DEEP TROUBLE: Too Focused to Turn Back

Image: James Thomas

In the mountains of northern India, surrounded by snow, altitude, and uncertain roads, James Thomas and two other riders pressed on—confident they could make it through. But what unfolded wasn’t just a story of rough terrain or questionable GPS directions. It was about something much more familiar to most of us than we might admit: a mental trap known as cognitive narrowing, where pressure and focus cloud judgment until we can’t see what’s right in front of us. What happens when that focus becomes so tight, so singular, that we stop processing the cues telling us to stop—or turn around?

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Listen to captivating stories of riders who found themselves in DEEP TROUBLE. We shed light on the challenges they faced, the strategies they used and the valuable lessons they learned. Most critically, we discuss how the situation could have changed if some controllable aspects had changed. We talk about the possibilities and potential outcomes so that perhaps other riders can learn from their experiences and avoid making those mistakes that get them into DEEP TROUBLE.

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Posted on July 17, 2025 and filed under Deep Trouble.