Self fulfilling prophecy
When encouraging people, I strive to remind them that no one is inherently more special or better than anyone else. Success largely depends on mindset. If you truly believe in your ability to achieve something and commit your time and effort to it, you can accomplish it.
This principle has been around for ages. In the Bible, Numbers chapters 13 and 14, Caleb and Joshua exemplified this mindset when they declared, “We are able.” It wasn’t that they weren’t aware of the giants (the seemingly insurmountable challenges) before them. Instead, their understanding of this concept gave them the confidence to reach the Promised Land, while the other spies and the people who doubted themselves failed to make it.
Jurgen Klopp
The first time I heard the phrase “self-fulfilling prophecy” was in October 2015 during the post-match interview following Liverpool’s second home game under his management.
Below is an excerpt from the interview:
“There was still 10 minutes to go. We didn’t give up physically, it’s not that we stopped our game physically, but we didn’t believe anymore that we could turn the game around. That’s a problem, that’s why we’re not calm enough in the moments when we have the chances, the last pass and so on.
“I don’t understand this pressure at the moment, but the guys feel it. You can see that. They work so hard, they are full of concentration, full of readiness, full of passion, everything is there.
“And we conceded one goal and it felt like the end of the world – and it’s not the end of the world. It’s only a goal, you can always come back and that’s what we have to understand. That’s what I saw tonight.”
He added: “Things like this happen. If you hope that nothing happens in the moment the ball goes in the air, I saw things like this not only with my team but with other teams – self-fulfilling prophecy, something like this?
“The ball is in the air and everybody goes, ‘Oh my God, something will happen’, that’s what you have to change. You have to work, you have to analyse, and then you have to work on [it].
You can click the link below to see the full interview on Liverpool FC’s website.
Jurgen Klopp on self fulfilling prophecy
Before Klopps arrival
Before Klopp’s arrival towards the end of 2015, Liverpool had won only a single trophy since 2007 and had not clinched a league title since the 1989/90 season.
At his unveiling, Klopp boldly declared he would turn “doubters into believers.” This was a team that had finished the previous season in 6th place, was languishing in 10th when he took over, and had narrowly escaped bankruptcy just three years earlier. In the same 2015/16 season, he took them to two cup finals which they lost.
Turning doubters to believers
Once considered a big club only due to its storied past, Liverpool had gone 25 years without a league title. Klopp, however, promised to win atleast one within four years. True to his word, he led the team to Champions League glory in 2019 and secured the Premier League title in 2020 and other near misses due to the fact he was battling with teams on a superior budgets.
Klopp may not be the greatest tactician, nor has he always coached the most talented squads, but his mastery of psychology and ability to inspire people have consistently brought out the best in his teams.
Jurgen Klopp promise to win a title in 4 years (Youtube)
Conclusion
I’ve encountered many people: family, friends, and even strangers, who lack the confidence to pursue goals they genuinely desire, all because of the “I can’t” mentality. This mindset often paralyzes them, creating an invisible barrier between their dreams and their ability to achieve them.
I’ve seen this phenomenon play out in various areas of life: on the job, in relationships, and in personal growth. Often, people convince themselves that something won’t work out, whether it’s a career opportunity, a romantic relationship, or a challenging project. This belief, deeply embedded in the subconscious, becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Even if the situation had the potential to succeed, the negative mindset can manifest doubts and fears that ultimately cause it to unravel. This is the power of our subconscious thoughts they shape our reality, for better or worse.
But what if we flipped the narrative? What if, instead of dwelling on potential failures, we projected positivity? Believing that things will work out doesn’t guarantee success, but it creates a mindset where you’re more likely to see opportunities, take risks, and persevere when challenges arise. Positivity sets the stage for action and resilience, which are crucial ingredients for achieving your goals.
Personally, I’ve adopted this mindset along with other principles I’ve picked up over the course of my life, and the results have been transformative. By focusing on growth and projecting confidence, I’ve experienced tremendous progress compared to where I started. It hasn’t been easy, and there were moments of doubt, but choosing to believe in myself made all the difference.
Despite Jurgen’s remarkable successes, he also faced setbacks, narrowly losing two European Cups, one domestic cup, and two league titles by just a single point, despite achieving record-breaking totals of 93 and 97 points.
Ultimately, our thoughts are powerful. They can either hold us back or propel us forward. So why not choose the latter? Believe in yourself, and let that belief be the foundation for your actions and aspirations. The results might just surprise you.
From doubters to believers!
Leave a Reply to Liz Cancel reply