A self-fulfilling prophecy is a belief that comes true because we are acting as if it is already true.
Now that I know the definition of Self Fulfilling Prophecy, I recall going through this phenomenon multiple times.
Whenever I come across an opportunity and read through it, the initial vibes set the tone for the entire application process. If I believe that I’m not going to make it, it is highly likely that I put up a sloppy application. This in turn leads to my getting rejected, thereby confirming my original belief that I’m not going to make it.
In positive light, instances where I’ve felt confident that I can make it, I end up cracking the opportunity, which all the more increases my self confidence.
Often times, I try and induce confidence and belief in myself by putting in multiple hours of practice.
I was initially freaking out when I knew I had to deliver my TEDx talk simply because the TEDx video would be out there in the world for rest of my life and if I screw it up, the world was going to see it. Usual insecurities. But I tried and changed that by practicing and making myself believe that I can pull off 18 minutes of talk.
This simple video clip from Finding Nemo also helps us understand this better
Nemo suddenly believes that his father fought 3 sharks and that he can also do it. He is super motivated to fight the sharks and rushes into the shark bait. That is a self fulfilling prophecy in play.
This seems to be why the Fake it till you make it theory works. Because you arbitrarily believe that you are a good speaker, which in turn helps you speak well. This leads to confirming your belief that you are a good speaker, which pushes you to speak more and finally become a good speaker.
Ta da!
For further reading
Using self fulfilling prophecies to your advantage: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/psychology-writers/201210/using-self-fulfilling-prophecies-your-advantage