Sigmund Freud once said “Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways.” Freud was referring to the many ways in which we, as humans, are reluctant to deal with our own faults and negative traits. Our brains have been evolutionary programmed to elicit a number of mental processes to protect us from feelings of shame or anxiety. Projection of our own negative traits onto other people is one of these defence mechanisms.

When we experience projection, instead of dealing with a perceived problem in the conscious or subconscious, our brain forces that problem outwards and onto other people. We are able to recognise that undesirable trait in others, but not ourselves. This kind of projection happens all the time, especially in relationships. When we accuse a partner or friend of being judgmental, dishonest or selfish, it’s likely that we are just as guilty as having these traits ourselves and instead of tackling them, we’ve projected them onto the relationship.

For a rebel entrepreneur, projection hinders self-development. Self-projection is built into all of us and the process prevents us from looking honestly at ourselves. Instead, it keeps us in a state of psychological limbo that prevents us from learning or moving on.

When making judgments about other people, a rebel entrepreneur must make sure that they are not just projecting their own negative traits.

Be aware of your own strengths and weaknesses and remember that projection distorts reality. Problems are only solved when they are confronted head on.