ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Yerkes–Dodson law

The Yerkes-Dodson law says that the amount of motivation or anxiety you have can affect how well you perform on a task. If you have too little motivation or anxiety, you might not care enough to do well. But if you have too much motivation or anxiety, you might get overwhelmed and make mistakes.

Think of it like Goldilocks and the three bears. Just like how Goldilocks had to find the perfect porridge that was not too hot and not too cold, you need to find the perfect amount of motivation or anxiety that's just right. This means you need to feel just enough pressure to help you focus and do your best, but not so much that you start to feel stressed out and forget what you're doing.

So, the next time you have to do something important or challenging, try to find that sweet spot where you're interested and engaged, but not too overwhelmed or bored. That way, you can perform at your best and feel proud of yourself!