2 Dutch researchers did a study in which they had groups of students answering fairly demanding questions. The first half were asked to take 5 minutes beforehand to think about what it would mean to be a professor and write down whatever that comes to mind. The other half were asked to sit and think about soccer hooligans. The former group answered 55.6 percent of the questions correctly while the later only had 42.6 percent.
The first group wasn't smarter, more focused or more serious. They were simply associating themselves to something 'smarter' which was being a professor compared to the other group. Hence, they managed to score higher.
I like to think myself as an optimistic and open-minded person. And apart from pure dumb luck, I believe that this is what got me to where I am today. Okay, so where I am is not very high up in the whatever ladder there is right now, it is just that if I had not been this way, I really think that I could have been worse off.
My mother introduced me to The Secret a few years back. It goes like this. When you want something, just let it be known to the universe and the universe will give whatever you wish back to you. I think what Gladwell writes makes more sense.
- When I'm taking a test, I think that I am the smartest person in the exam hall.
- When I'm about to run the 100 metre sprint, I think that I am the fastest runner in the line.
- When I'm about to go for an interview, I think that I would be the greatest asset to the company.
- When I go on stage, I think that the audience will only look at me and noone else.
All this while, I thought I was being a closet narcissistic, but truth the matter is, it has actually helped me without me being aware of it.
There's nothing wrong with loving yourself. Try it out sometime, and maybe you'll see a 180 degree flip in your life.
While you do that, give the book a try too.
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