: Hundreds of error messages flashed on the pilots' screens, creating a "cacophony" of alarms that could easily lead to cognitive tunneling —a dangerous state where a person's focus becomes so narrow they lose track of the big picture. Choosing the Right Story

: 21 of the plane’s 22 major systems were either damaged or completely failing.

: This mental story kept the crew calm and focused on the essential tasks. Despite the massive damage, they successfully landed the plane in Singapore, and all 469 people on board survived. Why This Story Matters for Productivity

Instead of panicking over the endless list of what was broken, Captain de Crespigny did something unusual. He stopped looking at the error screens and told his co-pilots, "We need to stop focusing on what’s failed and start focusing on what’s still working". He created a new in his head:

: By reframing the situation this way, he simplified the problem. He asked himself, "Does this 'Cessna' still have a wing? Does it still have an engine? Can I still steer it?".

Duhigg uses this story to show that the most productive people are those who . By narrating your life or your workday as it happens—visualizing how a meeting will go or what you will do if a project hits a snag—you train your brain to anticipate challenges. This prevents you from falling into reactive thinking (auto-pilot) and allows you to stay in control even when things go wrong.