At the Mercy of Our Mind: The Spotlight Effect
There are 8.2 billion people in the world and you're just one of them
Are you perceiving the stakes of a situation to be higher than they really are or is this a selfish instinct to protect ourselves?
In short, The Spotlight Effect is described as follows:
“It’s our tendency to view the world through our own personal lens, often overestimating our importance or the attention others pay to us.” (Credit: Neurolaunch)
This describes an everyday experience, and I had my own unique way of breaking down this concept.
As a former physics student, I made the connection between the topic of light polarisation and The Spotlight Effect.
Just as a heads up, there are a couple external links that are required for your understanding of the connection, so I’ll need your active participation and this post is read preferably on desktop due to this.
If you are unfamiliar with the topic of polarisation or just need a reference point, see this detailed breakdown here which inspired my visualisation.
The specific image that relates to my visualisation is the first image underneath ‘Investigating Light Intensity with Two Polarisers’.
To me, The Spotlight Effect reiterates a fear of judgement and our vision being at the mercy of ego, fear, and expectations to name a few.
This thought piece will explore this experience through the premise of innovation and the challenges it presents in our decision-making.
As a cognitive bias, The Spotlight Effect is a mental roadblock in the journey of bringing an idea to life and I have attempted to dissect an example of this.
The visualisation was best shared through Canva, where you can see a view-only version here which is integral to the analysis that follows.
As you can see I avoided drawing at all costs, and I did try.
Least to say that it didn’t go to plan.
Here is my analysis of the visualisation in the context of The Spotlight Effect:
An unpolarised idea represents the raw and unfiltered thought that naturally comes to mind.
Polarised idea 1 is filtered, in this case through a socially acceptable medium as a way to cater to the fear of judgement.
Polarised idea 2: The transmission axis remains the same due to these expectations being taken into account prior, however they still represent a mental blockade that can stop us from acting.
Note: For complexity reasons, I avoided including angles, but arguably the transmission axis may be slightly angled to present some friction between fear and expectations, and as a result prevent some of the initial idea passing through.
Polarised idea 3: The polariser being at 90° represents a defining conflict between what we feel from within and what we choose to present. Many let their dreams die due to their egos being in the way, and as a result this is metaphorically represented by the light ending at the 3rd polariser.
After rationalising and weighing up the impact of action that hasn’t been taken yet, we are left with a fraction of the idea we once started with, if anything.
Whilst it isn’t always a bad thing as it could nurture the idea into something realistic, it can also diminish the inspiration behind it, as we will have relapsed into the pre-existing possibilities that were once in our line of vision.
These possibilities are ones that we would have put off in the past, but with a new incentive seem more attractive.
I’ll give the example of me having the aspiration to start a podcast.
From when I started listening to them, I saw podcasts as a great medium for ideas, current affairs, and for personalities to really shine through.
However, they are not for everyone irrespective of the benefits they possess.
In my opinion, a podcast isn’t one that should be forced.
It should be representative of real conversation that starts and ends off-camera;
It should showcase the strength of relationships if there is more than one person;
It’s foundations should come naturally.
Therefore, without clear foundations, hosting a podcast as a possibility wouldn’t be a sensible leap based on where my skills and interests lie… for now.
Once an opportunity arises that is best communicated via podcast, that possibility will become more attractive as I would be inclined to explore it as an option.
Despite this, I risk being dissatisfied and doing my initiative injustice as a result of only catering to what I know now.
By the time an opportunity arises, another medium outside of my current line of vision may be more appropriate.
Therefore, The Spotlight Effect is not only a cause of inaction, but may also have second-order consequences that come as a result of it.
Second-order consequences are ripple effects of an immediate consequence which are not so obvious at first. I discuss this topic at length in this post.
In this case, the unintentional consequence is shutting down opportunities due to a reluctance to widen the scope of our vision.
If I were to visualise this second-order consequence, I would update the image above by adding a net where each hole represents a medium at which the idea can be presented.
