The Spotlight Effect

Are you nervous going to the gym?

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The spotlight effect (Gilovich & Slowinski, 1999)  is the psychological phenomenon by which people tend to believe they are being noticed more than they really are. So called because people feel there is a “spotlight” on them.

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If you have the feeling everyone is watching or judging you at the gym, this can leave you feeling overwhelmed, anxious or self-conscious. This can lead to low self-esteem and negative self-talk and lead to people avoiding the gym altogether. This is a very common phenomenon in a gym environment, especially if you are new to training.

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What strategies can overcome this?

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"You wouldn't worry so much about what others think of you if you realised how seldom they do." Eleanor Roosevelt.

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The first point of action is a conscious effort to change your mindset.

If you are worrying about others judging you, believe it or not, many of the other gym users around will be feeling exactly the same. So, whilst you are stood there worrying about them judging you, they are actually stood there worrying about you judging them.

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Gyms are a place of self-development, those who are more experienced and aren’t feeling nervous are most likely focusing on what they are doing in their own session, rather than what you are doing.

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In short, the solution is realising how little others are thinking of you, because they are ironically thinking about themselves and feeling like the spotlight is on them.

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If you are still feeling apprehensive, educating yourself so you are more competent will make you feel more confident in the gym environment as you know you aren’t doing anything incorrectly. Hiring a professional to guide you would be the best option if your budget allows for this.

If you can’t afford 1:1 training, a great option would be Small Group training where you can get the support and guidance at less cost, in a semi private environment. If you live in the Redditch area, check out Athena Performance for a free trial session of high quality small group coaching.