what acting does.

- Gene

References:

Damen, T. G. E., van Baaren, R. B., Brass, M., Aarts, H. and Dijksterhuis, A. (2015) 'Put Your Plan Into Action: The Influence of Action Plans on Agency and Responsibility', Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(6), pp. 850–866.

Iso-Ahola, S. E. and Dotson, C. O. (2014) 'Psychological Momentum: Why Success Breeds Success', Review of General Psychology, 18(1), pp. 19–33.

Iso-Ahola, S. E. and Dotson, C. O. (2016) 'Psychological Momentum—A Key to Continued Success', Frontiers in Psychology, 7, p. 1328

What if feeling ready is not something that comes before you take action, but what comes after it?

Many of us often wait and over-prepare because acting before we feel ready feels like it's inviting failure. We want to be primed for success, or at least protect ourselves from when or if things go wrong.

But readiness is rarely built through preparation alone.

Research suggests that readiness doesn’t come only from planning, but also from initial success. Even the most modest of successes is often enough to change how our next step feels. It signals that we can.

Readiness often shows up only after movement begins. Waiting rarely teaches us what acting does.

- Gene

References:

Damen, T. G. E., van Baaren, R. B., Brass, M., Aarts, H. and Dijksterhuis, A. (2015) 'Put Your Plan Into Action: The Influence of Action Plans on Agency and Responsibility', Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(6), pp. 850–866.

Iso-Ahola, S. E. and Dotson, C. O. (2014) 'Psychological Momentum: Why Success Breeds Success', Review of General Psychology, 18(1), pp. 19–33.

Iso-Ahola, S. E. and Dotson, C. O. (2016) 'Psychological Momentum—A Key to Continued Success', Frontiers in Psychology, 7, p. 1328

What if feeling ready is not something that comes before you take action, but what comes after it?

Many of us often wait and over-prepare because acting before we feel ready feels like it's inviting failure. We want to be primed for success, or at least protect ourselves from when or if things go wrong.

But readiness is rarely built through preparation alone.

Research suggests that readiness doesn’t come only from planning, but also from initial success. Even the most modest of successes is often enough to change how our next step feels. It signals that we can.

Readiness often shows up only after movement begins. Waiting rarely teaches us what acting does.

- Gene

References:

Damen, T. G. E., van Baaren, R. B., Brass, M., Aarts, H. and Dijksterhuis, A. (2015) 'Put Your Plan Into Action: The Influence of Action Plans on Agency and Responsibility', Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(6), pp. 850–866.

Iso-Ahola, S. E. and Dotson, C. O. (2014) 'Psychological Momentum: Why Success Breeds Success', Review of General Psychology, 18(1), pp. 19–33.

Iso-Ahola, S. E. and Dotson, C. O. (2016) 'Psychological Momentum—A Key to Continued Success', Frontiers in Psychology, 7, p. 1328

What if feeling ready is not something that comes before you take action, but what comes after it?

Many of us often wait and over-prepare because acting before we feel ready feels like it's inviting failure. We want to be primed for success, or at least protect ourselves from when or if things go wrong.

But readiness is rarely built through preparation alone.

Research suggests that readiness doesn’t come only from planning, but also from initial success. Even the most modest of successes is often enough to change how our next step feels. It signals that we can.

Readiness often shows up only after movement begins. Waiting rarely teaches us what acting does.

- Gene

References:

Damen, T. G. E., van Baaren, R. B., Brass, M., Aarts, H. and Dijksterhuis, A. (2015) 'Put Your Plan Into Action: The Influence of Action Plans on Agency and Responsibility', Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(6), pp. 850–866.

Iso-Ahola, S. E. and Dotson, C. O. (2014) 'Psychological Momentum: Why Success Breeds Success', Review of General Psychology, 18(1), pp. 19–33.

Iso-Ahola, S. E. and Dotson, C. O. (2016) 'Psychological Momentum—A Key to Continued Success', Frontiers in Psychology, 7, p. 1328

What if feeling ready is not something that comes before you take action, but what comes after it?

Many of us often wait and over-prepare because acting before we feel ready feels like it's inviting failure. We want to be primed for success, or at least protect ourselves from when or if things go wrong.

But readiness is rarely built through preparation alone.

Research suggests that readiness doesn’t come only from planning, but also from initial success. Even the most modest of successes is often enough to change how our next step feels. It signals that we can.

Readiness often shows up only after movement begins. Waiting rarely teaches us what acting does.

