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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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Clearer, Closer, Better summary
Emily Balcetis
How Successful People See the World
26 mins
Brief summary
Clearer, Closer, Better by Emily Balcetis is a psychology book about perception, its limitations and how to overcome them. It helps us see challenges in a new light and improve our mental imagery and motivation to reach our goals.
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Clearer, Closer, Better
Summary of 8 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 8
Narrowing the focus of your visual attention helps you reach your goals more effectively.
Running a marathon is no easy feat. Winning one is something very few individuals achieve. In 1984, Joan Benoit Samuelson became the first-ever female Olympic marathon champion. What helped her win? It wasn't so much about having the right shoes or eating the right breakfast. She attributes her success to maintaining a narrow focus.
When Samuelson runs, she doesn’t dwell on the 26.2 miles ahead of her. She instead scans the runners ahead of her, picks one, then passes. And once she leaves that runner behind, she picks another runner to pass, and so on. By setting small, manageable goals, the Olympic gold became hers.
The key message here is: Narrowing the focus of your visual attention helps you reach your goals more effectively.
The first key visualization strategy, adopting a narrow focus, can help you improve the quality of not only physical exercise, but any long-term goal you set for yourself.
In one experiment, the author and her research team studied gym goers’ perceptions about exercise, and found that how they looked at their surroundings produced significant results.
The team added weighted cuffs to the gym goers’ ankles, which increased their body weight by 15 percent, and asked them to walk as quickly as possible to a finish line. One group was told to keep their eyes on the finish line and to avoid looking around. A second group was told to look around as they would normally. The group that focused solely on the finish line estimated that it was 30 percent closer than the other group. They also used 17 percent less effort in walking to the finish line and got there 23 percent quicker.
The benefits of a narrow focus translate into other aspects of life, such as financial planning. Take, for example, retirement savings. An experiment conducted by social psychologist Hal Hershfield suggests that visualizing your life as a retiree motivates you to start saving money for retirement at an earlier age. He found a way to introduce young people to their future selves. How? He took photos of people in his community and edited them into aged versions of themselves. Those faced with a visualization of themselves in 45 years’ time planned to set aside 6.2 percent of their current salary for retirement. In contrast, those who saw photos of their current selves set aside only 4.4 percent.
Keeping your eyes on the prize is integral to achieving your goals – but this is just one visualization strategy that successful people implement.
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What is Clearer, Closer, Better about?
Clearer, Closer, Better (2020) teaches us to view the world through the lens of high achievers. Drawing on vision science, motivational psychology, and case studies from all kinds of successful people, author Emily Balcetis shows us how to reframe our perceptions in order to overcome challenges and meet our goals.
Clearer, Closer, Better Review
Clearer, Closer, Better (2021) by Emily Balcetis is a thought-provoking book that explores the power of perception and how it shapes our lives. Here's what makes it worth reading:
- Through fascinating research findings and real-life examples, the book unveils how our perception affects our daily decisions and actions.
- Balcetis offers practical strategies to help readers shift their perspective and overcome cognitive biases, empowering them to make better choices and achieve their goals.
- With its accessible style and relatable stories, the book keeps readers engaged and excited to uncover the hidden forces that influence our perception and decision-making.
Best quote from Clearer, Closer, Better
Knowing what you dont know is more useful than being brilliant. Charlie Munger, American investor and businessman.
—Emily Balcetis
Who should read Clearer, Closer, Better?
- Anyone with their sights set on a goal
- Those who can’t see the forest for the trees
- Anyone curious about new ways of looking at the world
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Clearer, Closer, Better FAQs
What is the main message of Clearer, Closer, Better?
The main message of Clearer, Closer, Better is that by changing our perspective, we can improve our motivation and achieve our goals.
How long does it take to read Clearer, Closer, Better?
The reading time for Clearer, Closer, Better varies from person to person, but it usually takes a few hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in less than 15 minutes.
Is Clearer, Closer, Better a good book? Is it worth reading?
Clearer, Closer, Better is a worthwhile read for those looking to enhance their motivation and achieve their goals. It offers practical insights and actionable advice.
Who is the author of Clearer, Closer, Better?
The author of Clearer, Closer, Better is Emily Balcetis.
What to read after Clearer, Closer, Better?
If you're wondering what to read next after Clearer, Closer, Better, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Picture Your Prosperity by Ellen Rogin and Lisa Kueng
- Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
- Building Your Money Machine with ChatGPT by Larry Wheeler
- How to Enjoy Your Life and Your Job by Dale Carnegie
- 168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam
- Mind Gym by Gary Mack & David Casstevens
- High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard
- Make Your Bed by William H. McRaven
- 12 Rules For Life by Jordan B. Peterson
- The No-Nonsense Meditation Book by Steven Laureys