Decoded: Modern Life Under the Microscope (S4) S46:E1

Welcome to another exciting episode of the Inspirations for Your Life Show — the daily motivational podcast that goes beyond surface-level chatter and gets right to the heart of what makes us tick. I’m John C. Morley — Serial Entrepreneur, Engineer, Marketing Specialist, Video Producer, Podcast Host, Coach, Graduate Student, and of course, a passionate lifelong learner. Each day, I bring you fresh, eye-opening perspectives from the frontlines of business, leadership, and personal growth. Whether you’re tuning in for your morning dose of inspiration or searching for the secret sauce to a more fulfilling life, you are in the right place! Today’s episode, "Decoded: Modern Life Under the Microscope" (Season 4, Episode 46), puts the everyday quirks of human behavior under the spotlight, giving you science-backed insights and practical takeaways you can actually use.

1️⃣ Human Behavior Glitches: The Weird Things People Do Without Realizing It

1️⃣ Why do we stare at screens even when we’re bored? Our brains crave stimulation, and in the absence of anything captivating, we default to screens simply because they promise new information or excitement. The dopamine hit is subtle, keeping us reaching for our devices even when we’re not engaged.

2️⃣ Ever walked into a room and forgotten why? That’s the infamous “doorway effect” at work. Crossing a threshold makes your brain compartmentalize thoughts, often relegating your immediate intention to the background. It’s not forgetfulness—it's how your brain processes new environments.

3️⃣ So why do we rewatch shows instead of starting something new? Comfort and predictability help reduce stress. When life feels overwhelming, the certainty of a familiar TV plot offers a small but powerful sense of control and relaxation.

4️⃣ Let’s talk about the science of awkward silences. Humans are wired for connection, and sudden pauses feel threatening to social cohesion. Even a two-second lull triggers discomfort, prompting us to fill the void with anything, even small talk.

5️⃣ Your brain actually loves background noise. It helps mask distractions, making it easier to focus—hence the popularity of coffee shops, lo-fi playlists, and busy offices for getting work done.

6️⃣ Talking to yourself? Far from being a sign of madness, self-talk is a potent cognitive tool. It helps organize thoughts, solidify intentions, and regulate emotions. Some of the world’s most successful people are known for their effective self-dialogue.

7️⃣ The “default face” myth says we all have one neutral expression. In reality, microexpressions shift constantly based on mood, context, and personal history, often sending out subtle social signals we aren’t aware of.

8️⃣ Think you’re not phone-addicted? The average person touches their phone 2,600 times a day. This constant engagement is a blend of habit, anxiety, and the ongoing search for connection—or simply relief from boredom.

9️⃣ Eye contact is powerful, but how long is too long? Studies show that more than 7 seconds of direct gaze can feel hostile, while less than 3 seconds may come off as evasive. Finding that sweet spot builds trust and empathy.

🔟 Gossip feels good because it’s a bonding activity. It’s evolutionary: sharing social information cements relationships and builds group cohesion, even if it’s sometimes frowned upon.

1️⃣1️⃣ The elevator silence phenomenon is real. When placed in a confined space with strangers, most people instinctively go quiet. It’s a survival mechanism to reduce tension and prevent unnecessary confrontation.

1️⃣2️⃣ Why do people love watching cleaning videos? These satisfying visuals trigger our desire for order and accomplishment, producing a small dopamine spike every time a mess is banished.

1️⃣3️⃣ You forget names but remember faces because facial recognition is processed in a completely different part of the brain than language. Faces evoke emotions, while names are abstract labels.

1️⃣4️⃣ The “fake listening” trick isn’t as rare as you think. We’ve all nodded along without processing, often because our brains are multitasking or preparing a response instead of fully engaging.

1️⃣5️⃣ Posting “just landed” pics is about social proof and status. Sharing travel updates signals success and a sense of adventure, inviting validation from your circle.

1️⃣6️⃣ Your sleep position can actually say a lot about your subconscious. Psychologists find links between posture and personality traits like openness, anxiety, or comfort with vulnerability.

1️⃣7️⃣ Nostalgia hits harder at night because the brain is less distracted and more reflective. Evening hours allow memories—and their associated emotions—to come flooding back.

1️⃣8️⃣ That surge of panic when your phone battery hits 5%? It’s not just inconvenience; it’s rooted in our fear of disconnection and “missing out.”

1️⃣9️⃣ We laugh when we’re u

Episode Transcript

(00:24):
Well, hello there, everyone.
It is John C.
Morley here, serial entrepreneur.
It's great to be with you.
Today is Saturday.
It's November 8th, and that means we're starting
a brand new master topic, which we'll get
to in just a second.
But first, I wanna take this opportunity to
say welcome and thank you for joining me
here on Inspirations for Your Life.

