The “What-the-Hell-Effect”: How Small Slip-Ups Spiral Out of Control

Imagine starting your day fully committed to a new goal: a fresh morning workout, a strict budget plan, or a consistent reading habit. Yet the moment you slip even slightly, for example, hitting snooze once, overspending on snacks, or skipping a planned activity, something curious happens. Instead of shrugging it off and getting back on track, you think: “Well… what the hell. I already blew it!” And suddenly, the goal feels abandoned.

This psychological pattern, where one minor lapse triggers a chain reaction of counterproductive behavior, is known in psychology as the “What-the-Hell-Effect” (Polivy & Herman, 1985; Policy et al., 2010). The term originally comes from research on dieting but applies to all forms of self-regulated behavior, including exercise, finances, study habits, and work goals.

Understanding the What-the-Hell-Effect

At its core, the What-the-Hell-Effect is about how we respond to setbacks. One small failure can feel like the end of the road, leading us to abandon our efforts entirely.

In dieting research, where the What-the-Hell-Effect was first documented, classic experiments demonstrated that the perception of a dietary violation alone can trigger overeating. In one such study, restrained eaters were led to believe they had consumed more food than another participant by manipulating the apparent size of a pizza slice, even though actual intake was controlled. Participants who perceived their portion as larger subsequently consumed significantly more cookies during a later taste-rating task than those who believed they had eaten less or who had no comparison at all (Polivy et al., 2010). These findings indicate that it is not the objective violation of a diet, but rather the belief that one has failed, that is sufficient to disrupt self-control and initiate a spiral of overeating.

To illustrate this: Let’s say you’ve set a goal to save $50 each week. One impulsive online purchase makes you feel like a failure, and suddenly you rationalize, “I’ve already gone over, so I might as well spend on something else too.” The pattern is clear: minor lapse → guilt → bigger lapse → reinforced cycle.

Besides, the What-the-Hell-Effect is suggested to occur when we focus too much on short-term goals and forget about the bigger picture (Cochran & Tesser, 1996). For example:

● Short-term goal: Don’t spend more than $10 on snacks today.
● Long-term goal: Save $400 this month.

Missing the $10 mark can feel catastrophic if you only consider the day, even though your long-term savings goal is still very achievable. By keeping the broader perspective in mind, one small lapse doesn’t have to derail the entire plan.

Another factor is the type of goal (Cochran & Tesser, 1996):

● Inhibitory goals (things you’re trying to reduce, like spending, overeating, or procrastination) benefit from long-term framing. Seeing the bigger picture helps you recover from setbacks.
● Acquisitional goals (things you’re trying to increase, like learning a skill or practicing an instrument) often benefit from short-term milestones, which keep motivation high and prevent procrastination from snowballing.

Where does the Effect Shows Up in Everyday Life?

Although early research on the What-the-Hell-Effect focused on dieting, the same pattern shows up in many areas of everyday life. In each case, a small lapse is interpreted as total failure, leading people to abandon restraint or effort altogether, even though the original goal is still very much attainable. Here are some examples:

1. Fitness and Exercise Goals

Imagine planning to go for a run after work. One evening, you feel exhausted and decide to skip it. Instead of seeing this as a one-off exception, you start thinking, “I already broke my routine.” The next day, motivation feels lower, making it easier to skip again. After a few missed sessions, the habit feels broken, and restarting seems harder than continuing the lapse. What began as a single missed run turns into a week of inactivity, not because progress was truly lost, but because the setback was interpreted as proof of failure. In reality, missing one run doesn’t erase fitness gains or commitment; it only feels that way when viewed through an all-or-nothing lens.

2. Finance and Budgeting

The same pattern often appears in financial goals. Suppose you plan to save a fixed amount each week, but one day you make an impulsive purchase. That expense can trigger thoughts like, “I’ve already gone over budget, so what’s the point?” This mindset may lead to further spending that day or week, turning a minor deviation into a much larger financial setback. The issue isn’t the initial purchase itself, but the belief that the budget has already failed. In reality, one impulse buy rarely ruins a monthly savings goal, but the What-the-Hell-Effect makes it feel irreversible.

3. Work or Study Habits

Consider a student or professional who plans to work consistently on a project or study each evening. Missing one planned session can quickly lead to discouragement: “I’m already behind; I clearly don’t have the discipline for this.” This perception reduces confidence and motivation, making it easier to avoid the task again the next day. Over time, avoidance reinforces the belief of incompetence, creating a self-fulfilling cycle. Yet skipping one study session does not determine the success of an entire week, it only becomes a problem when the lapse is treated as a defining failure.

4. Alcohol and Other Habits

The What-the-Hell-Effect is especially visible in habits people are trying to reduce or abstain from. For example, someone who has committed to drinking less may feel intense guilt after having a single drink. This guilt can trigger the thought, “I’ve already messed up.” which paradoxically leads to more drinking. The lapse becomes an excuse for abandoning self-control entirely, even though stopping after one drink would still align with the broader goal. Again, the spiral is driven not by the lapse itself, but by how it is interpreted.

