Predicting The Future

Is it possible to predict the future? Most people would say, "Probably not." And no, I'm not talking about staring into a crystal ball or anything like that. But I'm here to tell you that there is a real and tangible way for you to have a direct impact on the outcome of circumstances that you, and others, are facing and, in a very real sense, essentially predict results. It might sounds ridiculous at first and you may think I'm oversimplifying it, but it really is quite easy. The answer is to expect the best. Yep, that's it.

The legendary John Wooden is quoted as saying, "Things tend to turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out." That is essentially what I'm talking about here. Another term for this is the Pygmalion Effect or self-fulfilling prophecy, named after the Greek sculptor who is said to have fallen in love with his own creation. But let's talk about a real world example.

A scientist by the name of Robert Rosenthal developed a study in the 1960's that proved the impact of what he called the "expectancy effect." You can read about the details of the study via the link below, but essentially, they found that students ended up performing up to the level of expectation of their teachers, without any direct interference by the teachers in the learning process. The students that were expected to learn the most and develop the most, actually did, even though there was nothing extraordinary or remarkable about those students compared to their classmates.

So, what does this mean for you? First of all, it means that there is power in a positive attitude. If you expect to perform well on a specific task or assignment, there is a much greater chance that you will perform well than if you expect to perform poorly. How you feel about your ability and the outcome that you expect can directly impact your performance.

Second, not only does your attitude have a direct impact on your performance, but it also has a direct impact on the performance of those around you. As a parent, if you expect your child to do well and you treat them as though they will do well, chances are, they will do well. As a supervisor or manager in your business, if you expect the best out of your employees and you have a positive attitude toward them and their work, in most cases, they will live up to and fulfill those expectations.

This is not pseudo-science built on fake warm and fuzzy feelings but rather, this is a very real and powerful scientific concept that have a direct impact on your performance in all areas of your life. Continue to expect the best out of situations and believe the best about yourself and others and you too will begin to see real results and experience this amazing self-fulfilling prophecy!

Source: http://psych.wisc.edu/braun/281/Intelligence/LabellingEffects.htm