Perception is Projection
What you think, you see. Everywhere.
Hey friend
Welcome to 200 Word Tuesdays. Where we give you short, actionable ideas to implement in your project management. We promise that you haven’t heard these powerful ideas anywhere else. Let’s get started.
In a famous psychological experiment done at Dartmouth in 1980, participants were told they would receive temporary facial scars as part of a psychological experiment.
Makeup artists created realistic scars on their faces, and participants were shown their reflection in a mirror to reinforce the belief they were disfigured. However, before they left to interact with others, the makeup artists covertly removed the scars, leaving the participants unaware that their faces were unchanged.
Participants reported feeling stigmatized, judged, or treated differently by others. They interpreted neutral behaviors as negative, believing their “scars” affected how people viewed them. In reality, the projection of their own insecurities shaped their perceptions.
Be mindful about how your own ideas affect your reality.
The negativity you find in your life may not be completely real.
Spend some time reflecting upon your deeply held beliefs about yourself and how they may be shaping your daily interactions.
See you next week,
Jonathan (The Effective Project Manager)