How to Break the Cycle: The Role of Self-Compassion

Breaking the What-the-Hell-Effect doesn’t require heroic self-control. Instead, it’s about changing your response to setbacks. One of the most effective tools is self-compassion.

Research indicates that self-compassion helps people respond to setbacks more effectively by reducing negative emotions, rumination, and maladaptive motivation, enabling better reengagement with goals (Semenchuk et al., 2018). It also supports adaptive goal regulation, allowing individuals to disengage from unattainable goals and pursue alternatives with less emotional distress (Miyagawa et al., 2018). Importantly, self-kindness, a key facet of self-compassion, is linked to maintaining self-control and adaptive responses, decreasing the likelihood of further setbacks (Hagerman et al., 2023).

Here’s a practical exercise you can try next time you experience a slip-up:

1.Notice your emotions: Are you frustrated, anxious, or disappointed? Observe these feelings without judgment.
2.Remember you’re human: Everyone slips up. Even highly disciplined people make mistakes. This is normal.
3.Talk to yourself like a friend: Imagine a friend was in your situation. What advice would you give them? Now apply that kindness to yourself.

For example, if you miss a workout because you overslept, instead of thinking, “I failed, the week is ruined”, you could say: “It’s okay. I’ll do a short session later or get back on track tomorrow.” This reduces guilt and keeps you engaged with your goals.

Further Practical Strategies

Beyond self-compassion, there are a few practical strategies to prevent small setbacks from spiraling:

● Keep the long-term goal in mind: One skipped day of practice, one missed workout, or one extra snack doesn’t ruin your progress.
● Use flexible goal-setting: Allow yourself to adjust if things don’t go perfectly. For example, if you miss one study session, make it up the next day rather than abandoning your study plan.
● Plan for slip-ups: Anticipate setbacks and have a recovery strategy ready. This reduces guilt and helps you bounce back faster. You can already implement intentions, for example, “If X happens, then I’ll do Y”. This helps you translate the intention into behavior and reduces derailment after setbacks.
● Practice mindfulness: Incorporating mindfulness into your routine, such as focused breathing, body scans, or simply observing your thoughts and feelings without judgment, can help you notice setbacks without overreacting and maintain emotional balance during goal pursuit. Research has shown that mindfulness fosters self-compassion, which reduces self-criticism and heightens self-foregiveness and emotional resilience (Skalski‑Bednarz et al., 2025).
● Celebrate consistency, not perfection: Recognize small wins. Even after a lapse, appreciating your overall effort helps maintain motivation.

Concluding Remarks

The What-the-Hell-Effect shows a simple truth: the meaning we assign to setbacks determines how we respond. A minor slip doesn’t have to become a disaster, but without the right mindset, it often does. The good news is that research-based strategies like self-compassion or smart goal setting, can dramatically reduce the likelihood of spiraling setbacks. By viewing setbacks as normal parts of any journey (not catastrophes), you keep yourself engaged, resilient, and motivated.

So, next time you slip: (1) Breathe. (2) Treat yourself with kindness. (3) Recommit with perspective.

Because progress isn’t perfection—it’s persistence!

References

Cochran, W., & Tesser, A. (1996). The “what the hell” effect: Some effects of goal proximity and goal framing on performance. In L. L. Martin & A. Tesser (Eds.), Striving and feeling: Interactions among goals, affect, and self-regulation (pp. 99–120). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

Hagerman, C. J., Ehmann, M. M., Taylor, L. C., & Forman, E. M. (2023). The role of self-compassion and its individual components in adaptive responses to dietary lapses. Appetite, 187, Article 107009. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2023.107009

Miyagawa, Y., Taniguchi, J., & Niiya, Y. (2018). Can self-compassion help people regulate unattained goals and emotional reactions toward setbacks? Personality and Individual Differences, 133, 128–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2018.06.029

Polivy, J., & Herman, C. P. (1985). Dieting and binging: A causal analysis. American Psychologist, 40(2), 193–201. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.40.2.193

Polivy, J., Herman, C. P., & Deo, R. (2010). Getting a bigger slice of the pie. Effects on eating and emotion in restrained and unrestrained eaters. Appetite, 55(3), 426–430. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2010.07.015

Semenchuk, B. N., Strachan, S. M., & Fortier, M. (2018). Self‑compassion and the self‑regulation of exercise: Reactions to recalled exercise setbacks. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 40(1), 31–39. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2017‑0242

Skalski‑Bednarz, S. B., Toussaint, L. L., Uram, P., Kocur, D., & Krok, D. (2025). Self-compassion mediates the influence of mindfulness on subsequent self-forgiveness in a Polish sample. Scientific Reports, 15, Article 32704. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-21198-w

About the Author

Magdalena Weber has faced her own challenges as an early-career researcher and has seen firsthand how small setbacks, like missing a deadline or receiving critical feedback, can feel overwhelming, a pattern that mirrors the psychological What-the-Hell-Effect. Drawing on these experiences, she wrote this blog article to provide practical guidance, highlight common pitfalls, and encourage students to see setbacks as part of the learning process. Her aim is to help emerging scholars respond to challenges with resilience and self-compassion, recognizing that every step, even imperfect ones, contributes to growth and progress.