#Spotlight April 21

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Today’s #Coach4aday post is on the SPOTLIGHT Effect.

Read about this last week in a email newsletter I subscribe to called The Daily Coach. In that blog it was defined as below.

The Spotlight Effect refers to the notion that we frequently overestimate the number of people paying attention to us at a given moment.

Lessons Learned

It may be hard to accept but most people are not really paying attention to what we are doing. Yet somehow, we believe they are, and it causes us to fret, worry, and overanalyze. Tracking likes, views, retweets, and shares on social media might feed into us being sure we are being judged.

Here are some lessons that can be learned from this phenomenon:

1. Don’t be too self-conscious: People often worry too much about how they appear to others, but in reality, others are not paying as much attention as they might think. It’s important to remember that everyone has their own worries and concerns, and people are generally not scrutinizing your every move.
2. Be more empathetic: Since everyone experiences the spotlight effect, it’s important to remember that others might be feeling self-conscious as well. By being kind and understanding, we can help others feel more comfortable and confident.
3. Focus on your own goals: The spotlight effect can lead people to become overly concerned with how they are perceived by others, which can distract them from pursuing their own goals and interests. By focusing on what is truly important to us, we can live a more fulfilling and meaningful life.
4. Challenge negative thoughts: The spotlight effect can often lead to negative self-talk and feelings of insecurity. It’s important to challenge these thoughts and replace them with more positive and realistic ones.

One benefit of understanding the Spotlight Effect is that it can take us down a path of humility. When we understand and accept that most of what we do is not important to others it takes away the hubris to think otherwise. Don’t focus on perfection but evaluate progress.