I’ll be interested to hear your take and whether you think the points capture this experience.
Acquiring Knowledge v Applying Knowledge
Going back to my post on Reid Hoffman, looking at The Spotlight Effect reignited ideas on approval based on this quote:
“If everyone thinks your idea is a good idea, it is probably not a big idea.”
Seeking approval is instinctual; a primal attempt at wanting to be accepted.
However, taking steps to something bigger means going against the grain.
It means going against what feels comfortable and taking ownness for your actions.
Ultimately, it takes courage, which is something I learnt through my first entrepreneurship initiative when I was in Year 12.
I recently shared a note on an entrepreneurship initiative I had in Feb 2022, highlighting the mindset that allowed me to muster up the courage to start.
Prior to undertaking the initiative, I had nothing other than a pitch in my head.
Looking back, to some people I might as well have been selling hot air and wishful thinking to them.
Nonetheless, I managed to gain an influx of interest through the simplicity of what I was offering, paired with my calm and open-minded approach.
It is one of the few things I can say I’m proud of and it easily earned a spot on my CV for the years ahead.
I acknowledged that it was admirable to take a bold step forward and that experience would be a testament to any qualities I would proclaim to have.
The element I’m most proud of isn’t even the sales or the pitching, but avoiding the endless cycle of acquiring and forgetting information through books, courses, videos and slowly, but unknowingly killing my dream.
I say information here and not knowledge as information has to be applied in various contexts to become knowledge.
At the time I had already heard of this viscous cycle, meaning although I produced such an achievement from scratch, stepping up and carrying out this initiative didn’t necessarily render me fearless.
My fear was directed towards not fulfilling my potential.
I feared missing the opportunity of building on an inspired mind.
Fear squeezed hours out of my free time in the pursuit of avoiding regret; not succumbing to the overthinking, the fear of not covering all bases, the worry that not everything will be perfect.
But by then, this is something I had overcome before and so I believed I would be able to do again.
If we rewind back to July 2021, you will find a 16-year-old learning what it means to step out of their comfort zone.
The power of just starting and applying what I know couldn’t be understated.
After trying numerous new activities, my confidence and drive snowballed into something many of us including me still fear.
I delivered an assembly to a whole year group, focusing on providing value rather than fearing to make a mistake.
Public speaking just like entrepreneurship is a skill that is touted as being beyond us in our heads; distant, yet admirable and a prized ability.
I learnt that the fear of public speaking comes from focusing too much on ourselves.
We too often succumb to our egos before analysing a situation holistically.
Here, I successfully dispelled The Spotlight Effect without truly appreciating what I did until a former teacher told me.
Just over half a year later, I applied the same principles.
I knew that putting my ego aside to make decisions could dispel the conventional fears and narratives that hold us back.
In my entrepreneurship initiative, I saw the opportunity afforded by my study techniques and saw the potential to assist people in achieving their academic goals too.
This was something bigger than me - it was a win-win.
Obsessing over the impression I gave off would have muted that inspiration and muffled my ambitions to become an entrepreneur one day.
Rejection was inevitable but at least it would be on my own terms - a learning experience.
My sense of worth couldn’t have resided in the need to be accepted.
Promoting on social media felt like putting my whole account on the line at one point because I didn’t necessarily know what I was doing. I was just doing what I felt was right.
Even if I came across as tenacious, business-minded, amongst other admirable qualities, that overpowering and negative narrative of looking silly or failing in front of people could have been enough to stop me altogether.
It was a genuine fear at one point as I was still relatively new to my school, therefore selling to people had the potential (in my mind) to burn bridges before we even set eyes on them.
In the end, maintaining confidence after rejections surprisingly wasn’t a challenge because I believed in what I was selling.
Through all the emotions I faced before starting, in the end my self-esteem grew and now I acknowledge how The Spotlight Effect can and continues to stop us from getting ourselves out there.
