Why Does “I Choose to Succeed” Resist “I Choose to Change”?
A strong need for self-determination makes people committed to their chosen ways; cognitive dissonance then filters evidence to confirm those choices. The same steadfastness that sustains goals can block needed course corrections.
Metaphor
Choosing to succeed is like planting a flag on a hill and swearing loyalty to it forever. That same commitment that fuels determination also rewrites the map so every signpost points back to your chosen peak.
In practice, this loyalty to your past choice can keep you from pivoting when the smarter move is to climb a different hill.
Works Consulted
In addition to any sources cited above, the following works informed my thinking: (1)
1.
Goldsmith M. What Got You Here Won’t Get You There [Internet]. Profile Books; 2013. Available from: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/84525.What_Got_You_Here_Won_t_Get_You_There