Suddenly Skodas everywhere – Why we notice things as soon as they become important to us
Recently, a friend of mine bought a new car – a Skoda. When he told me about it, I was naturally pleased for him; we chatted about the model, geeked out a little, and for the first time I found myself consciously paying attention to this brand.
And what happened next?
Suddenly I’m seeing Skodas everywhere. On the motorway, in the supermarket car park, around the neighbourhood – it feels like half of Zurich is suddenly driving a Skoda. And I ask myself: were they always there? Or is it a sign that everyone had the same idea at the same time?
Of course, it’s not a collective trend – it’s a psychological phenomenon. The so-called frequency illusion, also known as the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon.
What’s behind it?
As soon as we start consciously engaging with something – be it a car brand, a particular topic, a new first name or an idea – our brain begins to pay close attention to it. It’s as if our inner radar has been recalibrated.
Those things were already there before. But they simply weren’t “flagged” for our awareness – so our brain filtered them out as background noise.
Only through personal relevance does a filter open up: This could be important. Pay attention.
Why is this interesting?
This phenomenon shows us just how selective our perception is. We don’t perceive everything – only what carries meaning for us. And meaning often arises through emotion, connection or interest.
This doesn’t only apply to cars. I often encounter this effect in coaching too. As soon as a topic – say, self-care, setting boundaries or a career change – moves into someone’s awareness, clients start spotting matching prompts, phrases and opportunities everywhere.
Suddenly “everything feels right” – or “everything is falling into place”. This effect can motivate us to make decisions or take new paths, because we get the feeling that the world is “playing along”.
And now?
Try observing it for yourself:
- What are you particularly receptive to right now?
- What’s suddenly showing up more often in your daily life?
- Which thoughts or impulses have been repeating themselves lately?
Perhaps your brain is showing you where you might direct your attention. Not because the world has changed – but because you have.
And that’s a wonderful realisation.
Would you like to explore this topic further?
In a free introductory session, we’ll find out together how coaching can support you.