- Gene

References:

Damen, T. G. E., van Baaren, R. B., Brass, M., Aarts, H. and Dijksterhuis, A. (2015) 'Put Your Plan Into Action: The Influence of Action Plans on Agency and Responsibility', Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 108(6), pp. 850–866.

Iso-Ahola, S. E. and Dotson, C. O. (2014) 'Psychological Momentum: Why Success Breeds Success', Review of General Psychology, 18(1), pp. 19–33.

Iso-Ahola, S. E. and Dotson, C. O. (2016) 'Psychological Momentum—A Key to Continued Success', Frontiers in Psychology, 7, p. 1328

If we’re being real, we know exactly what we need to do in order to grow. Why do we fail to do it anyway?

Psychologist Daniel Kahneman described this tension through the idea of two modes of thinking. One is fast, automatic, and driven by habit. The other is slower, more deliberate, and effortful. In moments of fatigue or distraction, it’s natural for the automatic mode to take the lead. Knowing what’s right doesn’t automatically give us the bandwidth to act on it.

So what if hesitation is where habits actually change?

Hesitation isn’t always proof that something is wrong. It can be a sign that the deliberate part of us just hasn’t fully come online yet. Simply recognising the moment by noticing the pull toward ease, naming the discomfort, and bringing attention back to what matters now - that's enough to shift how our next choice unfolds. Over time, those small shifts begin to shape new patterns, and what once required effort slowly becomes more familiar.

That’s how new habits are formed.

-Gene

References:

Lee, Y. and Yoon, Y.-J. (2019) ‘Exploring the formation of exercise habits with the latent growth model’, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 126(5), pp. 843–861.

Rodrigues, F. and Teixeira, D. (2023) ‘Testing assumptions of the Physical Activity Adoption and Maintenance Model: A longitudinal perspective of the relationships between intentions and habits on exercise adherence’, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 130(5), pp. 2123–2138.

Davis, R., Campbell, R., Hildon, Z., Hobbs, L. and Michie, S. (2015) ‘Theories of behaviour and behaviour change across the social and behavioural sciences: a scoping review’, Health Psychology Review, 9(3), pp. 323–344.

If we’re being real, we know exactly what we need to do in order to grow. Why do we fail to do it anyway?

Psychologist Daniel Kahneman described this tension through the idea of two modes of thinking. One is fast, automatic, and driven by habit. The other is slower, more deliberate, and effortful. In moments of fatigue or distraction, it’s natural for the automatic mode to take the lead. Knowing what’s right doesn’t automatically give us the bandwidth to act on it.

So what if hesitation is where habits actually change?

Hesitation isn’t always proof that something is wrong. It can be a sign that the deliberate part of us just hasn’t fully come online yet. Simply recognising the moment by noticing the pull toward ease, naming the discomfort, and bringing attention back to what matters now - that's enough to shift how our next choice unfolds. Over time, those small shifts begin to shape new patterns, and what once required effort slowly becomes more familiar.

That’s how new habits are formed.

-Gene

References:

Lee, Y. and Yoon, Y.-J. (2019) ‘Exploring the formation of exercise habits with the latent growth model’, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 126(5), pp. 843–861.

Rodrigues, F. and Teixeira, D. (2023) ‘Testing assumptions of the Physical Activity Adoption and Maintenance Model: A longitudinal perspective of the relationships between intentions and habits on exercise adherence’, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 130(5), pp. 2123–2138.

Davis, R., Campbell, R., Hildon, Z., Hobbs, L. and Michie, S. (2015) ‘Theories of behaviour and behaviour change across the social and behavioural sciences: a scoping review’, Health Psychology Review, 9(3), pp. 323–344.

If we’re being real, we know exactly what we need to do in order to grow. Why do we fail to do it anyway?

Psychologist Daniel Kahneman described this tension through the idea of two modes of thinking. One is fast, automatic, and driven by habit. The other is slower, more deliberate, and effortful. In moments of fatigue or distraction, it’s natural for the automatic mode to take the lead. Knowing what’s right doesn’t automatically give us the bandwidth to act on it.

So what if hesitation is where habits actually change?

Hesitation isn’t always proof that something is wrong. It can be a sign that the deliberate part of us just hasn’t fully come online yet. Simply recognising the moment by noticing the pull toward ease, naming the discomfort, and bringing attention back to what matters now - that's enough to shift how our next choice unfolds. Over time, those small shifts begin to shape new patterns, and what once required effort slowly becomes more familiar.

