PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTANCE: THE PATH TO SELF-DEVELOPMENT

Imagine the following scenario: you’re about to face a major challenge in your life, whether it’s in your career, relationships, or personal goals. You feel prepared and confident, but as the moment approaches, a sense of anxiety starts to creep in. You realize that, despite all your planning and preparation, there’s still a distance between where you are and where you want to be.

This distance isn’t just physical, but also psychological. It’s as if there’s an invisible barrier between you and your goals, a separation that can affect your perception, your actions, and even your ability to achieve what you desire.

This feeling of distance isn’t just physical, but also psychological, as if there’s an invisible barrier between you and your goals, affecting your perception, actions, and ability to achieve, a concept that permeates all areas of our lives and directly influences our decisions, relationships, and pursuit of success. By understanding and learning to manage this distance, we can transform it from a barrier into a springboard for growth and personal fulfillment.

In this article, I will explore the importance of psychological distance and how it can impact our goals, decisions, and motivation. We’ll provide concrete examples, share research, and offer practical strategies so that you can apply this knowledge in your own life.

Psychological Distance and Our Daily Interactions with the World

Psychological distance, although often imperceptible, plays a fundamental role in our daily interactions with the world around us. This subjective perception of separation shapes our individual perceptions and influences our decisions. But how can we make this subjective space conscious and use it to our advantage?

Research conducted by Cheryl Wakslak and colleagues at the USC Marshall School of Business suggests that awareness of psychological distance can be a powerful tool for improving our actions and achieving more challenging goals. It is through this awareness that we can develop a broader perspective, allowing us to see situations from different angles and act with greater clarity and precision. Instead of simply leaving life to chance, we can learn to establish a more effective psychological distance, yielding more meaningful results aligned with our personal goals.

“…we can evade reality, but we cannot evade the consequences of evading reality.” Ayn Rand

Psychological distance, being the subjective space we perceive between ourselves and everything happening around us, is an experience of individualistic separation that influences our perceptions and emotional responses. Rather than simply ignoring the facts and leaving life to chance, we can develop an awareness of this distance and use it as a powerful tool to improve our relationships and achieve meaningful results in our lives.

Research details that well-structured distancing leads to a significant increase in performance. The ability to discern this distance allows us to respond to different situations with appropriate emotional levels, providing intellectual and emotional clarity about the impact of events in our lives. For example, studies from the University of Michigan show that when we feel a great psychological distance, we tend to think more abstractly, focusing on the big picture and the reasons behind our choices. On the other hand, when psychological distance is small, our thinking becomes more concrete, focusing on details and the feasibility of options.

Developing awareness of psychological distance allows us to use it in two ways: adjusting the distance as needed or replacing one type of distance with another, depending on the situation.

What does psychological distance have to do with whether we achieve our goals and strengthen our purposes?

You’re probably still wondering: what does psychological distance have to do with achieving our goals and strengthening our purposes? A study conducted by Cheryl Wakslak and her colleagues at the USC Marshall School of Business reveals that the intelligent use of psychological distance enables us to set more challenging goals. According to their findings, there is a specific degree of distance that proves most effective for each situation. Thus, by adjusting our goals to achieve this ideal psychological distance, we can achieve remarkable and personalized results.

Psychological Distance: The Path to Self-Development

In summary, every action needs to have a clear purpose. To achieve our goals, we need to identify the right motivators and focus our energy on them. The proper use of psychological distancing can promote the building of solid motivation, encouraging us to pursue our goals with determination. This allows us to understand the relationship between our goals and our internal perception of how to achieve them, through a systemic analysis of the necessary efforts and possible outcomes. Ultimately, psychological distancing is directly linked to control and mastery over our destinies, propelling us with a strong sense of motivation.

Being optimistic is substantially different from being motivated. Optimism, at times, can lead to errors in assessing our capabilities. To reach a goal, it is essential to be aware of the challenges and difficulties we will face when setting our goals. Thus, success in any endeavor is less related to willpower and more to specific coping skills.

The essence of gradual progress lies in valuing each step taken and the significant increase in motivation that each achievement provides. This positive feeling drives a person to achieve what is fundamental to any accomplishment: confidence. Only when we trust ourselves, driven by motivation, do we feel secure and capable of dealing with challenges or problems that may arise, persevering in the pursuit of proposed objectives.

