The Fundamental Attribution Error is a psychological concept that describes our tendency to pin someone’s behavior—or failure—on who they are rather than considering how their environment shaped what they did. It’s one of the easiest traps to fall into, especially as adults who are quick to spot what’s wrong with everyone else long before we ever look at ourselves.

Picture this: a 4-year-old is screaming and throwing items off a grocery store shelf…

The other night, I was watching Real Time with Bill Maher when he called young men “pus*ies” for not courting women the way men “used to.” The audience laughed — a familiar blend of relief and superiority. I didn’t feel angry. Just tired.

Not because Bill said something offensive, but because…

We live in a world that shapes our behaviors. For better or worse, our behaviors are responsible for the outcomes we produce in life. Sometimes, we fall into the trap of attributing our failures on factors beyond our control, yet readily take personal credit for our successes. While events outside of our control obviously do exist, this convenient manipulation of personal accountability in the "now", shapes our levels of resilience and drive when faced with adversity in the future.