Life is a self-fulfilling prophecy. You get what you expect.

POINT TO PONDER: What concerns me is not the way things are, but rather the way people think things are. --Epictetus 

STORYLINE (Sources for this article are books* “A whack on the side of the head” by Roger Von Oech and “Fifth Discipline” by Peter Senge)

Several years ago, Johnny Carson made a joke on his television show that there was a toilet paper shortage in this country. He then went on to describe what some of the consequences of this shortage might be.  The implication of this joke was that the viewers had better go out and stock up on toilet paper right away or they would have to face the consequences. The subject made for a good laugh, since there was, in fact, no toilet paper shortage at all. Within days, however, a real shortage did develop. Because people thought there was a shortage, they went out and bought up all of the toilet paper they could find, and, as a result, they disrupted the normal flow of toilet paper distribution.

REFLECTION

This serves as an example of the self-fulfilling prophecy. This is the phenomenon where by a person believes something to be true which may or may not be so, acts on that belief, and by his actions causes the belief to become true. The self fulfilling prophecy is a case where the world of thought overlaps with the world of action. And it happens in all avenues of life. It is also known as the ”Pygmalion effect” after the famous George Bernard Shaw play (later to become My Fair Lady). Shaw in turn had taken his title from Pygmalion, a character in Greek and Roman mythology, who believed so strongly in the beauty of the stature he had carved that it came to life.

 

Business people are quite familiar with self-fulfilling prophecies. In fact, the whole notion of business confidence is based on them. If a business person thinks that the market is healthy (even though it may not be), he will invest money in it. This raises people’s confidence and pretty soon market will be healthy.

 

Pygmalion effects have been shown to operate in countless other situations. An example occurs in schools, where a teacher’s opinion of a student influences the behavior and performance of the student. Managers frequently fail to appreciate the extent to which their own expectations influences subordinate performance.

 

In reinforcing process such as this, a small change builds up on itself. Whatever movement occurs is amplified, producing more movement in the same direction.  Thinking a particular thought has tremendous impact on the world of action.  When you look in the mirror in the morning, see the face of the person who is going to accomplish wonderful things in personal and professional life. Life is a self-fulfilling prophecy. You get what you expect.

 

 

*Highly Recommend Following Books that have positive impact on my life and career.

A Whack on the side of the head by Roger Von Oech

Expect the Unexpected or You won't Find It by Roger Von Oech

Fifth Discipline The art and practice of a learning organization by Peter Senge

 

This article was published in the Book Friday Reflections with the permission of Roger Von Oech and also in October 2011 weekly FR on the Web.

Comments

[Harshvir Singh]

Amazing!!!

It gives a whole new positive direction to thoughts and beliefs...

[Thomas]

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right." - Henry Ford

[Santosh]

In way that is what happened in March from COVID hit and people emptied the syper market

[Mina]

Indeed this self-fulfilling prophecy happens frequently in life. It's interesting how expectation influence the outcome. So I guess it's important to be positive.

[Shardamandir Friend]

When we predict something & comes true it’s called( એને જીભે કાળો તલ છે) 😁😁

[Maryland]

Question:
For discussion purposes only.

Is the carson story an example of self-fullfilling prophecy?

In my mind, a self fulfilling prophecy is one that comes from me and i look at the outcome solely with respect to what i had predicted.

Carson was a very influential celebrity and thus was able to control behavior of others just as stop the steal and trump.
In my mind, at least, this is what advertisers do to manipulate the masses.
Carson did it inadvertently while trump had nepherious motives.
To me self fulfilling prophecy would be me thinking that I won’t do well on a test. And i distract myself while studying with that negativity instead. Consequently, i fail the test. And i fulfill my prophecy.

Just Seeking your opinion. You are way more learned than i am on these topics.

Thanks

[humble warrior]

Covid has brought many of these examples indeed... and thank you for the book recommendations as well!

[Sam]

Recently, I came across a talk which highlighted that our brain is designed to be a predicting machine. Just like any machine, it is Garbage iN, Garbage GO. So, in a sense we have a power to choose what future we want to believe. Then we will find a way to make it happen. I am training myself now, not to get carried away if my mind wants to look at problem only.

[Carol]

Law of universal attraction: positive results are attracted to positive thoughts.😎