The ‘Red Car Theory’: How Emily Lyons Says Our Attention Shapes Opportunity

In a recent LinkedIn post, Emily Lyons explores a powerful psychological concept she terms the “Red Car Theory” to explain how individuals perceive and capitalize on opportunities. Lyons, a business founder, uses this analogy to argue that what we notice is not dictated by the world around us, but by the internal filters our brains create based on our focus.

She begins by illustrating the core idea: “Your eyes saw twenty red cars this morning. Your brain showed you zero.” Lyons explains that our brains filter out an immense amount of information daily to prevent overload. The crucial point, she posits, is that the brain prioritizes what it has been instructed to look for.

“The thing it filters by is what you have told it to look for.”

The Brain as a Filter for Opportunity

Lyons extends this concept to the professional and entrepreneurial world, asserting that our mindset directly influences the opportunities we encounter. If we are programmed to seek out problems or limitations, our brain will readily identify them, reinforcing a negative outlook.

“Tell it to look for reasons your business won’t work, and it will hand you those reasons all day long. Tell it to look for proof that nobody is hiring in your industry, and the proof will arrive,” Lyons writes.

Conversely, she suggests that by consciously directing our attention towards solutions and possibilities, we can uncover opportunities that others might miss. Lyons shares personal anecdotes to support this claim, detailing how she founded three businesses based on seemingly common observations that others overlooked.

From Observation to Entrepreneurship

Lyons recounts instances such as overhearing a conversation about an event needing staff, a friend complaining about lash glue irritation, and a CEO lamenting dating difficulties. In each case, these were not unique problems but rather everyday occurrences.

“Three businesses came out of those three moments. None of them were rare. They were happening to everyone in the room. I was the only one whose brain had been told to look for them.”

She emphasizes that her success was not due to extraordinary circumstances or external luck, but rather her internal directive to find solutions. According to Lyons, individuals who claim to have “bad luck” or “never get breaks” are, in essence, reporting on the state of their attention and focus, not an objective reality of missed chances.

The Ubiquity of Opportunity

Lyons concludes by challenging the notion that opportunities are scarce or inaccessible. She argues that potential is often present but remains unseen due to our internal filtering mechanisms.

“People who say ‘I never get any breaks’ or ‘I have the worst luck’ are not telling you the truth about the world. They are telling you the truth about their attention.”

The “Red Car Theory,” as presented by Lyons, serves as a compelling reminder that cultivating a mindset focused on possibility and actively searching for solutions can fundamentally alter our experience of opportunity. The opportunities, she suggests, are often there; it is our internal programming that determines whether we see them.

“The red cars have been there the whole time,” she states, reinforcing the idea that awareness and intentional focus are key to unlocking potential.