Why Can't People Change? The "Invisible Wall" Called Status Quo Bias #114

■ People are wired to choose "not changing"

“I know I have to change,”
yet I still can't seem to do it.

The true cause is not a lack of willpower.

It is said that everyone possesses an unconscious desire
to keep the status quo as it is,
known as "status quo bias."
Unconsciously, we feel:

• It's fine as it is
• I'd rather not change if possible
• New things are scary
Even if we are dissatisfied with the current situation,

we choose the "familiar dissatisfaction" over unknown risks.

This is


"status quo bias."

■ Becoming a "boiled frog" without realizing it

There is a famous story about a "boiled frog."

In an environment where the temperature rises slowly,
the frog fails to notice the danger and ends up being boiled alive.

This can happen to us, too.
• Growth stops little by little
• We stop taking on challenges little by little
• We lose confidence little by little

However, these changes are so gradual that
we cannot notice them ourselves.

Maintaining the status quo is not safety; it is "gradual regression."

■ Mentality is influenced by "results"

The tricky part here is mentality.

Mentality is not fixed;
it is merely a "state" at any given time.
• Things don't go well → Become negative
• Things go well → Become positive

And if you continue to maintain the status quo,
challenges decrease, and successful experiences decrease.

As a result,

your mentality naturally tilts toward the negative.

■ What the "frog in the well" teaches us

Speaking of frogs,

"The frog in the well knows nothing of the great ocean"

is a phrase used to describe a narrow perspective, but it has a continuation:

"Yet it knows the blue of the sky."

Because it is inside the well,
it can feel the depth of the sky more than anyone else.

What we can learn from this is that
• Knowing the outside world (change)
• Facing oneself (introspection)

both are necessary.

However, status quo bias
stops both of these.

■ Mindset is not something you "change," but something that "changes"

People often say, "Let's change our mindset," but
actually, the order is reversed.

Human consciousness has layers,
• Environment
• Actions
• Abilities
• Beliefs/Values (Mindset)

It is structured this way.

In other words,

mindset is not something you change directly, but something that "changes" as a result.

■ Breaking the status quo bias.

So, what should we do?

The key to overcoming this is "Impact × Frequency."
However, you cannot create a huge impact very often.

That is why frequency is important.
Lower the hurdle and repeat it without strain.

"Take small actions"
• It doesn't have to be perfect
• It's okay to fail
• Just keep moving

That accumulation will gradually shift the status quo.

If your actions change,
• Experience increases
• Abilities improve
• The scenery you see changes

And occasionally, a small impact to push you forward is also effective.

Ultimately, that accumulation
will eventually rewrite your mindset.

■ The difference between those who grow and those who stop

The difference is not talent.

✅Those who grow

→ Those who notice status quo bias and resist it

✅Those who stagnate

→ Those who continue to follow status quo bias

That is the only difference.

Maintaining the status quo may look safe at first glance.

But in reality,

in this era, not changing anything is the greatest risk.

Precisely because we live in an uncertain era called VUCA,
we must operate on the premise of continuing to change.