Social conformity and career decisions: how the expectations of others, real and imagined, shape the choices we make
As the daughter and granddaughter of academics, and the only one in my family with the opportunity to become one,...
Blog
I write at the intersection of neuroscience, psychology and coaching
biased reasoning conforming crossroads decision fatigue decisions dreams fear growth investment life and career transitions loss micro-experiments misfit neuroscience overthinking perfectionism personality progress psychology reframing failure regret self-blame social expectations
Last Posts
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Loss aversion: why the fear of losing what you have may keep you from what you can gain
When I was contemplating leaving academia, the thing I was most scared of losing was my title. When somebody asked... -
The myth of the perfect decision: why certainty is not a strategy
“How can I be 100% sure that I am making the right decision?” This is one of the most common... -
The sunk cost bias: why past investments can trap you in the wrong career
“I can’t leave now. I’ve already spent twenty years building this career.” If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking this, you... -
Locked-in personalities: how a job that no longer serves you can hide your true self
When I was a full-time academic, my emotional states were very much linked to academic life. The stress and anxiety... -
Fearing regret may be your greatest regret of all
When facing a major decision, most people organise their thinking around one central fear: what if I regret this? What... -
You will not find 100% clarity before your decision. You will find it after
If you are facing a major decision, you probably believe that clarity is the prerequisite, that once you have thought... -
Why intelligent professionals overthink decisions and what neuroscience says about breaking the loop
You may have built your career on your ability to navigate complexity and make high-stakes decisions for your team or... -
Productive failure: what neuroscience tells us about getting unstuck at a career crossroads
Science must inevitably fail to achieve discovery. This is not a flaw in the scientific method, it is the mechanism...
