We often magnify our mistakes more than necessary.
The term “Spotlight Effect” was introduced in a 1999 study, describing a psychological phenomenon where individuals overestimate the extent to which they are observed by others.
Indeed, we are the protagonists of our own stories, leading us to mistakenly believe we are equally central in the narratives of those around us.
However, the reality is quite different. Most people are primarily focused on themselves.
Understanding this can be liberating, especially when we fail. Up close, a mistake may seem catastrophic. With a broader perspective, we realize life goes on unchanged.
This isn’t to undermine the importance of acknowledging and learning from our errors. Rather, it’s a call to ease the self-imposed pressure.
I often ask myself, “So what?” It’s a way of reframing the approach. “So what?” Makes me think about the big picture. Another way of looking at it is, “Now what?”
Mistakes and fails are part of the learning process. Break the emotional attachment to the failure, figure out what you can learn from it, develop a sense of gratitude for the experience, and get back to looking for opportunities to solve problems for mankind.