The Spotlight Isn't Real

February 25, 2025

“When you’re 20 you care what everyone thinks, when you’re 40 you stop caring what everyone thinks, when you’re 60 you realize no one was ever thinking about you in the first place.”
-Winston Churchill (not really)

This most likely wasn’t a Churchill original. But it does tie beautifully into one of my favorite concepts: “The Spotlight Effect”.

We live in a world where everyone is paradoxically socially anxious and socially unaware. We feel there is a bright light illuminating all of our mistakes and the whole world is watching. But there is no audience.

Everyone is too worried about their own stupidity to pay attention to yours.

There is no stage, there is no spotlight, do what you want to do.

No one will even notice.

Here’s one of my all time favorite blogs highlighting this phenomenon.