Why You Need Haters (Expectations pt. 2)
Mindset Monday
Takeaway: We rise or fall based on the expectations placed on us. As it turns out, sometimes low expectations can boost our performance. Everyone loves a good underdog story.
Recap: The Pygmalion Effect says that you rise or fall to the expectations placed on you.
What the research further shows, however, is that the strength of this effect is dependent on the credibility of the person setting the expectation.
If your parents and teachers tell you you’ll never amount to anything, you tend to believe them and stop trying. If a random stranger on the internet makes a similar comment, you can more easily brush them off.
In fact, someone lacking credibility who sets low expectations of you can have the opposite effect: It can boost your performance.
This is called the Underdog Effect.
People with low credibility, like online trolls and “haters",” can inspire you to prove them wrong.
Remember, high credibility and low credibility are entirely dependent on your perceptions.
Keep the following in mind:
High Expectations + High Credibility = Higher Achievement
Low Expectations + High Credibility = Lower Achievement
Low Expectations + Low Credibility = Higher Achievement
High Expectations + Low Credibility = Potentially Inflated Sense of Ego
Everyone needs someone in their corner who believes in them to achieve great things. This is almost a prerequisite for success. But we also tend to need someone who we can prove wrong—the doubters.
Focus your effort in finding the believers, because the doubters won’t be hard to find; and you can never have too many people rooting for you to succeed.
~ Coach Alex
P.S. I recorded a full explanation of this concept for youtube. You can watch it by clicking here. Be sure to follow my channel while you’re there.