There is a specific kind of silence that happens right before you open your banking app after a long weekend. You know the number in your account has changed, but as long as you don't look at it, the "real" damage hasn't happened yet.
This instinct to look away when we suspect bad news is waiting - whether it’s a bank balance, a bathroom scale, or a tense email sitting in our inbox - is a documented psychological pattern called the ostrich effect.
Despite the myth that ostriches bury their heads in sand when threatened, we humans actually do something similar when confronting uncomfortable information.
Research on investor behavior suggests we check our portfolios roughly 9% less often during market downturns compared to when things are going well.
The ostrich effect shows up whenever we're making decisions that might reveal something we'd rather not know.
We delay checking test results, avoid tracking our spending, and postpone difficult conversations, not because we're lazy, but because our brains are trying to protect us from psychological discomfort.
The problem is that avoiding information doesn't make problems disappear. It just means we're making decisions with incomplete data.
When we don't check our bank balance, we might overspend. When we ignore project warning signs, small issues become crises.
Psychology writers note this tendency to selectively ignore unpleasant information can prevent us from tracking our progress toward goals - the very feedback we need to course-correct.
Here's how to flip this: Start by identifying your "ostrich moments" - those situations where you feel a subtle resistance to checking, asking, or looking.
That resistance is your signal. The information you're avoiding is probably the information you most need for good decision-making.
Build a habit of facing one uncomfortable data point each day.
Check the thing you've been putting off. Open that email. Look at the number.
You don't have to fix everything immediately, just gather the information. Most of the time, knowing is less painful than the anxiety of not knowing.
When making important decisions, ask yourself: "What information am I avoiding?"
Then deliberately seek it out before you commit. The best decisions come from complete pictures, not carefully curated ones.
The practice might feel uncomfortable at first, but we often find that the anticipation of bad news is worse than the news itself.
And sometimes, we discover the situation isn't as dire as we imagined, we just needed the courage to look.
Did this resonate with you? Forward it on to someone who could use it too. These insights are better when shared.
Cheers,
Alex
Disclaimer: I'm a curious researcher, not a licensed psychologist. I study these concepts because I believe understanding how our minds work can help us navigate life more effectively. This content is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional advice. Please consult qualified professionals for personal guidance. Individual results may vary, and readers should use their own judgment when applying these concepts.