Hey guys,

I have read in a few different places about these so-called Self-Fulfilled Prophecies, and I was wondering what you all thought of them.

It seems to me that many people believe that your state of mind, linked closely with your self-esteem and self-confidence, may very will dictate the path you take in life. For example, if you are think positively and try to refrain from negative thoughts, you are more likely to get what you want in life.

I'm sure it goes much further than "want and you shall receive", but maybe the idea is that if you think positive, you are more likely to put yourself in a state in which you will work hard, or do the right things, to get what you want...

Any comments?

Interesting topic. Part of my Pagan beliefs include the notion that you can will things to be by channeling energy. There are many ways to channel energy--song, dance, prayer, meditation, positive thought. In short, I certainly believe there is truth to 'mind over matter.'

People look for confirmation of what they believe.

If you believe you will fail at some task, you'll be looking, and may even manufacture your own reason, to fail at that task.

If you believe something good will happen to you today, you'll be looking for it, and may even subconsciously create your own "good thing" just to prove yourself right.

It really is just a matter of your state of mind... having a positive (or negative) outlook on something is going to affect the way you act, which in turn affects how the rest of the universe acts towards you. There are actually two aspects to this: First, your outlook affects how you interact with a person... if you've decided that an individual is a jerk, you'll start treating him like a jerk, and then he'll start acting like a jerk. Second, your outlook affects your perception of a person... you're more likely to remember the things that they do which reinforce your opinions, and invent explanations as to why things that don't fit your opinion happened in such a way that they do support the opinion.

Interesting responses,

One thing that I have read goes something like this...

If an individual has the notion of failure, and is convinced in his own mind he will fail, he will look for evidence to suggest that he is a failure. This is a distraction of his abilities, and can ultimately lead to his failure. In short, with a negative state of mind, you may subconsciously cause yourself to fail... simply to affirm that you are indeed a failure.

I had a close friend whose wife divorced him after nearly 30 years of marriage. She really cleaned every account and everything he had. She even attached his retirement, which he has not retired yet even. He was left with nothing - not even the proverbial pot. All he did was groan and moan about this. It was misery to listen to him go over and over this. I finally told him that he was going to fulfill his wife's prophecy -that he would be a miserable, broken man. And he did fulfill that too. He would not put one ounce of care towards himself or getting back on his feet. He kept on complaining about his wife cursing his life. It got to the point no one wanted to ever work with him anymore.

So yes, his state of mind and lack of self esteem did become a self fulfilling prophecy.

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/relati...ion-66643.html

See this thread!!

Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% what you do about it.

Working in the forensic psychology arena, I have met with countless women in the correctional institutions that move from abusive boyfriend, to abusive boyfriend their entire lives. Some as early as 14 years old have boyfriends that physically abuse them. When you start to uncover their past, it so often turns out that they were severely abused as kids by a father or both parents. Then they go through life thinking that they deserve to be abused and it is normal. It is sad. This is also the case with sexual abuse. These women become so desensitized to being abused that it becomes second nature and they may feel a little uncomfortable in a relationship void of abuse. This is just one example of a self-fulfilling prophesy. It is everywhere.