The Observer Effect: Why Who Watches You Matters
In our recent talks, we’ve explored the architecture of change—from the initial spark of massive action to the structural precision required to maintain a high-performance life in your second half. We’ve looked at the physics of the jump and the gravity that tries to pull us back down. But there is another law of physics that governs our progress, and it is perhaps the most invisible force of all: the Observer Effect. In quantum mechanics, the observer effect is the theory that the mere act of observing a phenomenon inevitably changes that phenomenon. An electron behaves one way when it is left alone, but the moment a scientist points a lens at it, its behavior shifts. As it turns out, humans are not much different from subatomic particles. We are fundamentally altered by the presence of an observer.
We often like to believe that our discipline is entirely self-sustained, that we are the masters of our own "ground state" and that we don't need anyone else to hold the line. But if we are being radically honest with ourselves—the kind of honesty we advocate for over a cup of coffee—we know that’s rarely the case. Think about the difference between a solo training session in a quiet corner of the gym and a session where a coach is standing three feet away, clipboard in hand. Physically, the movements are the same. The weights are the same. But the intensity, the form, and the mental "drift" are completely different. When the lens is on us, our "wave function" collapses into a much more defined and powerful state. We don't just work harder; we work better. We stop cutting corners. We stop "good enough."
This is why the solitary journey is so dangerous. When you are the only one observing your progress, it is incredibly easy to negotiate with yourself. It’s easy to tell yourself that the shoulder feels a bit too tight for that last set, or that the breathing exercises can wait until tomorrow, or that your protein targets are "close enough." Without an external observer, your standards slowly begin to soften, and before you know it, you are experiencing that orbital decay we talked about. You aren't failing because you lack will—you are failing because you lack a witness. You need someone to see the athlete you are becoming, especially on the days when you still feel like the person you left behind.
In the world of high-performance coaching, we aren't just there to provide a spreadsheet or a set of instructions. We are there to be the observer. By simply being present, by asking the difficult questions, and by holding the lens steady, we change the reality of your performance. It’s a psychological shift that moves you from "trying to change" to "being observed in change." This external accountability provides the extra energy required to stay in that higher orbit when your internal fuel is running low. It creates a tension that keeps you honest, not because of fear, but because of the deep human desire to be seen at our best.
As you sit with your coffee today, ask yourself who is currently observing your growth. Is it just you? Are you the only one who knows if you hit your targets or if you let yourself slide back into old patterns? If you want to change your results, you must change the conditions of the experiment. Find a coach, a partner, or a community that refuses to let you stay invisible. When you allow yourself to be watched, you allow yourself to be transformed.
Until next time,
Scott and Lennart