The theory of psychological distance helps us build this motivational sense, promoting not only confidence but also the establishment of new neural connections. These new synapses enhance communication between neurons, providing an additional dimension to our experience. In practical terms, we can identify four types of psychological distance:

a. Social Distance

Social distance has a lot to do with the ability to seek understanding of the other person. Seeking to understand the possible thoughts, feelings, and motives behind the actions of others. Thus, it is also directly related to theory of mind. The enhancement of the ability to attribute and represent, in oneself and others, independent mental states – beliefs, intentions, desires, knowledge, etc. – and to understand that others have beliefs, desires, and intentions that are distinct from one’s own, consequently reducing social distance. On the other hand, when we emotionally distance ourselves in interpersonal relationships, we increase psychological distance.

In practice, this can represent a significant adjustment in goals. Neurologically speaking, when we feel more socially supported, within better relationships, we feel more satisfied and therefore more open and secure in achieving our goals, that is, the better we are in our relationships, the more individually secure we feel.

Studies conducted with various team leaders have shown that a more open management style and solid interpersonal relationships lead teams to feel less pressured, more satisfied, and more visionary. That is, investing in solid interpersonal relationships can not only reduce psychological distance but also promote a more positive and productive work environment.

For example, imagine a team leader who adopts a more open and empathetic approach to team members. He strives to understand their concerns, needs, and aspirations, creating a work environment where everyone feels valued and understood. As a result, the team feels more connected and motivated, which is reflected in improved performance and greater goal achievement.

On the other hand, when we emotionally distance ourselves from relationships, we increase psychological distance. This can happen when a leader is distant and unapproachable, focusing only on the technical aspects of the work and ignoring the emotional needs of their team. In this scenario, team members may feel demotivated and disconnected, which can negatively affect their performance and ability to achieve goals.

The fact is that investing in solid interpersonal relationships can not only reduce psychological distance but also promote a more positive and productive work environment.

b. Temporal Distance

Setting mandatory, shorter, and more dynamic deadlines is an excellent way to decrease temporal distance, which consequently will significantly improve your focus, productivity, and performance. This was demonstrated in studies presented by professors Dan Ariely and Klaus Wertenbroch. The same is true for how we interpret the future. Focusing on desired outcomes—anticipating the feeling and emotions of achievement—can help you identify themes and points that lead to them. By introspectively anticipating the expected results, you can make them more representative, give them the attention they deserve, and even make adjustments when trying to set challenging goals. Increasing temporal distance makes the reasons for setting your goals more theoretical than actually performing the necessary steps to achieve them.

A current and recent example of how temporal distance can affect our goals was widely observed in the context of remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many companies and professionals had to quickly adapt to this new work model, which brought significant challenges in terms of time management and goal setting.

Let’s say a company set a goal to implement a new project management system within six months. Initially, the deadlines and goals may seem clear and achievable. However, as the project progresses and deadlines approach, the team may start feeling the pressure of time, and temporal distance can become an obstacle.

For example, at the beginning of the project, team members may feel motivated and excited about the challenge. They may anticipate the benefits of the new system and visualize the project’s success. However, as the final deadline approaches, temporal distance may seem greater and more challenging. Deadlines appear tighter, and the pressure to meet the goals increases.

In this scenario, it’s important for the team and leaders to recognize the influence of temporal distance on their motivation and performance. They can adjust deadlines and goals as needed, ensuring they are realistic and achievable within the current situation’s context. This helps maintain team motivation and ensure project success, even in the face of challenges posed by temporal distance.

c. Spatial Distance

Spatial distance, as demonstrated by studies conducted by psychologists like Lawrence E. Williams and John A. Bargh from Yale University, can significantly influence our perceptions and emotions. Through their research, they found that the physical environment around us, whether spacious and open or enclosed and tight, can affect our mindset and emotional state.

For example, volunteers exposed to spacious environments showed more openness and less stress compared to those who remained in more confined environments. Furthermore, when asked about their emotional connections with close people and significant places, those exposed to greater spatial distance reported weaker bonds. These studies suggest that physical proximity is associated with greater emotional connection.

It’s interesting to note that these influences occur unconsciously. The mere presence of space around us can activate abstract symbols of proximity and security in our brains, thus shaping our responses to the world.

