#203

It’s leg day.
And “I enjoy leg day,” said no one – ever!
No PT. No gym buddy. No camera. No motivational playlist yelling “You got this!”.
You hit ten reps.
Your thighs are trembling.
Your internal dialogue starts negotiating with itself: “Ten’s basically twelve if you round up, right?”
But the plan says twelve... What do you do?

Welcome to the Hawthorne Effect in real life - the phenomenon where people change their behaviour when they know they’re being observed.
Originally studied in factory workers, it turns out we're all a little more extra when someone’s watching.

We lift heavier.
We work harder.
We sit up straighter in meetings.
We even pretend to read the book club book (or at least skim the back cover).

It’s why fitness classes work.
Why study groups help.
Why toddlers only seem to eat broccoli when you're applauding like they’ve won Olympic gold.
Why your dog behaves impeccably when the dog trainer’s around - but acts like it’s raised by wolves when guests leave.

Even the possibility of being watched nudges us toward better behaviour.
But what about when no one’s watching?
When there’s no accountability app.
No team stand-up.
No imaginary audience clapping after you clean the kitchen.

Do you still:

Finish the final rep when your thighs feel like noodles?
Close all the tabs before the Zoom meeting even if no one can see your screen?
Pick up your dog's poop even when it's dark, raining, and there’s zero chance of witnesses?
Rinse the plate… or just strategically bury it under the cutlery in the sink?
These aren’t moral questions. They’re identity ones.
Because what you do when no one is watching isn’t about discipline. It’s about who you believe yourself to be.

A quiet moment of character might look like:

Returning the trolley instead of leaving it wedged against a pole like a post-apocalyptic chariot
Sending a kind message when it’s easier to scroll
Doing the full warm-up instead of jumping straight to the "fun" part of your run
Yes, external accountability works.
That’s why coaching works.
Why gym buddies matter.
Why facilitators get hired to ask questions you already knew needed answering.

But here’s the whisper: Are you doing it for the eyes watching - or for the person you're becoming?

Because the real magic happens when you show up for yourself, even when no one else is watching.
When your behaviour isn’t driven by surveillance… but by your own internal standards.
When you build that muscle - quietly, consistently, invisibly - it’s a vote for the person you want to become.
You become – slowly and surely – a better version of your self.
And that version of you, they’re worth watching.
Even if no one else is.