That’s how new habits are formed.

-Gene

References:

Lee, Y. and Yoon, Y.-J. (2019) ‘Exploring the formation of exercise habits with the latent growth model’, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 126(5), pp. 843–861.

Rodrigues, F. and Teixeira, D. (2023) ‘Testing assumptions of the Physical Activity Adoption and Maintenance Model: A longitudinal perspective of the relationships between intentions and habits on exercise adherence’, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 130(5), pp. 2123–2138.

Davis, R., Campbell, R., Hildon, Z., Hobbs, L. and Michie, S. (2015) ‘Theories of behaviour and behaviour change across the social and behavioural sciences: a scoping review’, Health Psychology Review, 9(3), pp. 323–344.

If we’re being real, we know exactly what we need to do in order to grow. Why do we fail to do it anyway?

Psychologist Daniel Kahneman described this tension through the idea of two modes of thinking. One is fast, automatic, and driven by habit. The other is slower, more deliberate, and effortful. In moments of fatigue or distraction, it’s natural for the automatic mode to take the lead. Knowing what’s right doesn’t automatically give us the bandwidth to act on it.

So what if hesitation is where habits actually change?

Hesitation isn’t always proof that something is wrong. It can be a sign that the deliberate part of us just hasn’t fully come online yet. Simply recognising the moment by noticing the pull toward ease, naming the discomfort, and bringing attention back to what matters now - that's enough to shift how our next choice unfolds. Over time, those small shifts begin to shape new patterns, and what once required effort slowly becomes more familiar.

That’s how new habits are formed.

-Gene

References:

Lee, Y. and Yoon, Y.-J. (2019) ‘Exploring the formation of exercise habits with the latent growth model’, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 126(5), pp. 843–861.

Rodrigues, F. and Teixeira, D. (2023) ‘Testing assumptions of the Physical Activity Adoption and Maintenance Model: A longitudinal perspective of the relationships between intentions and habits on exercise adherence’, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 130(5), pp. 2123–2138.

Davis, R., Campbell, R., Hildon, Z., Hobbs, L. and Michie, S. (2015) ‘Theories of behaviour and behaviour change across the social and behavioural sciences: a scoping review’, Health Psychology Review, 9(3), pp. 323–344.

If we’re being real, we know exactly what we need to do in order to grow. Why do we fail to do it anyway?

Psychologist Daniel Kahneman described this tension through the idea of two modes of thinking. One is fast, automatic, and driven by habit. The other is slower, more deliberate, and effortful. In moments of fatigue or distraction, it’s natural for the automatic mode to take the lead. Knowing what’s right doesn’t automatically give us the bandwidth to act on it.

So what if hesitation is where habits actually change?

Hesitation isn’t always proof that something is wrong. It can be a sign that the deliberate part of us just hasn’t fully come online yet. Simply recognising the moment by noticing the pull toward ease, naming the discomfort, and bringing attention back to what matters now - that's enough to shift how our next choice unfolds. Over time, those small shifts begin to shape new patterns, and what once required effort slowly becomes more familiar.

That’s how new habits are formed.

-Gene

References:

Lee, Y. and Yoon, Y.-J. (2019) ‘Exploring the formation of exercise habits with the latent growth model’, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 126(5), pp. 843–861.

Rodrigues, F. and Teixeira, D. (2023) ‘Testing assumptions of the Physical Activity Adoption and Maintenance Model: A longitudinal perspective of the relationships between intentions and habits on exercise adherence’, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 130(5), pp. 2123–2138.

Davis, R., Campbell, R., Hildon, Z., Hobbs, L. and Michie, S. (2015) ‘Theories of behaviour and behaviour change across the social and behavioural sciences: a scoping review’, Health Psychology Review, 9(3), pp. 323–344.

If we’re being real, we know exactly what we need to do in order to grow. Why do we fail to do it anyway?

Psychologist Daniel Kahneman described this tension through the idea of two modes of thinking. One is fast, automatic, and driven by habit. The other is slower, more deliberate, and effortful. In moments of fatigue or distraction, it’s natural for the automatic mode to take the lead. Knowing what’s right doesn’t automatically give us the bandwidth to act on it.

So what if hesitation is where habits actually change?

Hesitation isn’t always proof that something is wrong. It can be a sign that the deliberate part of us just hasn’t fully come online yet. Simply recognising the moment by noticing the pull toward ease, naming the discomfort, and bringing attention back to what matters now - that's enough to shift how our next choice unfolds. Over time, those small shifts begin to shape new patterns, and what once required effort slowly becomes more familiar.

