Why don’t we do the things we know we should do?

Many years ago I made a short animation about one of the most important but least well-known ideas in psychology; experiential avoidance (EA).

It’s clunky but is still worth 3 minutes of your time.

This is relevant to focus because in theory we know it’s a good thing to try and do. but we don’t do it because of how it makes us feel in the short term.

Boredom and anxiety especially often get in the way.

By understanding EA we can take action in 2 ways:

1. Strength the ‘why’
What do you actually want in life? How does better focus help with this?

2. Accept the emotions that come with focusing.
If you are willing to accept your emotions and learn not to avoid them, then you have the key to moving forward.

These two points describe a skill called psychological flexibility, which is like a superpower that enables you to do anything better, including focus.

And in turn, focus is a superpower that will enable you to get what you want in life, much faster.