(00:45):
And I wanna, of course, thank those that
have watched before and are coming back.
I'd like to say welcome back.
Thank you so much for being here.
I really do appreciate those that enjoy the
content and wanna keep sharing it and coming
back.
So this whole week, the big concept is

(01:07):
decoded modern life under the microscope.
It's series four, show 46.
Tonight, we're talking about human behavior glitches.
That's what we're talking about tonight.
So again, it is great to have all
of you with me here.
I don't know if you guys know this,
but in less than, I believe it's gonna
be eight weeks, we'll be on the air,

(01:32):
basically four years in a row, and we're
gonna be hitting our fifth year on January
1st, 2026.
So again, welcome to everyone.
So without any further ado, I'd like to
kick this off.
But if you are thirsty or parched, I
don't want you to be uncomfortable, feel free
to go grab yourself something, whether it's water,
whether it's something sweet, tart, healthy, salty or

(01:53):
not, that's totally up to you.
But let's go ahead and kick this show
off because I've got a lot to share
with you.
So welcome to another exciting, yes, another exciting
episode of Inspirations for Your Life show, the
daily motivational podcast that goes beyond surface level
chatter and gets right to the heart of

(02:13):
what makes us tick inside.
Oh, who am I?
Sure, I'm John C.
Morley, serial entrepreneur, and I'm also an engineer,
marketing specialist, video producer, podcast host, coach, graduate
student, and of course, a passionate lifelong learner

(02:34):
and graduate student here that is working on
my master's and my PhD.
And each day I bring you fresh eye
-opening content and perspectives from the frontline of
business, of life, leadership, and of course, personal
growth.
Whether you're tuning in for the very first

(02:55):
time, whether it's a morning, an afternoon, or
an evening as we're coming on live, you'll
get that dose of inspiration from my show.
And find the secret sauce to a more
fulfilling life.
You are in the right place, guys, you
definitely are.
Today's episode, Decoded Modern Life Under the Microscope.

(03:16):
That's our granular, but we're talking all about
today something very interesting, and that's human behavior
glitches.
And it puts the everyday quirks of human
behavior, well, under the spotlight, giving you science
-backed insights and practical takeaways you can actually
use in your life.

(03:38):
So number one, guys, human behavior glitches.
That's what today is all about.
The weird things people do without realizing it.
And so number one for that is, why
do we stare at screens even when we're
bored?
Our brains crave stimulation, and in the absence

(03:59):
of anything captivating, we default to screens simply
because they promise new information or excitement, new
content.
The dopamine hit is a subtle thing that
keeps us reaching for our devices, even when
we're not engaged.

(04:21):
Number two, guys, ever walked into a room
and forgotten why?
Well, that's the infamous doorway effect, right?
At work or at home, crossing a threshold
makes your brain compartmentalize thoughts, often, well, relegating
your immediate attention to the background.

(04:43):
It's not forgetfulness, it's how your brain processes
new environments, right?
Number three, so why do we rewatch shows
instead of starting something new?
Comfort and predictability help reduce stress.
But the other reason that we do it
is because there's a lot of nuggets, like

(05:05):
in my show, for example, you might not
get all the points in one show.
So you need to go back and rewatch
it or re-listen to it so that
those points will become more clear and stick
into your long-term memory.
Now, when life feels overwhelming, which it can,
the certainty of a familiar TV plot offers

(05:26):
a small but a powerful sense of control
and even a bit of relaxation.
Number four, guys, let's talk about the science
of awkward silences, okay?
Humans are wired for connection and sudden pauses
feel threatening to social cohesion.

(05:47):
It's true, guys.
Even a two-second lull triggers discomfort, prompting
us to fill the void with anything, even
small talk, right?
Number five, your brain actually loves background noise.
It helps mask distractions, making it easier to

(06:07):
focus, hence the popularity of coffee shops, lo
-fi playlists, and busy offices for getting work
done.
I recommended some music a while back, my
favorite one.
There's some things on YouTube.
There was one about a coffee shop and
it was like in the rain and you
heard plates clattering very, not loudly, but just

(06:30):
a little bit.
And then you heard the patter of the
rain.
You heard some people talking very low and
it puts you into this really great mood.
Number six, guys, talking to yourself, far from
being a sign of madness, self-talk is
a potent cognitive tool.
So start using it.
It helps us organize thoughts, solidify intentions, and

(06:53):
regulate emotions.
Some of the world's most successful people are
known for their effective self-dialogue.
Number seven, guys, the quote-unquote default face
myth says we all have one neutral expression.

