Ever feel like every decision you make in the OR, every comment in a meeting, or every case you post online is being intensely scrutinized?
Like everyone is secretly judging your skills, knowledge, or performance?
That’s the Spotlight Effect in action; our tendency to overestimate how much other people notice and evaluate us.
This bias was first identified in a 2000 study by psychologists Thomas Gilovich and Kenneth Savitsky. In their experiment, they asked students to wear an embarrassing T-shirt and then estimate how many of their peers noticed.
The participants guessed that about 50% of their classmates would take note. In reality, only about 25% actually did.
What does this mean for surgeons?
You think people are paying way more attention to your work than they actually are.
And yet, this illusion of being constantly watched holds many back. It stops surgeons from speaking up in meetings, presenting at conferences, sharing knowledge online, and even taking on complex cases—all out of fear of criticism or failure.
But here’s the truth:
That moment of hesitation during a procedure? Your colleagues probably didn’t even notice.
That mistake in a case presentation? The audience forgot about it within minutes.
That post you’re overthinking? Most people will either find it valuable or just scroll past.
Once this really sinks in, it’s game-changing.
Why the Spotlight Effect is a Big Deal in Surgery
The surgical field is high-pressure by nature, and that makes the Spotlight Effect even stronger. Surgeons are used to being evaluated—by peers, by mentors, by patients. But this can easily spiral into overestimating the level of scrutiny.
Here’s how this cognitive bias holds surgeons back:
🚫 Avoiding growth opportunities – Skipping leadership roles, teaching opportunities, or speaking engagements out of fear of being judged.
🚫 Overanalyzing interactions – Replaying conversations, worrying about how a comment came across, or assuming others are fixated on a small misstep.
🚫 Holding back from sharing knowledge – Thinking, “What if someone disagrees?” instead of realizing “What if this helps someone?”
And yet, the reality is:
✔ People are too focused on their own challenges to dwell on your mistakes.
✔ Most of what feels like a “big deal” to you is barely a passing thought for others.
✔ Even when people do notice something? They move on way faster than you think.
Why Does the Spotlight Effect Happen? (The Science Behind It)
The Spotlight Effect comes from something called egocentric bias—the brain’s natural tendency to see everything from our own perspective.
Think about it: you spend 100% of your time experiencing life from your own point of view. Your thoughts, feelings, and actions are always front and center in your mind. Because of this, it’s easy to assume that others see us the same way—with the same level of detail and intensity.
But they don’t.
In reality, everyone else is just as focused on themselves as you are on yourself. Their own concerns, work, and personal struggles take up most of their mental space—leaving little room to dwell on what you did or didn’t do.
This is why we dramatically overestimate how much others care about our mistakes or imperfections.
How to Overcome the Spotlight Effect
The good news? You can train your brain to stop overestimating how much others are paying attention.
1. Reframe the Fear with Logic
When that voice in your head says, “What if people judge me?”—challenge it with evidence.
Fear: “If I speak up in a case discussion, people might think I’m wrong.”
Reality: “Or they might respect that I’m contributing and engaging in the discussion.”
Fear: “If I post about a surgical case, someone might criticize me.”
Reality: “For every critic, there will be 99 others who find value in it.”
Simply acknowledging that our fears are often exaggerated reduces their power over us.
2. Start Small to Build Confidence
Instead of waiting to feel confident before putting yourself out there, start with small steps that push your comfort zone:
✅ Ask one question in a meeting.
✅ Share a quick insight from a recent case (even just a small lesson you learned).
✅ Post a simple LinkedIn update about a new technique you tried.
✅ Say yes to presenting in a low-stakes setting before tackling a big conference.
The more you put yourself out there, the more you realize—nobody is watching as closely as you thought.
The Bottom Line
The fear that everyone is watching and judging your every move?Mostly an illusion.
The reality? People are busy. They’re focused on their own work, challenges, and responsibilities. They’re not thinking about you nearly as much as you think they are.
So stop waiting for the perfect moment. Stop overanalyzing. Stop holding yourself back.
Speak up, share, take action.
Because at the end of the day, the only person really keeping you in the spotlight… is you.
Thanks,
Ehab
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