That’s how new habits are formed.

-Gene

References:

Lee, Y. and Yoon, Y.-J. (2019) ‘Exploring the formation of exercise habits with the latent growth model’, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 126(5), pp. 843–861.

Rodrigues, F. and Teixeira, D. (2023) ‘Testing assumptions of the Physical Activity Adoption and Maintenance Model: A longitudinal perspective of the relationships between intentions and habits on exercise adherence’, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 130(5), pp. 2123–2138.

Davis, R., Campbell, R., Hildon, Z., Hobbs, L. and Michie, S. (2015) ‘Theories of behaviour and behaviour change across the social and behavioural sciences: a scoping review’, Health Psychology Review, 9(3), pp. 323–344.

If we’re being real, we know exactly what we need to do in order to grow. Why do we fail to do it anyway?

Psychologist Daniel Kahneman described this tension through the idea of two modes of thinking. One is fast, automatic, and driven by habit. The other is slower, more deliberate, and effortful. In moments of fatigue or distraction, it’s natural for the automatic mode to take the lead. Knowing what’s right doesn’t automatically give us the bandwidth to act on it.

So what if hesitation is where habits actually change?

Hesitation isn’t always proof that something is wrong. It can be a sign that the deliberate part of us just hasn’t fully come online yet. Simply recognising the moment by noticing the pull toward ease, naming the discomfort, and bringing attention back to what matters now - that's enough to shift how our next choice unfolds. Over time, those small shifts begin to shape new patterns, and what once required effort slowly becomes more familiar.

That’s how new habits are formed.

-Gene

References:

Lee, Y. and Yoon, Y.-J. (2019) ‘Exploring the formation of exercise habits with the latent growth model’, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 126(5), pp. 843–861.

Rodrigues, F. and Teixeira, D. (2023) ‘Testing assumptions of the Physical Activity Adoption and Maintenance Model: A longitudinal perspective of the relationships between intentions and habits on exercise adherence’, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 130(5), pp. 2123–2138.

Davis, R., Campbell, R., Hildon, Z., Hobbs, L. and Michie, S. (2015) ‘Theories of behaviour and behaviour change across the social and behavioural sciences: a scoping review’, Health Psychology Review, 9(3), pp. 323–344.

If we’re being real, we know exactly what we need to do in order to grow. Why do we fail to do it anyway?

Psychologist Daniel Kahneman described this tension through the idea of two modes of thinking. One is fast, automatic, and driven by habit. The other is slower, more deliberate, and effortful. In moments of fatigue or distraction, it’s natural for the automatic mode to take the lead. Knowing what’s right doesn’t automatically give us the bandwidth to act on it.

So what if hesitation is where habits actually change?

Hesitation isn’t always proof that something is wrong. It can be a sign that the deliberate part of us just hasn’t fully come online yet. Simply recognising the moment by noticing the pull toward ease, naming the discomfort, and bringing attention back to what matters now - that's enough to shift how our next choice unfolds. Over time, those small shifts begin to shape new patterns, and what once required effort slowly becomes more familiar.

That’s how new habits are formed.

-Gene

References:

Lee, Y. and Yoon, Y.-J. (2019) ‘Exploring the formation of exercise habits with the latent growth model’, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 126(5), pp. 843–861.

Rodrigues, F. and Teixeira, D. (2023) ‘Testing assumptions of the Physical Activity Adoption and Maintenance Model: A longitudinal perspective of the relationships between intentions and habits on exercise adherence’, Perceptual and Motor Skills, 130(5), pp. 2123–2138.

Davis, R., Campbell, R., Hildon, Z., Hobbs, L. and Michie, S. (2015) ‘Theories of behaviour and behaviour change across the social and behavioural sciences: a scoping review’, Health Psychology Review, 9(3), pp. 323–344.

The more we define ourselves by one thing, the more fragile we become when that thing shifts.

Research shows that developing multiple areas of growth and spreading our identity across several worthwhile pursuits can help us to develop the resilience we need to overcome hard things.

When we lose a central role, whether through a planned transition or unforseen setback, the challenge isn't just to weather the storm, but to re-author how we move forward.

Instead of just trying to 'fix' what was broken, we can build resilience by diversifying our lives. Think of it as building a social safety net: you maintain social ties that exist outside of your 'main role' (i.e. Identity Continuity), and you intentionally join new circles to gain a fresh sense of belonging and agency over your future (i.e. Identity Gain).

