Self-fulfilling Prophecy
Self-fulfilling prophecy refers to having an expectation or prophecy about an event, behaviour or feelings and then having that expectation occur. The impact of self-fulfilling prophecies has significant influence on who you believe you are and how you communicate.
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Self-fulfilling prophecies can occur in two ways:
Self-imposed prophecies are expectations that you have for your own behaviour. If you believe you will be a successful student - it is likely that you will be.
Other-imposed prophecies are expectations that others have of you. If others believe you will be successful and give you positive feedback, you will be more likely to be successful.
Self-esteem may be based on inaccurate thinking, but it still has a powerful effect on the way you relate to others. People with low self-esteem may imagine that others don't like them, and therefore avoid communication and other opportunities based on this perception. Positive self-esteem leads to increased communication and opportunities because the person who has a high self-esteem expects to be successful. That person also expects that others will respond to him or her in a positive way.
Since expectations can have a significant impact on behaviour and the development of self-esteem, it is important to avoid imposing negative self-fulfilling prophecies on ourselves and others. You need to have realistic expectations and perceptions of yourself as well as a willingness to change.
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