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Self fulfilling prophecy and beliefs

What you will get: Reflection son the Self Fulfilling Prophecy

 

“Do you live in the world, or does the world live in you?”

 

OK I admit it, that’s quite a deep question for a Monday morning.

 

But perhaps one of the most important questions you can ask yourself.

 

I guess you’ve heard of the Self Fulfilling Prophecy, right?

 

What you expect to get is what you get.

 

So expecting the worst, leads to the worst.
Expecting the best, leads to the best.

 

Well here’s how the self fulfilling prophecy works.

 

You see…

 

It’s all about perception, filters and beliefs.

 

Let me explain…

 

Let’s say you have a belief that women drivers are bad (For the record, NOT my belief!)

 

And you drive to work one morning, noticing at least three examples of women drivers pulling out in front of cars when the gap was too small.

 

Your belief is confirmed, so it must be true, right?

 

Wrong!

 

Or how about the newspaper you choose to read. Funny isn’t it that it seems to support your political views. So they must be right, right?

 

Wrong!

 

It’s like this…

 

We all go around every day with our own beliefs filtering what we notice or don’t notice.

 

So the world you see is not an objective reality – but merely a subjective reflection of your own belief systems.

 

Therefore, going back to answer my headline question, you do not live in the world. The world lives in you.

 

If you choose to believe that women drivers are bad, then this belief will filter all the things you notice on your drive to work (as there is way too much information around you for you to take it all in). So you notice the three examples of bad driving by women. And surprise surprise, your belief is confirmed!

 

That’s why…

 

You have to be very careful what you believe.

 

Every day your belief systems will filter what you notice and don’t notice about the world around you.

 

And negative beliefs will “show” you a negative world around you. Positive beliefs will reveal a positive world around you.

 

And then of course…

 

There’s the media.

 

What type of picture do you think the media is painting of the world?

 

A positive world? “No thanks,” say the media people
Let’s pack the news full of misery, despair and negativity.

 

So reading the papers every day and watching the news is fine if you’re happy to see the media’s view of the world through it’s negative belief glasses.

 

Personally, I choose to wear my happy world glasses every day.

 

Believing the world is a good place.
Noticing what is right about the world.
And acting in a way that’s consistent with my belief.

 

Works for me.

 

How about you?

 

To your success.

 

sign_steve

 

 

 

 

Steve Neale
“Europe’s Leading Expert on Personal and Professional Growth”

 

Psychologist, Executive Coach, EI Practitioner, Award Winning Trainer, International Author, Psychodynamic Therapist, Hypnotherapist, Mindfulness Instructor, International Speaker, Creator of the LPS, Creator of the Accredited Masters in High Performance Leadership

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