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Unlucky people tend to be more focused on whatever they happen to be doing because they're worried about making a mistake. But there's quite a bit of evidence t
by hegemonicon 17y ago
Unlucky people tend to be more focused on whatever they happen to be doing because they're worried about making a mistake. But there's quite a bit of evidence that this sort of conscious, focused thought uses up so many mental resources that it can actually become a hindrance. Professional athletes perform significantly worse when they actively contemplate their behavior, and focusing on something prevents the mindwandering that's necessary for creative, insightful solutions. Your subconscious is a HUGE part of your brain, but focusing too hard on something makes it harder to use it.
- nollidge 17y agoAgree entirely. Just today I was staring at some code that I intuitively knew could be rearchitected to be simpler, more maintainable, etc., but I couldn't put my finger on just how to do it. So I'd stare at it for half an hour, and then take a break, repeat throughout the day. Now I'm pretty sure exactly what I need to do, and I think it's entirely because I took my attention away from it every so often.
- dlnovell 17y agoHenceforth... "icing the kicker"