(07:13):
In reality, micro-expressions shift constantly based on
our mood, context, and personal history, often sending
out subtle social signals we aren't even aware
that we're sending.
Number eight, guys, think you're not phone addicted?
Okay, the average person touches their phone 2

(07:37):
,600 times a day.
Wow, this constant engagement is a blend of
habit anxiety and the ongoing search for connection
or simply relief from boredom.
That's right, I said boredom.
And our body and mind want stimulation, okay?

(08:00):
Number nine, guys, eye contact.
Yes, eye contact is very powerful, but how
long is too long?
Studies show that more than seven seconds of
a direct gaze can feel hostile, while less
than three seconds may come off as evasive.

(08:24):
So I guess you gotta come around the
four to six or four to seven, but
no longer than seven, and find that sweet
spot so you can build trust and, of
course, establish empathy.
Number 10, guys, gossip feels good because it's
a bonding activity.
It's evolutionary, sharing social information cements relationships and

(08:49):
builds group cohesion, even if it's sometimes frowned
upon, right?
Not a big fan of gossip, but a
lot of people do gossip because they wanna
feel good.
But there's other ways to feel good, right?
Listen to music, volunteer, give a compliment, get

(09:11):
a compliment.
Number 11, guys, the elevator silence phenomenon.
It's real.
When placed in a confined space with strangers,
most people instinctively go quiet.
It's a survival mechanism to reduce tension and
prevent unnecessary confrontation.

(09:32):
I think that's kind of crazy, but studies
have proven this time in and time again.
People don't like to be confined, and they
just feel that they should just be quiet
because what if, what if?
They always say, what if it goes wrong?
Well, I wanna ask you, what if it

(09:52):
goes right?
Let's think about that, right?
Number 12, why do people love watching cleaning
videos?
This always perplexed me.
The satisfying visuals trigger our desire for order
and accomplishment, producing a small dopamine spike every

(10:14):
time a mess is banished.
Bet you didn't know that.
There was a guy on TV, I don't
know if he's alive anymore, Mike, do you
remember Mike?
He was like, oh, it's so easy, he
has this mess, or he takes some things
in the kitchen, it could be some jelly
or some other types of food that are
gonna make a mess, like spaghetti, puts them
on the floor, and what did you just

(10:35):
do?
Don't worry about it.
With the handy dandy, whatever it is, and
he'll come back and his name is Mike,
so the other guy on the show, but
Mike, this is real, you know, spaghetti sauce.
Relax, we've got you covered with the blah,
blah, blah, whatever he says, and he makes

(10:56):
it so easy, right?
It's this whole feeling.
Number 13, you forget names, but remember faces
because facial recognition is processed in a completely
different part of the brain than language.
So faces evoke emotions, while names are abstract

(11:19):
labels.
So how do you remember a name?
Well, you could tie the name into something,
maybe the person's name is Joe, you can
picture Joe on a boat, Joe likes to
fish, and you can picture things around him,
and you won't forget Joe's name.
Or like Mike, maybe Mike is a carpenter,

(11:41):
so I see Mike with a tool belt
on, says the word Mike on it, right?
The name Mike, and he has a hammer
in the right hand, and the left, he
has some nails.
I could see him putting the, you know,
banging the nail at night.
Number 14, the fake, quote unquote, listening trick

(12:04):
isn't as rare as you think it is.
We've all nod along without processing, often because
our brains are multitasking or preparing a response
instead of fully engaging.
Why do people do this?
Well, they're trying to appease the person and
they're hoping they don't get caught, but they're

(12:24):
really not that interested in what you have
to say, which I think is just rude.
Number 15, posting just landed pics is about
social proof, and it's about status sharing, travel
updates, signals, success, and a sense of adventure

(12:45):
inviting validation from your circle.
Remember, you don't need validation, and also that
could be a security potential breach because you're
telling people you're not home.
So make sure that when you're doing these
kinds of things, that you're not sharing too
much information about, you know, where you live

(13:06):
or things like that.
Sometimes in a local community group, it's okay,
but there could also be bad actors in
that group.
There have been studies where, you know, people
have pretended to work for a company and
done so well with infiltrating social media and
posting on different boards, not only Facebook, Instagram,

(13:31):
Twitter, but also let's say boards of colleges
that sometimes the competitors are looking to hire
them.
Remember, they're not even hired.
And even the company's head person is so,
let's say, driven to get this person started
and to go ahead and just, you know,

(13:51):
surpass the normal security procedures because we want
to get you up and running as fast
as possible.
We call this a watering hole, by the
way.
You go to a place where your potential
people would be the victims and then you
build trust.
And then before you know it, well, they've
accepted you.
And now you have pretty much their open

(14:13):
book.
Number 16, guys.
Your sleep position can actually say a lot
about your subconscious.
Psychologists find links between posture and personality traits
like openness, anxiety, or comfort with vulnerability.
And I think these are important things to

(14:36):
understand.
So, you know, what would, let's say, what
would, if we had to think about this
for a minute, what would, you know, psychologists
say about the meaning of me sleeping on
my back?
Okay, what would they say about that?
Sometimes I do that.