In practical terms, we can use this understanding of spatial distance to influence our thoughts and behaviors. For example, when seeking to stimulate abstract thinking, we can seek out wider and more open environments. On the other hand, if we want to promote a more concrete mindset, we can put ourselves in more confined spaces.

Additional studies, such as those conducted by Joan Meyers-Levy and Juliet Zhu, show that even small changes in environments, such as higher ceilings, can encourage creativity and concept connection. These findings highlight the importance of the physical environment in our lives and how we can consciously leverage spatial distance to positively influence our thoughts and behaviors.          

In practice, we can demonstrate the effects of spatial distance in our daily lives in various ways:

• Work Environments: Try working in different physical spaces to observe

how it affects your productivity and creativity. For example, working in an open and spacious space can stimulate abstract thinking and the generation of new ideas, while a more enclosed and confined environment can promote a more focused and detailed approach.

• Environmental Decoration: Make small changes to the layout and

decoration of your home or office to create different space sensations. For example, removing dividers and heavy furniture to open up space can create a more expansive and stimulating atmosphere, while using heavy curtains and dark colors can create a sense of confinement and intimacy.

• Social Gatherings: Observe how the physical arrangement of people in a

social gathering can influence the tone and nature of the conversation. For example, being in a spacious and open environment can encourage more relaxed and expansive interactions, while a tighter space can promote more intimate and personal conversations.

• Creative Activities: When engaging in creative activities such as

brainstorming or painting, try changing the physical environment to see how it affects your creativity and innovation. For example, holding a brainstorming session in a park or garden can inspire new ideas and perspectives, while a traditional workspace may limit your creativity. These are just a few ways to demonstrate the effects of spatial distance in our lives. By experimenting with different environments and observing how they affect our thinking and behavior, we can better understand how to harness the power of spatial distance to promote greater well-being and creativity in our lives.

d. Experiential Distance

Developing ways to transcend conjecture and experience in advance what we desire is essential to achieving our goals. This process is widely adopted in the consumer goods market, where companies use prototypes and field research to understand consumer reactions before launching a product. What often proves more persuasive than a simple live demonstration are detailed graphic presentations highlighting the features of a new product.

Therefore, in practical terms, it is essential to dedicate time to research, study, and prior analysis of our goals. Experiencing in advance what we desire allows us to discern if it is really relevant to our lives. This approach not only emphasizes our desires and goals but also prevents us from possible disappointments, revealing whether what we seek truly fulfills our needs or is just an attempt to fill an internal void.

As we approach experiential distance, we are challenged to explore the deeper reasons behind our goals. Sometimes, we may discover that an apparently tangible goal is, in fact, a symbolic representation of an emotional gap. It is important to note that all psychological distance is rooted in underlying thought processes. By replacing one type of distance with another, we can stimulate different forms of thinking, whether more abstract or concrete.

This approach empowers us to adopt a more balanced and informed perspective when defining and pursuing our goals, ensuring that we are truly aligned with our deepest values and aspirations.

A concrete example of the application of experiential distance can be found in the technology industry. Before launching a new product or software update, companies often conduct beta tests with a select group of users. During this phase, users have the opportunity to experience the product in advance in a controlled environment.

For example, Company X is developing a new version of its social media app. Before releasing it to the general public, they invite a group of beta users to test it. These users have the chance to explore the new features, provide feedback on usability, and report any issues or bugs they encounter.

By participating in the beta test, users have a practical experience of the product before the official launch. This allows them to assess whether the new app meets their needs, is intuitive to use, and offers added value compared to the previous version. Based on beta user feedback, Company X can make final adjustments to the product before making it available to the general public, ensuring a better user experience and greater satisfaction.

This example demonstrates how the application of experiential distance allows companies to test their innovations before officially launching them, reducing the risk of failure and increasing the chances of success in the market.

Mixing it All Up!

• Social and Temporal Distance: If you’re involved with pessimistic

people or those who have less dynamism than you, it’s sometimes beneficial to use social and spatial distance. Negative individuals often hinder our goals. The environment is a significant influencer of our emotions. Emotions construct thoughts. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to be more reflective to find better alternatives for goal development, also use spatial distance; it will certainly help you be more abstract or concise with your ideas.

