A self-fulfilling prophecy and Law of Attraction

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A self-fulfilling prophecy is a sociological term used to describe a phenomenon by which what you believe to be true can actually become a reality by the fact that you actually believe it or that other people believe it. This concept has appeared in many cultures for centuries, but American sociologist Robert K. Merton coined the term and developed it for use in sociology.

Today, the idea of a self-fulfilling prophecy is commonly used by sociologists as an analytic lens through which to study student performance, deviant or criminal behavior, and the impact of racial stereotypes on targeted groups.

If this sounds complicated then imagine an example. Say you’re a boy at school who has an older brother who recently had the same teachers and proved very successful. By this fact alone, the other teachers and pupils will assume that this new boy will achieve great grades too. This confidence and expectation will in turn rub off on him and he’ll start to see himself as someone who has great academic ability. (This is also a perfect example of how influences outside of our control can shape who we are – and why it is so important that we take matters back into our own hands!)

As you’re probably aware, you tend to like things that you do well in and so by thinking you’re good at academia you will then start to enjoy it more, and put in more time as a result. This is why sports psychologists use the ‘sandwich’ technique when giving criticism; that’s positive, negative, positive. This way they can get across their advice without damaging the esteem of the sprinter or gymnast.

Therefore, you need to try and constantly increase your own self-esteem and closely control how you perceive yourself in order to increase your success.

The Law of Attraction

How you perceive yourself also speaks volumes to other people as you will reveal your self confidence in subtle ways – the way you walk, the way you speak and the way you dress and the way you act. If you act as though you deserve respect then you’ll start to believe it yourself and if you start to believe it then so will others.

This actually goes deeper than abstract opinions however and can even be used to generate wealth and success. For example, by dressing well and wearing nice watches (knock-offs will do, no one will know) you eventually be able to afford them. If you project an image of being wealthy then others will begin to think you’re rich and successful. This can mean that your boss is more likely to give you a promotion (this is why they say you should dress for the job you want, not the job you’re in).

It also means that others will be more likely to trust you in business and that other wealthy people will gravitate towards you (like likes like).
Even the gifts you receive will be more expensive on average as you generally tend to spend more on gifts for people who own more expensive things – otherwise it won’t fit with the décor and you’ll look cheap. Beware of overspending in order to display these images though, you have to remember your mindset play an important role too and goes hand in hand for your success. Read my previous articles on this Nurturing Self Esteem using CBT and Mindfulness

If you act confident with the opposite sex then they’ll assume you’re in high demand and as such will find you more attractive. So dressing well can make others believe you are successful and can make you feel successful too.
Don’t just look the part though – act the part, and over time by mimicking the actions and behavior of someone successful you’ll start to pick them up as habits. Wish you spoke more clearly and slowly? Then forcibly put that voice and manner on and over time you will develop it as your normal behavior.

p/s; This is a follow up on Nurturing Self Esteem using CBT and Mindfulness

Sources;

Ashley Crossman,(2019) Definition of Self-Fulfilling Prophecy in Sociology,retrieved from (website link)

Charles F. Haanel,(2007) The Master Key System (Kindle Edition) retrieved from website link

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