(14:59):
So, self-confidence and openness, people who sleep
on their back are frequently described as confident,
independent, and open-minded.
High standards and structure.
And so you're also someone who's less likely
to engage in pointless drama, right?
So these all come from surveys and speculative

(15:21):
studies, but there has been a lot of
work on that.
And so when we pay attention to how
we show up or react in the world,
it can give us cues and clues on
what this means to other people.
The messages we're sending, all right, that's important.

(15:42):
Number 17, guys, nostalgia hits harder at night
because the brain is less distracted and more
reflective.
Evening hours allow memories and their associated emotions
to come flooding back.

(16:03):
I bet you didn't know that.
That's why a lot of times before you
go to sleep, you're thinking about something and
maybe you fall asleep thinking about that.
And that could be a very pleasant night
for you, right?
So thinking about what we think about, thinking
about how we show up in the world
or how we react actually can give us

(16:23):
clues on how other people will perceive us.
Number 18, that sudden surge of panic when
your phone battery hits 5%, oh my gosh.
It's not just inconvenience.
It's rooted in our fear of disconnection and
quote, unquote, missing out, you know, FOMO, fear

(16:43):
of missing out, right?
So that fear has gotten some people to
make sure they have a second charger, make
sure they have another way to charge that
phone.
Maybe it's not just a cable, maybe it's
a portable battery, right?
A lot of people carry those.
And so they never wanna miss out because,

(17:04):
you know, they don't know if they're gonna
be near an AC outlet and that could
be their entire life if they can't get
their phone charged.
Oh my gosh, what are they gonna do?
It's like their life is like over, right?
Number 19, we laugh when we're uncomfortable and
it's a way to diffuse tension and signal
to others that we mean no harm, okay?

(17:26):
Humor becomes a social lubricant in awkward moments,
okay?
And I think this is something that a
lot of people don't realize until they're, well,
paying attention to it.
Number 20, the body language of lying is
surprisingly universal.
Averted gazes, nervousness, gestures, and subtle shifts in

(17:48):
the tone of your voice.
Remember, these are merely cues, they're not guarantees.
So don't think just because somebody's doing that,
that means they're lying.
You have to be aware of other things.
You know, if you are talking to somebody
and suddenly, you know, their shoes, the point
of their shoes is not pointed towards you,

(18:09):
it's pointed to somebody else, that could be
an indication that they're either not interested or
they're lying.
You know, somebody that's constantly, you know, fidgeting
with their pen, you know the ones, like
they keep clicking, they keep looking around, they're
like nervous Nelly.
Number 21, guys, people mirror each other's gestures

(18:29):
as part of building empathy and rapport.
People don't even know they're doing this.
This mimicry is often unconscious and helps deepen
a social set of bonds.
And I think that is why humans connect
so well sometimes.
I remember being with a friend of mine
and talking about my childhood and his childhood.

(18:53):
And before I knew it, he was asking
me to go out and go skeet shooting
with him.
All because I got into an area, an
emotional area.
But I caution you because when you do
that, that person is going to be really
interested and thinking that you're sincere.

(19:16):
So don't just do that to, you know,
let's say advance yourself.
Number 22, some people can't stop correcting others
because it creates a perceived sense of expertise
or control.
It's a self-esteem boost, but it can
drain the relationships if it's overdone.

(19:38):
Number 23, guys, remember embarrassing moments forever.
Emotional intensity etches memories into your brain and
my brain, making them stick longer than any
mudane events that could happen in our lives.
Number 24, people enjoy discomfort and pain.

(20:00):
Think spicy, right?
Food, workouts, people even, some people even like
tattoos or gaudy earrings because overcoming discomfort brings
satisfaction and a sense of conquest, both physically
and psychologically.
That's a huge one to kind of understand,

(20:23):
right?
What about the ick moments, ick, right?
That sudden wave of repulsion, ugh, or ick,
are the brain's way of protecting you from
perceived threats.
Even if they don't make logical sense.
Number 26, looking at yourself on any social

(20:46):
media, like a Zoom, it's normal, right?
Humans are naturally self-reflective and virtual mirrors
trigger our instinct to monitor appearance and our
behaviors.
But what goes wrong?
Sometimes we're doing this and somebody else might
criticize us.