(Fear of) Judgement & Posting on LinkedIn
The Spotlight Effect is something I think has a pervasive influence on people’s use of LinkedIn.
I find it fascinating that when scrolling through the feed that we can become overwhelmed.
On numerous occasions, I have heard LinkedIn being described as a warped mirror asking ‘So what are you doing in your life?’ - a platform used as a metric to judge themselves.
It’s arguably a hardwired reaction and a point of reflection that overrides the cliché that comparison is the thief of joy.
When consuming content, instead of looking within to contextualise what we see in order to process what it means to us, some instantaneously jump to why their life isn’t like someone else’s even if it is unreasonable.
It is an ongoing battle and a thought we have to dispel when scrolling on anything these days.
You could say it’s the same with all social medias, but LinkedIn hits home more for some.
As a platform, it is not just about our holidays, hobbies, and what we did on the weekend - it’s a platform that displays the experiences of entrepreneurs and professionals and therefore our livelihoods.
This could amplify a feeling of inferiority which can be taken into the real world; a detriment to self-esteem and our ability to celebrate our wins.
From the point of view of a creator, it’s crazy that this unintentional consequence comes as a result of people who overcame their fear of judgement and posted anyways, bypassing The Spotlight Effect.
Many still build up the idea of posting as if all 8.2 billion people around the world will see it let alone read it.
It doesn’t mean being carefree, but quietening that voice of perfectionism that loops in your head.
But in part they are not to blame.
Some leave the app feeling inferior, exhausted, and frustrated due to comparison of their lives with the constant stream of highlight reels.
For some, it reaffirms self-deprecating narratives and reinforces counterproductive behaviour patterns.
This ties back to acceptance and social approval and when researching further, I came across Lenski’s Outlook which articulated exactly this experience:
“We can feel pressured to present an idealized version of ourselves in order to be accepted or admired. In some ways, the need to be accepted online can become more intense, as the virtual world offers an amplified version of social approval that often feels more immediate and tangible.”
In my experience, appreciating LinkedIn as an ecosystem rather than a competitive landscape is a reminder to me that every hour there would be a fresh cycle of new achievements, opinions, and experiences.
Even if you used to post frequently, the cycle continues and life goes on.
Nobody would be thinking ‘I haven’t seen this person post in a while’ once they see you post and when you’re not posting it is no more than a fleeting thought.
The most extensive study on The Spotlight Effect reinforces this:
“People tend to believe that the social spotlight shines more brightly on them than it really does.”
The crux of what we are doing as individuals is sought after by many just a step before us, yet we still dim our light by trying to fit into the mould of our expectations that have been informed by other’s highlights.
Your unique contributions are just as valuable to this ecosystem.
Don’t try to present yourself in someone else’s criteria.
Showcase yourself.
Dealing with The Spotlight Effect: A note to self
The Spotlight Effect is a cognitive bias that wars with our intuition.
It preoccupies us with our perceived flaws and takes the joy away from the action we once desired.
Our fears of a negative reaction drown out the purpose behind it.
In reality, people are absorbed by their own responsibilities, current priorities, and challenges they are facing.
An error made in good faith will be forgotten quicker than you expect.
Nobody is tracking every mistake you make and adding it to a fails compilation.
The upside of just starting, taking that leap, trying something new will more often than not outweigh the invisible downside of judgement.
Overall, we exaggerate the expected reaction.
Overcoming this psychological block can be liberating by allowing us to tend to what really matters to us.
The mind is powerful.
It is where groundbreaking initiatives are made.
It is where dreams die.
It is where hope can be cultivated or tarnished.
The next time you ask yourself ‘Should I do it?’ reflect on whether you are doing it for yourself or to please others.
The latter would lead to regrets and lead you further astray from what you really want.
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P.S.
What point resonated with you the most?
How do you deal with TSE?
Yes, I hadn't heard the term but it's perfectly named.
Nobody else is putting you in the spotlight because they're too concerned with their own spotlight.
It's rather simple in the end but I think that we all worry too much about perception.