Mental Shelf-Space
Production costs have plummeted in recent years—it's never been easier to start something. If you want a chance at grabbing people’s attention, your project must appear as good, or better, than the alternatives that exist. The internet has created infinite shelf space for products to exist. This removes Availability Bias in the decisions of what we consume with our time. It means we have a split second to make an impression and hook someone’s attention. The same content with different tweaks can perform 10x better from one small change that keeps you from being ignored.
When negative thoughts take over, telling yourself to "stop thinking negative thoughts" rarely works. Our brains don't have a delete button. Instead, as the mental shelf-space strategy suggests, you can crowd out unwanted thoughts by filling your mind with new experiences. Our brains evolved to solve problems, which is why they latch onto worries and refuse to let go—especially for those irrational concerns like "my friends don't like me anymore." The solution isn't subtraction but addition: stay busy, create thrilling new experiences, and gradually those negative thoughts will be pushed aside as your mental shelf-space fills with fresh content. Make yourself busy enough, and those old worries simply won't find room to persist.