As coaches, we often encounter clients who feel stuck or overwhelmed. Even simple tasks can seem insurmountable when clients attribute excessive effort to them. This perceived effort isn’t just about the task itself—it’s influenced by a powerful brain process called the conflict monitoring hypothesis. Understanding this mechanism can help us guide clients toward ease, flow, and productivity.
The Brain's Role in Perceived Effort
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a small but crucial area of the brain, is constantly monitored for conflict. It assesses situations to detect challenges in comfort or competence and then allocates mental effort to resolve these conflicts.
When the ACC identifies conflict—such as uncertainty about a task or competing priorities—it increases the sense of effort required to complete it. For clients, this can make even simple activities, like sending an email or tidying up, feel disproportionately draining.
The Connection Between Effort and Flow
The key insight here is that effort is subjective. In flow states, tasks feel effortless not because they are easy but because the brain perceives minimal conflict. Conversely, when clients feel weighed down by effort, it’s often their perception of the task—not the task itself—that needs adjusting.
Helping Clients Reframe Conflict
As coaches, we can support clients in reducing the mental friction caused by perceived conflict. Here are some strategies to help:
Identify Perceived Conflicts: Encourage clients to pinpoint tasks or situations that feel unnecessarily difficult and explore why they perceive them as conflicts.
Reframe the Challenge: Shift the language around the task. For example, replace “I have to” with “I get to” or reframe a problem as an opportunity.
Focus on Small Wins: Help clients break larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps to reduce the sense of overwhelm.
Empowering Clients to Find Ease
When clients understand that their brain is wired to over-perceive conflict, they can take proactive steps to reframe their experiences. This shift not only conserves energy but also fosters a greater sense of control and flow in their daily lives.
A Coaching Takeaway
In your sessions, look for moments when clients attribute excessive effort to a task or situation. Use this as an opportunity to educate them about the conflict monitoring hypothesis and guide them toward reframing the situation. With practice, they’ll learn to navigate challenges with less resistance and more ease.
By helping clients reframe conflict as complexity or opportunity, we empower them to move through life with greater flow and fulfil
ment.
