The self-fulfilling prophecy sounds like an exotic ancient myth. In reality, it’s an ugly truth that sits within our society, rotting away at our motivation. While not everyone is victim to it in their pursuits for success, many fall easily into its tempting trap. By definition, this prophecy causes itself to become true through the influence of direct and indirect actions and behaviors. It is through a positive feedback system between one’s beliefs and actions that the prophecy unravels into reality. Beware of the self-fulfilling prophecy. It will eat your dreams for breakfast.

We are all human and we are all flawed. If you thought that life was going to be easy, then think again. Life is anything but that. And I think that’s the beauty in it. We are all challenged everyday in some aspect; if life were a breeze, we’d take for granted all that we accomplish. The problem is that while some are ignited by a challenge and motivated by a failure, others take it at face value and conclude they are simply not good enough. And if that’s the case, then why try? Instead of exerting more energy for the next time around, these are the people who rationalize that they won’t succeed anyway, so they might as well coast by or quit altogether. This, my friends, is the self-fulfilling prophecy in all its poisonous glory.

Simply put, if you believe you will fail, you will not put in the adequate effort that the task requires. As a result—you guessed it— you will fail. Not because you are not capable, but because you drank the venom before you gave yourself a fair chance to triumph. Imagine if every celebrity quit the first time they messed up. Hollywood would be a desolate and irrelevant town. If Christina Aguilera threw in the towel after messing up the National Anthem at the Superbowl, she would not have gone on to release numerous Billboard Hot 100 songs. In that moment, the easy way out would have been to succumb to her major public mistake and alter her attitude to be accepting of failure. She could have let the self-fulfilling prophecy devour her career. But she didn’t. Why should the rules be any different for you?

The deceptive nature of this prophecy is perhaps what is most startling. Most walk around unaware they are plagued with such a success-sucking leech on their back. Think back to a time you failed and reasoned it was due to your lack of skill in that field. This belief likely influenced the way in which you went about preparing for the next time around. It disguises itself as a safety cushion, because if you fail from a lack of effort and belief you are incapable, then you saved yourself the heartbreak of trying hard and failing harder.

It’s all about perspective. If you perceive a challenge as impossible, and you believe that you are not capable, then you will not feel motivated to conquer that hurdle. And without motivation and preparation, failure will likely be in your future. It’s not because you are inept; rather, it is because you let your perspective of your capabilities interfere with your ability to try. If you want something, you can’t sit back and expect it to come to you. You need to work for it. You need to earn it.

Imagine you failed your chemistry test. If you allowed yourself to believe that you are a failure or incompetent, then those beliefs may start to affect your behaviors. If you put in a minimal amount of effort, you will continue to perform poorly on future exams. However, if you tell yourself that you are capable, this belief will motivate you to receive a higher score for the next exam. You may study longer, ask for extra help, or use flashcards instead of solely reading. Which example would produce a more successful outcome? Obviously, the latter.

Do not open the door for the self-fulfilling prophecy to sneak in. It will devour your goals in slow and steady gulps. Fight it with a positive attitude and an undying work ethic. “If you believe it, then you can achieve it” is not a cliché for nothing…