Episode 34: The Blue Dot Effect: Why Things Always Seem Worse Than They Are

About the Episode

Have you ever wondered why, despite everything seemingly going well, you still feel a nagging sense of dissatisfaction? Well, you’re not alone. This is actually a fascinating psychological phenomenon I call “The Blue Dot Effect”. It’s all about how our brains can trick us into seeing problems and negativity even when everything around us is getting better.

Join me and Drew as we unpack this curious effect and explore how it impacts our everyday lives. From the way we perceive our personal achievements to our overall happiness, the Blue Dot Effect plays a sneaky role in shaping our mindset.

Let’s dig right in.

Quotes From the Episode

Problems give us a sense of meaning. We need something to resist against to feel that sense of progress.

At a certain point, the attempt to solve all your problems becomes the problem.

As the unhealthy behaviors become less prevalent, we expand our definition of unhealthy behavior so that we always feel miserable about ourselves.

When are you good? When are you just like, okay, I’ve not solved all my anxiety issues, but I’m good. I’m set.