We feel losing $100 twice as intensely as gaining $100. Loss aversion—our brain’s evolutionary bias keeping us risk-averse.

For ancestors, loss meant survival threat. Losing food, shelter meant death. Our neural wiring prioritizes loss over gain double.

Job interviews motivate us more to avoid rejection than achieve success. Relationships drive us harder to prevent breakups than find love.

Marketing exploits this psychology. “Limited time,” “Only 2 left”—creating FOMO. We buy from fear of missing out, not desire to gain.

This negative motivation keeps us conservative. We maintain status quo rather than risk change. Progress slows under defensive mindset.

Perhaps growth requires conscious rewiring—focusing on gain’s possibility, not loss’s probability.