The 3 Mental Traps That Are Sabotaging Your?Success

Ever feel like you’re making all the right moves, but somehow, things still aren’t clicking? You follow the strategies that worked for others, trust your instincts, and stick to what you know?—?only to hit unexpected roadblocks. The truth is, we all have blind spots in our thinking that quietly influence our decisions without us realizing it.

I recently came across insights from Chase Hughes’ YouTube video titled ‘Why Influence Experts Call This Diagram “A Cheat Code.” He breaks down three hidden biases that shape the way we perceive success, interpret information, and overestimate our own abilities. These biases don’t just affect our personal growth?—?they impact leadership, sales, and decision-making at every level.

The good news? Once you recognize them, you can sidestep these mental traps and make smarter, more effective choices. In this article, we’ll explore these three biases and, more importantly, how to overcome them. Keep reading?—?you might just catch yourself in one of these patterns and discover a way forward.

1. YOU CAN’T COPY SUCCESS WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING FAILURE

Martin sat at the head of the conference table, flipping through sales reports with a smug smile. “Angela and Derek have the highest numbers. Clearly, their strategies are the best. The rest of you should start doing exactly what they do,” he announced.

The room was silent. Some team members exchanged uneasy glances. Angela and Derek were aggressive closers, pushing clients hard to commit. It worked for them. But others on the team had different styles?—?some focused on relationship-building, others on consultative selling.

After weeks of rigidly applying Angela and Derek’s methods, frustration mounted. Customers pushed back against the high-pressure tactics. Sales didn’t climb?—?they dropped. One rep, Lisa, finally spoke up. “Martin, what about the people who don’t respond to this approach? We’re losing deals because we’re ignoring other strategies that work.”

Martin dismissed the concern. “We just need to double down,” he insisted. But the more they pushed, the more customer complaints rolled in. Only after a sharp decline in sales did Martin realize his mistake?—?he had focused only on the success stories, ignoring the failed attempts that held valuable lessons.

Survivorship Bias

Survivorship bias occurs when we focus only on the successful outcomes of a process, ignoring the failures that could provide valuable lessons. In leadership and decision-making, this can lead to overestimating the effectiveness of certain strategies while dismissing alternatives that might be just as valid.

How To Use The Understanding Today

1. Analyze Failures Too?—?Look at both successful and failed attempts before making a decision. If only 10% of businesses succeed, studying just those will ignore 90% of valuable lessons.
2. Challenge The “Tried and True”?—?Don’t assume what worked before will always work. A marketing team that once thrived on cold calls might need digital strategies today.
3. Encourage Diverse Strategies?—?Allow team members to explore different approaches. A sales manager might let reps mix aggressive and consultative techniques instead of enforcing a single method.
4. Beware of “Role Model” Thinking?—?Just because a few succeeded with a method doesn’t mean it works for all. A CEO copying a famous entrepreneur’s habits might ignore personal context.
5. Use Data From All Outcomes?—?Measure not just wins, but losses too. Tracking both successful and failed marketing campaigns reveals patterns.

2. SEEING ONLY WHAT PROVES YOU RIGHT WON’T MAKE YOU?BETTER

Dwight swiped through his PowerPoint slides, speaking with unwavering certainty. “This script works. Every single word in it is designed to persuade. If you deviate, you lose the sale.”

His team exchanged glances. Some had tried tweaking the script with great success, adding personal touches that resonated with customers. But Dwight wouldn’t hear it. “Stick to the words. The psychology is sound.”

Over time, sales numbers dipped. Clients reported feeling like they were talking to robots, not real people. When a team member suggested adding a listening component, Dwight shut them down. “If you lost the sale, you must have misread the script.”

Despite mounting evidence that a rigid approach was failing, Dwight refused to change. He only saw what confirmed his belief: that the script was flawless.

Confirmation Bias

Confirmation bias is our tendency to seek out and prioritize information that supports what we already believe while ignoring evidence to the contrary. This creates blind spots in decision-making and prevents growth.

How To Use The Understanding Today

1. Seek Disconfirming Evidence?—?Challenge your own beliefs by looking for opposing viewpoints. A leader should actively ask, “What am I missing?”
2. Listen To Feedback Without Defensiveness?—?Take in critical feedback fully before reacting. A manager hearing customer complaints should investigate instead of dismissing them.
3. Compare Multiple Data Points?—?Don’t rely on just one piece of evidence. A hiring manager should look at both a candidate’s interview and reference feedback before deciding.
4. Test New Assumptions?—?Instead of assuming what worked before will always work, run small experiments. A business owner trying a new pricing model should test it before applying it company-wide.
5. Ask “What If I’m Wrong?”?—?Make it a habit to question your own conclusions. A product developer should consider why a new feature might fail before assuming success.

3. TOO MUCH CONFIDENCE CAN BE A?TRAP

Jim walked into his client meeting with a cocky smile. “I’ve got this,” he muttered. “Foot-in-the-door, then a strong close. It’s a numbers game.”

At first, his confidence paid off. A few quick deals boosted his ego. But when he tried the same techniques on larger clients, things fell apart. His scripted, aggressive approach felt pushy. The clients wanted real conversations, not sales tricks.

His boss, Michael, pulled him aside. “Jim, your confidence is great, but you’re relying on tricks instead of real connection. Read the room.”

Jim scoffed. “The problem isn’t me. These clients just aren’t ready.”

It took several major losses before he admitted the truth?—?his overconfidence had blinded him to adapting.

?Overconfidence Bias

Overconfidence bias leads people to place too much faith in their own knowledge or abilities, often leading to poor decision-making. It blinds us to necessary adjustments and risks.

How To Use The Understanding Today

1. Balance Confidence With Adaptability?—?Stay open to adjusting strategies when needed. A public speaker should adjust their tone based on audience reactions.
2. Seek Outside Perspectives?—?Regularly ask for input from those with different experiences. An executive making a big decision should consult diverse opinions first.
3. Acknowledge Past Mistakes?—?Recognizing where you were wrong strengthens future decisions. A manager who misjudged a hiring choice should analyze why.
4. Test Before Scaling?—?Run small trials before committing fully to an approach. A startup should test a product in one market before launching nationwide.
5. Stay Humble About Learning?—?Assume you always have more to learn. A successful entrepreneur should still take advice from mentors.

TYING THE CONCEPTS?TOGETHER

‘Great decision-makers question their assumptions, learn from failure, and stay open to being wrong.’

Survivorship bias makes us focus only on success stories, confirmation bias blinds us to opposing evidence, and overconfidence bias makes us trust our own judgment too much. Together, they create a dangerous trap that can sabotage growth and decision-making.

Inspired by Chase Hughes’ video, these concepts provide a way to identify and break free from hidden biases. The key is self-awareness, humility, and a willingness to adapt.

What’s one bias you’ve caught yourself falling into? Let’s talk in the comments.

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