Ostritch Syndrome

There are times when we behave like an ostrich. When faced with a difficult problem, that has its bearings in harsh realities, we behave as if the problem doesn't exist. By closing our eyes we try to trick ourselves that the problem has vanished. This is called the ostrich syndrome.

And it does help temporarily, as we enjoy the feeling of being free from problems. The only issue is the moment we open our eyes, the problem is there staring at us. And it's gotten bigger and stronger, and now we have no where to run.

The big problem can take many forms. It could be that you don't see a career path at the place you work, but like an ostrich you keep telling youself all is good and my time will come (instead of switching jobs). Or it could even be that your business/ team continues to leak profitability, but we keep telling ourselves that next year we will be profitable when we gather scale. Of course, the next year never comes.

It's always better to confront the harsh realities and uncertainty situations than pretend that things are hunky-dory. Acknowledging the situation is the first step to bettering it. Sometimes we need an outside view to help us realise the magnitude of the problem.

PS: While this syndrome of burying your head when faced with a problem is indeed called the ostrich syndrome, ostrich's don't really do that (it's a misconception that's carried forward from Roman times).