Why We Talk Ourselves Into Believing the Unbelievable
We’ve all seen it. The CEO clinging to a doomed product launch. The team insisting a strategy is “working” despite plummeting numbers. The department head defending a process that slows everything to a crawl. Why? Because in business, facts rarely stand a chance against belief.
The truth is, humans are wired to protect their narratives. Once we commit to an idea-especially one we championed-we develop an emotional investment. And when reality starts whispering, “Hey, this isn’t working,” we cover our ears and yell, “Innovation takes time!”
Cognitive dissonance-the psychological discomfort from holding two conflicting truths-doesn’t just live in psychology textbooks. It lives in boardrooms. When evidence contradicts our choices, our instinct isn’t to pivot. It’s to rationalize. We cherry-pick data, shift goalposts, and reframe failure as “pre-success.” We don’t want to admit we’re wrong because being wrong feels like being incompetent.
But in reality, the most competent leaders aren’t the ones with perfect track records. They’re the ones who can say, “We got this wrong. Let’s change course.” That takes more courage than bulldozing ahead fueled by confirmation bias.
Businesses don’t suffer from a lack of data. They suffer from a lack of humility. We’d rather double down than step back. But if we want progress-real, sustainable progress-we have to get better at asking: “Are we seeing things clearly, or just telling ourselves a story we like?”
The bottom line? Belief is powerful. But unchecked belief is dangerous. The smartest move isn’t always pushing forward-it’s sometimes admitting the road is a dead end and choosing a better path. That’s not failure. That’s leadership.
What story are you telling yourself right now-and is it helping or hurting your business?
About the Author
Trained as a behavioral scientist, strategist, and customer-centricity expert , Andrea leads executives in the art and science of operationalizing corporate strategy through understanding organizational and mindsets. She is the author of and an ongoing contributor to multiple major publications including Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur Magazine, INC Magazine, and Rotman Business Magazine (University of Toronto). What to Ask: How to Learn What Customers Need but Don’t Tell You
Andrea is also a world traveler, having worked in over 12 different countries throughout her early career. Andrea also serves as an instructor for the University of Iowa Venture School and a Business Coach for their Tippie College of Business Entrepreneurial Programs. Please contact Andrea to access information on her book, keynoting, research, or consulting. More information is also available at or www.pragmadik.com . www.andreabelkolson.com
Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.
