We all have blind spots, such as seeking proof that you are right. A tendency to look for, interpret, and recall information that confirms our existing beliefs. Experts consider this a mental error or shortcut.
We are bombarded with too much information every day; our brains need to filter out what is important from what is not. Similar to an inbox and a trash can, you get your mail, and it either goes to an inbox to be processed or you throw it away. Much of the information we receive is ignored or discarded, yet some of it might be important.
So, what can we do about it? First, we need to understand what biases are and how to identify them. We need to develop self-awareness to notice when we are making decisions based on these biases, or to confirm our existing beliefs. We are not always right, and noticing that is the beginning of wisdom.
Stop and think: what assumptions are you making? Look at it from a different perspective. These blind spots affect how we engage with others and how we see ourselves. Your mind contains hidden corners, and they matter more than you might think.
During March, we will look at what you don’t see, or what you have been unwilling to see. What is holding you back?
What are blind spots?
Blind spots are parts of your personality, behaviors, beliefs, or emotions hidden from your own awareness. We must become observers of our own actions and thought patterns, as blind spots are invisible areas. They often serve as defensive mechanisms that help us avoid uncomfortable truths.
Sometimes others can see what we cannot see by watching our unconscious facial expressions or tone of voice; these are referred to as leaky behaviors or patterns.
Your blind spots can become a disconnect between what you meant to do and what you actually did. We judge ourselves by our intentions, but others judge us by our impact. Now, I do not advocate living your life for others, but sometimes they see what we don’t.
Another defense is to subconsciously repress our emotions, as we may feel they are unacceptable, such as shame or fear. Some of our blind spots are small unconscious inconsistencies, such as believing you are organized while others find you chaotic. Or you believe you are right and refuse to consider alternative perspectives.
How blind spots shape your life
Blind spots, unconscious biases, emotional triggers, or ignored truths about ourselves shape our lives through automatic behaviors that hold us back, hinder growth, spoil relationships, and lead to poor decision-making.
They can lead to repetitive, self-sabotaging behavior, such as blaming others or avoiding accountability.
If you pay attention and dig deeper, you might find yourself repeating the same mistakes because you are unaware of the underlying patterns. You may struggle with unaddressed emotions that create barriers in your relationships, sometimes sabotaging healthy ones.
Blind spots can cause you to miss opportunities, ignore constructive feedback, and have difficulties with collaboration. You might feel that others are the problem, but it may be time to step back and look for your blind spots.
All of these patterns share one thing: they operate automatically, outside your awareness.
Why blind spots are hard to notice
“A crisis is made by men, who enter into the crisis with their own prejudices, propensities, and predispositions. A crisis is the sum of intuition and blind spots, a blend of facts noted and facts ignored.
Michael Crichton
Blind spots can be both visual and cognitive. Cognitive blind spots are unconscious biases or gaps in self-awareness that distort our judgment, often revealing defensiveness, repetitive failures, or a significant disconnect between our intentions and the impact of our actions.
They are hard to notice because the brain actively fills in missing information, sets up efficiency over accuracy, and uses defenses to protect the ego. Our brains gather information and details, and they create shortcuts in thinking, often hiding truths that feel uncomfortable.
We have built an identity we are very protective of, which can lead us to believe that if we don’t see it, we don’t have to change.
We have a physical blind spot; the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a gap. The brain automatically fills this gap by extrapolating surrounding visual information, making it undetectable during everyday vision.
Artists have used this phenomenon by leaving some details incomplete, knowing the viewer will fill in the gaps.
Our brain also fills in the gaps: it predicts before we act. In Andy Clark’s book, The Experience Machine: How Our Minds Predict and Shape Reality, Clark argues that we never see the world as it is.
We see the world through our brains’ predictions. This creates a mental blind spot because perception is guided more by expectation than by raw sensory data.
Our minds are active prediction instruments, constantly creating expectations about what we will see, hear, and feel based on past experience. Sensory input primarily corrects predictive errors, rather than constructing perception. When predictions influence, we literally see what we expect to see, not what is present. This is why you can miss a change in someone’s mood, overlook a mistake, or assume you know what someone meant.
To avoid anxiety, stress, or conflict, the mind may consciously or unconsciously repress uncomfortable thoughts, emotions, or behaviors.
We act to confirm our expectations, which reinforces our blind spots.
Researchers Find Everyone Has a Bias Blind Spot, by Shilo Rea (Carnegie Mellon University)
Signs you have a blind spot
Key signs include failing to see bias in yourself while noticing it in others, rationalizing poor decisions, or ignoring feedback. Do you have recurring frustration, feeling stuck or confused, or overreacting to certain situations? Are you avoiding specific conversations or tasks?
Common Signs of Cognitive Blind Spots
You face the same problems or social conflicts over and over, such as constant miscommunication with friends. You cling to a self-story even when evidence contradicts it.
People react negatively to your actions, but you feel your intentions were good, suggesting you don’t see how you truly show up to others.
You instantly become defensive when receiving feedback or insist on being right, which blocks new information from entering your mind.
You create stories to justify your decisions, especially when those decisions feel “easy” or align too perfectly with what you already believe.
Concluding thoughts
Blind spots don’t make you flawed; they make you human. But seeing them clearly is the beginning of freedom.
Well, how do we identify our blind spots? It is about self-understanding, letting go of outdated stories, identity, and repeating patterns. We are far from passive observers of the outside world; our attention drives our brain to make conscious and unconscious predictions of what it expects to find, and so we look to confirm those expectations.
We don’t see the world as it is; we see it through our accumulated experiences. We miss what’s right in front of us because the brain predicts a sight, sound, or feeling, and that prediction shapes what we seem to perceive. Nothing we see or do is untouched by our own expectations.
We are not helpless in the face of unconscious brain activity; we can become more aware of our actions and thought patterns. We can actively seek input from outside sources, such as a trusted friend, about our behavioral patterns. Ask for feedback; sometimes others can see what we cannot. You may need others to help you discover the truth because these patterns are hidden from you. Ask, “What is one thing I do that I might not realize affects you?”
When your emotions are raging, pause for 10 seconds to examine what you are feeling and why. Observe your triggers. When you become highly defensive, it is often a sign that someone has pointed out a blind spot.
Question your certainty. Ask yourself, “What if I am wrong?” or “What information am I missing?”
Analyze your recurring problems. If you keep encountering the same conflict or problem, the common denominator is likely a blind spot.
Next week’s blog, on March 13, we will look at the streetlight effect, searching for answers in the wrong place.
Blind Spot Discovery Worksheet
Recommended reading
The Experience Machine: How Our Minds Predict and Shape Reality, by Andy Clark
Blind Spots Workbook: A Reflective Workbook for Recognizing Hidden Truths, Challenging Assumptions, and Making Better Decisions in Life and Work, by Williams Morgan
The Blind Spot Effect: How to Stop Missing What’s Right in Front of You, by Kelly Boys
Unseen: Blind spots and why we miss what matters most, by David Lewis
Citations
Photo by Taras Chernus on Unsplash
Sketch of a woman’s face, by Linda L. Pilcher
