Overcoming Learned Helplessness: Shannon Smith, J.D., M.S. on Retraining Your Brain

In a recent LinkedIn post, Shannon Smith, J.D., M.S. discusses the pervasive issue of learned helplessness and offers strategies for individuals to overcome it by retraining their predictive brains. Drawing an analogy to a fish repeatedly hitting a glass barrier until it stops trying, Smith, J.D., M.S. highlights how repeated rejections or failures can lead humans to internalize limitations, even when the original obstacles are no longer present.

The core of the problem, as Shannon Smith, J.D., M.S. explains, lies in how the brain functions as a prediction machine. “The brain is a prediction machine,” Smith, J.D., M.S. writes. “It uses past experience to decide what’s worth the effort now.” This means that even after a barrier has been removed, past negative experiences can cause individuals to behave as if the obstacle still exists, leading to a state of learned helplessness.

The Cycle of Learned Helplessness

Shannon Smith, J.D., M.S. elaborates on how this internal limitation develops. When individuals face consistent rejection, are shut down, or ignored, their internal dialogue shifts. Instead of asking, “Can I do this?” the brain begins to assume, “This won’t work.” This assumption, based on accumulated negative experiences, becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, preventing individuals from taking action or even recognizing opportunities when they arise.

According to Smith, J.D., M.S., this phenomenon can be deeply ingrained. “Sometimes the obstacle is real. Sometimes the obstacle was real. And your brain just hasn’t gotten the memo that it’s gone,” they state, emphasizing the disconnect between past experiences and present reality.

Strategies for Breaking the Pattern

To combat learned helplessness, Shannon Smith, J.D., M.S. proposes a three-pronged approach focused on actively updating the brain’s predictions:

1. Test the Wall Again

Smith, J.D., M.S. encourages individuals to revisit something they have stopped trying due to past failures. The advice is to make just one small attempt within the current week. This action serves to provide the brain with new, potentially contradictory evidence, challenging the old predictions of failure.

2. Shrink the Risk

A key strategy suggested by Smith, J.D., M.S. is to redefine the goal. Instead of aiming for outright success, the objective should be to simply “take one step.” By breaking down actions into smaller, more manageable steps, experimentation becomes less daunting and feels safer, making it easier for the brain to engage.

3. Update the Story

Finally, Shannon Smith, J.D., M.S. emphasizes the importance of consciously acknowledging and processing new outcomes. When an event unfolds differently than expected, Smith, J.D., M.S. advises pausing to notice it and explicitly telling oneself, “That outcome was different.” This deliberate recognition of “prediction errors” is crucial for updating outdated beliefs and behaviors.

In essence, Shannon Smith, J.D., M.S. provides a practical framework for individuals who feel stuck by past experiences. By understanding the brain’s predictive nature and actively implementing these strategies, one can begin to dismantle the internal barriers that learned helplessness creates.