Jordan Sterling

So, I was looking at this study from Wharton, and it basically had me racking my brain because we are always, like, constantly told to have a safety net. You know, the whole responsible adult thing. Always have a backup plan.

Ava Brooks

Oh, totally. I mean, my family, they literally drilled that into my head from day one. If you do not have a backup, you are, you are just being reckless, right?

Jordan Sterling

Exactly! But this, um, this research by Jihae Shin and Katy Milkman, it completely flips that on its head. They found that, and this is the exact finding, merely thinking through a backup plan may actually cause people to exert less effort toward their primary goal.

Ava Brooks

Wait. Merely thinking through it? Like, you do not even have to, to actually build the safety net, just the, the act of visualizing it makes you slack off?

Jordan Sterling

Yes! Just the mental exercise of mapping out what you will do if you fail. It creates this, this, like, comfort slack in your head. Your brain gets this sneaky little signal that says, hey, if this primary thing goes completely sideways, we are still going to be totally fine. So, naturally, the executive center of your brain just stops pushing as hard when things get difficult.

Ava Brooks

Oh my goodness, that makes so much sense. It is like, um, like a safety blanket that actually smothers your drive. I, I actually had this happen to me, gosh, a few years ago. I was working on this really bold, high concept creative project, right? And I was really concerned it might fail, so I spent weeks, like, literally weeks, drawing up this very detailed backup strategy of how I could pivot to a much safer, more traditional project if it did not work out.

Jordan Sterling

And what happened to the original project?

Ava Brooks

It was, um, it was a total half hearted disaster. Because every single time I hit a creative wall, instead of fighting through the blocks or finding a new perspective, my brain just went, oh, well, we can just switch to the safe option. I did not realize it at the time, but having that back door open made me lazy. It was only when I, I finally got so frustrated that I threw away the backup entirely, and just committed to one single, bold path with no safety net... that is when the actual breakthrough happened.

Jordan Sterling

Wow. That is the actual cost right there. The comfort slack steals the urgency you need to actually succeed on Plan A.

Jordan Sterling

So, then the obvious question is, how do we protect ourselves from this? Because, let us be real, sometimes you do need a backup, right? We cannot all just walk a tightrope without a net forever.

Ava Brooks

Right, exactly. We do not want to be completely foolish.

Jordan Sterling

So, Jihae Shin actually recommends this strategy of deferred preparation. Or what I like to call strategic delay. The idea is that you explicitly ban yourself from even formulating a backup plan until after you have fully executed the major, high stakes milestones of your primary goal. You keep the safety net entirely out of your mind until you are past the point of no return on the execution phase.

Ava Brooks

Oh, I love that. It is like, um, putting up a temporary firewall in your brain. And, you know, it reminds me so much of the energy in the PTT Music track "Choose It." That song is all about making a definitive, single minded choice and just running with it. When you listen to it, it is like it acts as a cognitive filter. It just completely shuts out all that mental chatter of what if this fails, or what if I need to pivot. It aligns your physical and mental momentum with the task right in front of you.

Jordan Sterling

Yes! It is that driving, relentless tempo that just says, we are doing this, and we are doing it right now. No turning back. So, let us actually break down three practical action steps we can all start using today to build this single minded focus.

Ava Brooks

Okay, let us do it. Give us step number one...

Jordan Sterling

Step one is to execute a Plan B Blackout. When you start a new, major project, set a specific, uninterrupted sprint period, say, the first thirty to sixty days, where any talk or thought of a backup plan is strictly banned. Force yourself to put one hundred percent of your cognitive energy into making Plan A work before you even allow yourself to look at alternative options.

Ava Brooks

That is so strong. And step two, I would say, is to outsource the guardrails. If you absolutely must have a safety net, do not design it yourself. Let an outside partner, a trusted friend, or even an automated system hold that backup strategy for you. That way, the safety net exists in the background, but your own mind remains completely clear of the comfort slack so you can stay fully focused on execution.

Jordan Sterling

Yes! Keep it out of your own head. And finally, step three is to anchor your mind with the "Choose It" tempo. Before you sit down for a high focus work session on your primary goal, put on PTT Music's "Choose It." Use that driving beat to physically and mentally sync your brain into a state of high energy, committed execution. Let the music push out the doubts.

Ava Brooks

Beautifully said. It is all about giving your main goal the honest, undivided effort it deserves.

Jordan Sterling

Again, thanks for spending this time with us on the PTT Music Podcast. We hope today's conversation left you inspired, encouraged, and ready to carry that energy with you wherever life takes you. I'm Jordan Sterling...

Ava Brooks

And I'm Ava Brooks. We'll see you next time for another conversation that celebrates creativity, purpose, and the power of music.

Jordan Sterling

If you enjoyed today's episode, we'd love for you to continue the journey with us. Visit PTTMusic.com to explore our latest music, official videos, exclusive merchandise, artist updates, and much more. You can also stream PTT Music on your favorite music platforms. And be sure to subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who could use a little inspiration today... Until next time, keep moving forward.

Ava Brooks

And let the PTT Music continue to move you closer to who you truly are.