When setting an ambitious goal, you can benefit from relating social distance together with temporal distance. Once directed towards a significant event, set smaller goals. Create deadline markers for each of them, and share your commitments with people you trust. This helps us get there. Remember, our motivational system is always activated when we reach previously set goals. Ideally, mark when you intend to start and finish the task and pay attention to the path you will take to complete it

• Temporal Distance and Experiential Distance: If you’re struggling to set your goals due to time constraints, you can benefit from the temporal distance approach. Set milestones defining each small achievement so that, by adding them all up, you reach the final goal. Share your commitments with trusted individuals to keep yourself accountable and motivated along the way. Additionally, experiential distance can be a valuable strategy. Effectively experiencing what we desire can give us a new perspective and eliminate time wasted on activities that ultimately do not contribute to our goals. Using social distance can also be beneficial. Talking to people who have already achieved similar goals can offer valuable insights and help avoid common mistakes, thus reducing the time spent on potential setbacks throughout the journey. Lastly, it’s important to establish a routine of regularly reviewing your goals. Life is a process of constant change, and our goals may need to be adjusted to stay aligned with time and our evolving aspirations.

• Spatial Distance, Social Distance, and Experiential Distance: When facing challenges stemming from physical distance from people who can support your goals, it’s crucial to seek ways to shorten that distance. Use social distance as an additional tool, seeking meaningful connections and relationships. Whether in person, visiting them whenever possible, or virtually, through communication platforms like social networks, video calls, and online messages. Additionally, experiential distance plays a key role. Anticipate in advance what you want to achieve. Just as consumer companies use prototypes and market research to understand consumer reactions before launching a product, you can test your goals and objectives experimentally. This can prevent potential disappointments by discovering that what you’re aiming for isn’t as relevant as you imagined. By combining the reduction of spatial distance with practical experience, you not only get closer to the people and resources needed to achieve your goals but also gain a deeper and more realistic understanding of what you want to accomplish. This integrated approach enhances your chances of success and minimizes obstacles along the way.

• Experiential Distance and Social Distance: Anticipating the experiences related to achieving your goals is crucial to strengthening your commitment and direction. By imagining the movements, sensations, thoughts, and memories associated with reaching your goals, you create neural connections that broaden the field of possibilities and expand your understanding of the established goals. Additionally, leverage the other distances together. Research extensively about your goal to build a deeper and more meaningful understanding. This not only brings more clarity to your purposes but also prepares you to anticipate the nuances and challenges associated with achieving your goals. Use social distance to establish connections with people who have already achieved what you desire. By sharing experiences and learning from those who have already walked a similar path, you have the opportunity to experience, to some extent, the achievements that await you. Recent global research highlights the significant influence of online content and word of mouth on purchasing decisions, especially when social distance is small. Similarly, by observing best practices adopted by others in your field, you benefit from social validation, which can strengthen your determination and conviction regarding your own goals.

Finally,

I hope this article has provided a profound reflection on the concepts of psychological distance and its relevance in our lives. Throughout this journey, we have explored how different forms of distance – whether temporal, spatial, social, or experiential – can influence our perceptions, decisions, and motivations.

It is crucial to understand that life manifests through emotions and the relationships we establish with the world around us. Before any goal or objective we aim for, lies the essence of who we are, in the depths of our feelings and emotions. Thus, each achievement must first be imagined, planned, desired, and worked around a clear and meaningful purpose. It is necessary to embark on this journey with a true initiative to reach our ideals, through genuine and dedicated efforts.

The more stimuli we seek and promote, the greater our brain’s capacity to process information and establish meaningful connections, thereby expanding our possibilities of achieving our goals. In other words, the conscious use of psychological distance not only allows us to create new synapses and perceive the world in different ways but also enables us to break from routine, alter habits, and shape our behavior appropriately to achieve our goals. The behavioral changes we promote have a direct impact on neural activation and neural pathways, demonstrating the close interaction between our thoughts, emotions, and actions.

Thus, as we develop our practical skills in applying psychological distance, we are not only enriching our life experience but also strengthening our ability to face challenges and pursue our dreams with determination and clarity of purpose.

I encourage everyone to be bold, persistent, and never underestimate the transformative power of psychological distance in their lives. May this journey be a constant source of inspiration, learning, and growth, empowering each one to reach their fullest potential.

Remember: the more we stimulate psychological distancing, the more cognitively capable we become. Distance is also a way of being present. Therefore, let every step taken be an opportunity to draw closer to our goals and fulfill our dreams. Let us move forward together towards a fulfilling and meaningful life!

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