Have you ever heard of the ‘Streetlight Effect”? Let’s illustrate it using an example.
One night a policeman found a man searching for his keys under a streetlight. He joined to help, only to realize after hours of searching, that the man had lost his keys in the park.
“Then why are you searching here?” asked the policeman.
“Because this is where the light is,” replied the man.
Let’s face it, we’ve all done it. In fact, we do it more often than we would like to admit. It’s about searching for answers in the wrong place.
It’s about losing sight of the big picture, of what’s really important and focusing on the mundane or the trivial instead.
And sometimes, it’s about plodding along with life, busy being busy, caught up in a seemingly infinite ride on a hamster wheel, and once in a while being stopped by a disturbing feeling of emptiness and dissatisfaction… wondering why we are doing all this, what the end purpose is, and what we are really trying to achieve.
The truth is, we do catch ourselves more often than not, digressing from reality, veering away from what’s important, or blindly searching for answers in the wrong place. But why is it so difficult to move away from these behaviours that seem to possess an almost addictive appeal?
Well, here are 5 reasons.
1. Because it’s Convenient
At times, ignorance does seems like bliss. It’s more convenient to ignore the bigger problem and to focus on a distraction, triviality or the easiest solution at hand instead.
Let’s face it, thinking is hard work.
And in a world that is equipped to provide more and more modern conveniences for humans, our brains are hard-wired to seek quick and easy solutions that can deliver instant results.
This is why the lack of convenience is the number one reason people don’t recycle waste. This is also why a whopping 43 per cent of consumers would choose to pay more for greater convenience.
But seeking convenience at the expense of facing the inconvenient reality could lead to more damaging consequences in the long-term.
That’s why prioritizing the most important yet complex, difficult or inconvenient tasks today could save more time, resources and money tomorrow.
2. It’s Sometimes Hard to Handle Our Own Ego
Did you know that ego is estimated to cost over $1 billion to the average Fortune 500 company?
Over-estimation of our own competence with a touch of self-inflated ego can often distort our ability to distinguish the right from the wrong. It could also lead us to seek validation for a misplaced theory or decision. And it can even force us to harbour prejudice and distance us from objectivity.
Moreover, our ego can prevent us from seeking or accepting advice and guidance from others.
And the end result? We turn a blind eye even when reality is staring straight at us.
That’s why taking a step back and keeping our ego in check is important when it comes to seeing things as they are — to realise that we are frantically heading in the wrong direction.
Because ultimately, it should be about finding the best solution. And insisting that we all search under the streetlight might not be the best way to find it.
3. The Dunning-Kruger Effect
Unfortunately, we have all seen the Dunning-Kruger Effect at play. It’s when one overestimates one’s own abilities, knowledge or skills in a specific area. And in a society where confidence triumphs over real knowledge, this could also become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The Dunning-Kruger Effect can manifest because of various reasons, not just due to ego and an inflated self-perception.
The absence of self-awareness and understanding, as well as the lack of knowledge itself, can prevent a person from understanding or grasping their level of knowledge deficiency.
But the dangers of these are all too common.
The inability to identify our own mistakes and misguided beliefs can lead to serious errors in decision making and reduced scope for learning and growth.
It could also prevent us from recognizing and acknowledging the value of others, different ideas, and courses of action.
Keeping an open mind, seeking feedback and investing in learning to broaden knowledge and skills are important to overcome the damaging consequences of the Dunning-Kruger Effect.
After all, as John F. Kennedy once said,
“The greater our knowledge increases, the greater our ignorance unfolds.”
4. It Serves the (Wrong) Purpose
Sometimes, knowingly or unknowingly, we hang on to the wrong end of the stick because it serves a purpose… not the intended purpose, but rather a misguided one. Because serving some kind of purpose is better than serving no purpose.
This can also be used for manipulation and to divert attention away from a more complex or tedious task. (Have you ever sat at a sales presentation that was overly focused on a few vanity metrics rather than the ones that really measure the impact of sales?)
And the result? Pursuing a misguided purpose and missing the big picture could mean losing out on a valuable opportunity… an opportunity to achieve something bigger, to make a much larger impact, to learn.
This is why getting our priorities straight and setting goals backed by sound thinking are important to help us understand the true purpose of our actions. Because action without purpose (or the wrong purpose) is a drain on time and energy for everyone involved.
5. Fear of the Unknown
Fear often confines us to an insignificant corner of the big picture, whether it’s fear of failure, fear of losing, or fear of looking less competent.
Fear is what’s keeping most people from quitting their day job and starting their own business, from taking a leap of faith and pursuing their dreams.
It can have a paralyzing effect, making us prisoners of our own comfort zones. It can prevent us from exploring the unknown, choosing what is best for us, doing the right thing… and taking that leap of faith.
Awareness is the first step to facing our fears.
Leadership expert and author, Robin Sharma, talks about 4 steps to overcome fear in his video The Cure for Fear. They are:
- Practicing to become fearless
- Releasing attachments to outcomes
- Spending time with people who have overcome adversity
- Embracing reality and doing the things that frighten you.
So, the next time you catch yourself searching for answers in the wrong place and missing the big picture, take a moment to uncover what’s keeping you there.
After all, we create our own reality, and it’s only us who can guide our actions away from the streetlight.
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