How to Tackle the SPOTLIGHT EFFECT.
Overcoming your fear of being seen.
What is to Come
What is the Spotlight Effect
Where do we see it in our lives
How is it relevant now
How to improve your social fear
What could happen if you succeed in this
What is the Spotlight Effect
Uhhh why is everyone looking at me?
The Spotlight Effect is a prevalent psychological occurrence in which we exaggerate how much others are aware of our actions, behaviors, looks, or outcomes.
It is rooted in egocentric bias, which refers to our inclination to view everything from our primary viewpoint, incorrectly assuming that it's the only or the most important perspective that exists.
Origin
The phrase derived from a Psychology study done in 2000.
Students were asked to wear an embarrassing shirt and assume how many would notice.
The estimate by the students was 50%, the reality was that only 25% of people noticed.
The percentage that cared, was probably much less than that.
A similar study asked students to rate their looks over the course of a semester, whether they glew up or down.
The results showed that the students had significantly less awareness of appearance changes in others than in themselves.
Where do we see this
With social media and the emergence of the Creator Economy1 your self-perception is seemingly more important than ever in your day-to-day decisions.
Do I post a selfie with my cold brew, or simply just the cold brew?
Should I post a video explanation of my passion, or will I seem ill-informed or ugly?
We see this in sports as well.
I have been putting up a facade, I am not strong, I am scared, and everyone will notice and call me out.
We see this at work.
I make fun of everyone, I can’t help them; I barely know what I am doing.
Impostor Syndrome
I’d declare that most impostor syndrome stems from ego more than self-consciousness (which you could declare is the same).
I am better than them, but they are better at this, therefore this is not my field.
or
They are better than me, but they think I am better at this, therefore this is not my field.
Among Us
Would the game Among Us be any fun, if no one cared whether you were authentic or a charlatan?
We do not live in an Among Us server.
How is it relevant now?
Much of the opportunities of the future will stem from the internet, if they don’t almost all already.
Your career viability will partially be held up on:
what your posts convey
your delivery through the content of your passion
your public dedication to your craft
your following
Your social viability will be held up on:
how your posts convey you
how your posts make others feel
how you communicate
How to Improve your fear
Many of us (or maybe just me) had a long bout of self-consciousness and guilt, from not doing what we set out to do; not posting that blog, video, picture, WHATEVER.
That first one is a killer.
Here is How you fix that (from difficult to easy):
Write it, Wear it, Cook it, Record it, or whatever just for yourself. Use it as a journal or a private endeavor. This will also allow it to be higher quality when you make it public.
Share it with your close friends.
Share it on your finsta or lesser-known accounts. Wear it to a friend hangout.
Share it on a story or for a brief period. Wear it to a party.
Ask yourself “So what?” and Just do it. Wear it to school.
Benefits
More confidence in day-to-day life
Less stress and anxiety, freeing you to be more of yourself
Financial and/or Career opportunities from pitching yourself publicly
A new Community with Common Interests
How would any pop star, social media influencer, or ANYONE you know online have become famous if they didn’t swallow their ego for a bit?
the new popularized term that is associated with making money and exchanging value online