by Lori Deschene
“When you believe something can be done, really believe, your mind will find ways to do it.” -Dr. David Schwartz
In 1957, Dr. Robert Merton introduced an idea known as the Galatea Effect, which suggests we tend to do what we expect we’ll do.
If you think you can run a marathon, you’re more likely to push yourself through training and eventually cross the finish line. If you expect that you’ll make friends easily, you’ll likely be relaxed enough to make people around you feel at ease.
It also works the other way around. If you believe you don’t have the leadership skills to run a meeting, your insecurity will undermine your authority. If you expect you’ll clam up around the person you’re attracted to, you’ll find yourself sweating whenever you meet eyes.
What if we woke up and expected not only the best of ourselves and our efforts, but also the best in the unexpected? What if we expected that the things we can’t predict will somehow turn out for the best? What if we didn’t just believe in ourselves; we believed in our ability to adapt to the unknown?
We can never know exactly what’s coming, but we can know that no matter what happens, we can turn it into something good. We can know that no matter where our aspirations lead us, we can meet all our needs through our interpretations, attitude, and actions.
If you’re feeling stressed about the things you’re trying to accomplish, choose to expect the best in yourself–but more importantly, remember that you can find joy in tomorrow, no matter what it brings.
Photo by Casbr
About Lori Deschene
Lori Deschene is the founder of Tiny Buddha. She started the site after struggling with depression, bulimia, c-PTSD, and toxic shame so she could recycle her former pain into something useful and inspire others to do the same. You can find her books, including Tiny Buddha’s Gratitude Journal and Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal, here and learn more about her eCourse, Recreate Your Life Story, if you’re ready to transform your life and become the person you want to be.
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Though I run this site, it is not mine. It's ours. It's not about me. It's about us. Your stories and your wisdom are just as meaningful as mine. 
This is sooooooooooo true 🙂
This is sooooooooooo true 🙂
Lori, I enjoy and appreciate almost all of you posts. Been under a lot of stress lately and your postings bring me comfort. Thank you and keep doing what your doing!!!
Best Regards,
Heidi
Hi Heidi,
I’m so glad to hear that you find Tiny Buddha helpful! Happy holidays =)
Lori
Just what I need…when I needed it. It’s funny how life works. Thanks
-Jabari
Just what I need…when I needed it. It’s funny how life works. Thanks
-Jabari
[…] http://dev.tinybuddha.com/quotes/tiny-wisdom-on-unlocking-your-potential/ […]
Thanks for this…no matter how much I know it, believe it, live it…I still need to be reminded! xo Lina
You truly have a positive attitude and are and inspiration to us all. Thanks Gianna! I wish I could adapt your way of thinking to my life. You rock.
This post could not have come at a better time. Last week, I bought a new suit coat for future interviews, even though I didn’t have an interview coming up. Today, I got an email scheduling an interview for next week for a job I would LOVE to have. It’s amazing what a little positive thinking can do!
I so wish I could be more positive. At the moment I seem to be going through what seems a never ending spell of things not going right. Everything I try seems to fail. How do you do it?
I did the same thing last week; I bought a new blouse and interview jacket. I had an interview today and wore my new threads!!
Someone once told me to “act as if” an I’d be amazed at how things just fall into place for me….well, she was right.
Good luck on the interview, Angie!
Great advice. I need to believe my business will suceed, rather than focus on fear. If I believe it, I will see it.
This is timely for me. “insecurity will undermine your authority” what a perfect line. This happens to me all too often. I allow toxic thinking to cloud my judgement and confidence. I know I can be so much more if I could just believe it and believe in myself. I will try daily to make the effort.
You’re most welcome! Sometimes I need the same reminders over and over again…they are often the things I write about!
Are there any things in your life right now that are going right? Sometimes it helps me to think about all the little things that are working in my favor. (It’s easy to overlook these when it seems like there are a lot of big things that aren’t!)
In answer to your question, I am not always positive. I go through periods when I feel frustrated, overwhelmed, and lost.
(Incidentally, I actually wrote a post about positive thinking that you might find helpful: http://dev.tinybuddha.com/blog/why-positive-thinking-didnt-work-for-me/ )
For me, it’s really a matter of accepting I won’t always feel good (about myself, about my life, or about the world in general) and then doing the best I can to come to each moment with a sense of space and inner peace. Sometimes I do this well, sometimes I don’t. We’re all only human. When I embrace that instead of fighting it, suddenly I feel more peaceful.
That’s great that you’re inspired to make more of an effort! This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, as there are certain areas of my life where I’m more confident than others. I’m sending good thoughts your way. =)
Lori
You are most welcome!
I’m with you Sage. I’ve been working through a lot of fears and resistance lately, and it’s been quite liberating!
Congratulations Angie, and good luck!
Someone told me that same thing once. It’s great advice. I hope your interview went well! =)
Every time I look at this site, there’s something new, and almost always something that I “need” to see at this moment. Wow. Really inspirational. Thank you, Thank You, Thank You!
You are most welcome!