(21:06):
Now, I've told you before that no one,
no one, no one, no one has the
right to make you feel inferior about yourself.
There's only one person could do that.
You ready for who that is?
You, you, you're the one that can do
that.
Why would you wanna do that?
Number 27, guys, we crave drama.
Well, some people do, even if we deny

(21:29):
it because our brains are wired to seek
out novelty and emotional intensity.
So there's drama, but then there's what I
consider serious drama.
Drama serves up both often wrapped in a
compelling story and it also creates a curiosity,
right?

(21:50):
A playful anxiousness.
Number 28, love to argue online, internet debates
offer instant feedback and validation.
Scratching an itch for recognition and belonging in
digital communities.
That's a world in itself.

(22:11):
But I said to you, you don't need
to get other people's validation, but yet a
lot of people do.
I'm gonna say something else.
When you attach to something that someone said
or you start to feel that way, if
you detach from something someone says, it has

(22:32):
no effect or any emotional control over you.
That's pretty powerful, guys.
Number 29, why do we smile during sad
moments?
It's a coping mechanism.
It's a way to mask discomfort and signal
resilience to others.
That's pretty powerful, guys.
Number 30, the weird reason you can't tickle

(22:54):
yourself.
You see your brain predicts your own movements,
canceling out the surprise that's necessary to trigger
a tickle response.
So sometimes people get afraid with surprise.
I'm not gonna lie to you.
But there are good surprises, right?

(23:15):
And a good surprise can actually help motivate
us.
There are bad surprises too.
Hopefully we don't get too many of those.
But a good surprise has this way of
igniting our nervous system on fire in a
positive way, energizing it, and lighting up our

(23:35):
brain, you know, sending that dopamine, that serotonin.
Big, big difference there when that happens.
If you have found these insights thought-provoking,
I invite you to connect with me and
our growing community.

(23:56):
How can you do that?
It's really simple.
Just go to BelieveMeAchieve.com 24 hours a
day.
You can get my short-form content, my
long-form content, my articles, reels, and so
much more.

(24:18):
I think knowledge is a kind of food.
Now we can't eat knowledge, but our body
needs food to survive.
We need knowledge to grow.
And anybody that says you don't need knowledge,
you're lying, okay?

(24:38):
You are lying, okay?
So again, you can visit BelieveMeAchieve.com.
That is 24 hours a day.
Remember, guys, by tuning in daily, you're not
just unlocking modern life's mysteries, nope.
You're learning how to inspire yourself and those

(24:59):
around you to new heights.
So ladies and gentlemen, you know what I
want you to do?
Let's elevate your life together, all right?
And the choice to elevate your life has
to come from you.
I can suggest it, but you have to
want to elevate your life.
You have to want to become better, okay?

(25:21):
I want you to elevate your life.
I want you to get some great podcast
wisdom from my shows.
I want you to learn from my inspirational
stories.
I want you to create your own inspirational
stories.
You see, stories have a very unique quality
that makes people stick to them like glue.

(25:46):
They listen.
They're like eyes on you, like you don't
know what.
And I think when we can take our
life and we can share it as a
story, not a braggadocious exclamation, but a story,
one where we can describe what we saw,

(26:07):
what we heard, what we felt, paint a
picture for the other person, right?
If you've ever watched a sitcom or a
movie, what do you sometimes do?
Well, you sometimes will reenact that show, that

(26:29):
play, that movie.
So somebody feels like they were literally sitting
in the same seat you were.
Leadership success, that's what does it.
Our mindset, ladies and gentlemen, it matters.
It matters more than you think because the

(26:50):
minute you believe your mind doesn't matter, everyone
else will basically think the same thing.
Our magnetism happens because of a factor of
our attitude.

(27:11):
I said before, our attitude determines our altitude.
So the way we project, the energy we
give off, this is what makes the difference
between somebody wanting to hang around, learn from
us or have nothing to do with us.

(27:32):
This is important, guys.
This is the stuff that isn't in books.
This is the stuff that would have come
with the owner's manual that we never got
when we were poor.
Ladies and gentlemen, if you don't know who
I am by now, please allow me to
introduce myself.
I am John C.
Morley, serial entrepreneur.

(27:53):
Again, please do check out BelieveMeAchieve.com for
my amazing, inspiring creations.
I'll catch you guys in another show or
piece of content real soon.
Be well, everyone.