When our identity is spread across multiple meaningful pursuits, endings don’t erase our story. We continue to grow by allowing new parts of ourselves to develop alongside what remains.

Reference: Haslam, C., Lam, B.C.P., Yang, J., Steffens, N.K., Haslam, S.A., Cruwys, T., Boen, F., Mertens, N., De Brandt, K., Wang, X., Mallett, C.J. and Fransen, K. (2021). When the final whistle blows: Social identity pathways support mental health and life satisfaction after retirement from competitive sport. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 57, p. 102049

- Gene

The more we define ourselves by one thing, the more fragile we become when that thing shifts.

Research shows that developing multiple areas of growth and spreading our identity across several worthwhile pursuits can help us to develop the resilience we need to overcome hard things.

When we lose a central role, whether through a planned transition or unforseen setback, the challenge isn't just to weather the storm, but to re-author how we move forward.

Instead of just trying to 'fix' what was broken, we can build resilience by diversifying our lives. Think of it as building a social safety net: you maintain social ties that exist outside of your 'main role' (i.e. Identity Continuity), and you intentionally join new circles to gain a fresh sense of belonging and agency over your future (i.e. Identity Gain).

When our identity is spread across multiple meaningful pursuits, endings don’t erase our story. We continue to grow by allowing new parts of ourselves to develop alongside what remains.

Reference: Haslam, C., Lam, B.C.P., Yang, J., Steffens, N.K., Haslam, S.A., Cruwys, T., Boen, F., Mertens, N., De Brandt, K., Wang, X., Mallett, C.J. and Fransen, K. (2021). When the final whistle blows: Social identity pathways support mental health and life satisfaction after retirement from competitive sport. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 57, p. 102049

- Gene

The more we define ourselves by one thing, the more fragile we become when that thing shifts.

Research shows that developing multiple areas of growth and spreading our identity across several worthwhile pursuits can help us to develop the resilience we need to overcome hard things.

When we lose a central role, whether through a planned transition or unforseen setback, the challenge isn't just to weather the storm, but to re-author how we move forward.

Instead of just trying to 'fix' what was broken, we can build resilience by diversifying our lives. Think of it as building a social safety net: you maintain social ties that exist outside of your 'main role' (i.e. Identity Continuity), and you intentionally join new circles to gain a fresh sense of belonging and agency over your future (i.e. Identity Gain).

When our identity is spread across multiple meaningful pursuits, endings don’t erase our story. We continue to grow by allowing new parts of ourselves to develop alongside what remains.

Reference: Haslam, C., Lam, B.C.P., Yang, J., Steffens, N.K., Haslam, S.A., Cruwys, T., Boen, F., Mertens, N., De Brandt, K., Wang, X., Mallett, C.J. and Fransen, K. (2021). When the final whistle blows: Social identity pathways support mental health and life satisfaction after retirement from competitive sport. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 57, p. 102049

- Gene

The more we define ourselves by one thing, the more fragile we become when that thing shifts.

Research shows that developing multiple areas of growth and spreading our identity across several worthwhile pursuits can help us to develop the resilience we need to overcome hard things.

When we lose a central role, whether through a planned transition or unforseen setback, the challenge isn't just to weather the storm, but to re-author how we move forward.

Instead of just trying to 'fix' what was broken, we can build resilience by diversifying our lives. Think of it as building a social safety net: you maintain social ties that exist outside of your 'main role' (i.e. Identity Continuity), and you intentionally join new circles to gain a fresh sense of belonging and agency over your future (i.e. Identity Gain).

When our identity is spread across multiple meaningful pursuits, endings don’t erase our story. We continue to grow by allowing new parts of ourselves to develop alongside what remains.

Reference: Haslam, C., Lam, B.C.P., Yang, J., Steffens, N.K., Haslam, S.A., Cruwys, T., Boen, F., Mertens, N., De Brandt, K., Wang, X., Mallett, C.J. and Fransen, K. (2021). When the final whistle blows: Social identity pathways support mental health and life satisfaction after retirement from competitive sport. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 57, p. 102049

- Gene

The more we define ourselves by one thing, the more fragile we become when that thing shifts.

Research shows that developing multiple areas of growth and spreading our identity across several worthwhile pursuits can help us to develop the resilience we need to overcome hard things.

When we lose a central role, whether through a planned transition or unforseen setback, the challenge isn't just to weather the storm, but to re-author how we move forward.

Instead of just trying to 'fix' what was broken, we can build resilience by diversifying our lives. Think of it as building a social safety net: you maintain social ties that exist outside of your 'main role' (i.e. Identity Continuity), and you intentionally join new circles to gain a fresh sense of belonging and agency over your future (i.e. Identity Gain).

When our identity is spread across multiple meaningful pursuits, endings don’t erase our story. We continue to grow by allowing new parts of ourselves to develop alongside what remains.

Reference: Haslam, C., Lam, B.C.P., Yang, J., Steffens, N.K., Haslam, S.A., Cruwys, T., Boen, F., Mertens, N., De Brandt, K., Wang, X., Mallett, C.J. and Fransen, K. (2021). When the final whistle blows: Social identity pathways support mental health and life satisfaction after retirement from competitive sport. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 57, p. 102049

- Gene

The more we define ourselves by one thing, the more fragile we become when that thing shifts.

Research shows that developing multiple areas of growth and spreading our identity across several worthwhile pursuits can help us to develop the resilience we need to overcome hard things.

When we lose a central role, whether through a planned transition or unforseen setback, the challenge isn't just to weather the storm, but to re-author how we move forward.

Instead of just trying to 'fix' what was broken, we can build resilience by diversifying our lives. Think of it as building a social safety net: you maintain social ties that exist outside of your 'main role' (i.e. Identity Continuity), and you intentionally join new circles to gain a fresh sense of belonging and agency over your future (i.e. Identity Gain).

When our identity is spread across multiple meaningful pursuits, endings don’t erase our story. We continue to grow by allowing new parts of ourselves to develop alongside what remains.

Reference: Haslam, C., Lam, B.C.P., Yang, J., Steffens, N.K., Haslam, S.A., Cruwys, T., Boen, F., Mertens, N., De Brandt, K., Wang, X., Mallett, C.J. and Fransen, K. (2021). When the final whistle blows: Social identity pathways support mental health and life satisfaction after retirement from competitive sport. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 57, p. 102049

- Gene

The more we define ourselves by one thing, the more fragile we become when that thing shifts.

Research shows that developing multiple areas of growth and spreading our identity across several worthwhile pursuits can help us to develop the resilience we need to overcome hard things.

When we lose a central role, whether through a planned transition or unforseen setback, the challenge isn't just to weather the storm, but to re-author how we move forward.

Instead of just trying to 'fix' what was broken, we can build resilience by diversifying our lives. Think of it as building a social safety net: you maintain social ties that exist outside of your 'main role' (i.e. Identity Continuity), and you intentionally join new circles to gain a fresh sense of belonging and agency over your future (i.e. Identity Gain).

When our identity is spread across multiple meaningful pursuits, endings don’t erase our story. We continue to grow by allowing new parts of ourselves to develop alongside what remains.

Reference: Haslam, C., Lam, B.C.P., Yang, J., Steffens, N.K., Haslam, S.A., Cruwys, T., Boen, F., Mertens, N., De Brandt, K., Wang, X., Mallett, C.J. and Fransen, K. (2021). When the final whistle blows: Social identity pathways support mental health and life satisfaction after retirement from competitive sport. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 57, p. 102049

- Gene

The more we define ourselves by one thing, the more fragile we become when that thing shifts.

Research shows that developing multiple areas of growth and spreading our identity across several worthwhile pursuits can help us to develop the resilience we need to overcome hard things.

When we lose a central role, whether through a planned transition or unforseen setback, the challenge isn't just to weather the storm, but to re-author how we move forward.

Instead of just trying to 'fix' what was broken, we can build resilience by diversifying our lives. Think of it as building a social safety net: you maintain social ties that exist outside of your 'main role' (i.e. Identity Continuity), and you intentionally join new circles to gain a fresh sense of belonging and agency over your future (i.e. Identity Gain).

When our identity is spread across multiple meaningful pursuits, endings don’t erase our story. We continue to grow by allowing new parts of ourselves to develop alongside what remains.

Reference: Haslam, C., Lam, B.C.P., Yang, J., Steffens, N.K., Haslam, S.A., Cruwys, T., Boen, F., Mertens, N., De Brandt, K., Wang, X., Mallett, C.J. and Fransen, K. (2021). When the final whistle blows: Social identity pathways support mental health and life satisfaction after retirement from competitive sport. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 57, p. 102049

- Gene