Insights from The Expectation Effect by David Robson. How can your mindset transform your life?
Our brain’s expectations are intricately woven into everything we experience.
David Robson
- When morphine was scarce during World War II, thousands of soldiers having surgery were given injections of saline solution and convinced they were receiving morphine. 90% as much of the drug’s effectiveness came from the placebo!
- A man who took all 29 pills in a Minnesota antidepressant medication trial was taken to the hospital right away. He arrived pale, sleepy, trembling, and with a dangerously low blood pressure. Doctors tried to improve his health for hours without success. When the clinical trial doctor arrived, he informed the patient that he had overdosed on fake tablets and had not taken the actual medication. When he learned the news, the man fully recovered.
- In 2011, psychologist Dan Ariely asked research participants to read sentences in the glare of strong light while wearing identical sunglasses. Participants who were informed that they were using pricey Ray-Ban sunglasses correctly read twice as many words as those who believed they were wearing sunglasses from a mid-range brand.
Scientists refer to these discoveries as examples of the expectation effect. Author David Robson offers helpful suggestions in his book The Expectation Effect on how to use this phenomenon to our advantage and reach our maximum potential.
Expect rituals to boost your performance
- Before serving, Serena Williams gave the ball a precise count of five bounces.
- Rafael Nadal always showered cold before games.
Think again if you believe that these rituals are a waste of time. Rituals are effective methods for improving performance, according to empirical study. Elite basketball players are 12.4% more likely to make a free throw if they follow their pre-shot ritual than if they deviate from it, according to research published in the Journal of Sports Sciences. Rituals appear to be effective because carrying through a series of intentional behaviors causes one to feel in control and focused, which in turn raises expectations for continuous control and focus.
Author David Robson started counting his coffee beans before brewing a cup of coffee for a writing session after learning about the importance of ritual. That gives my drink a sense of significance, he claims, and prepares my mind for attention and focus. Do a ritual that you feel will improve your performance before engaging in any task that takes complete focus.
- Say a prayer or utter your favorite quote repeatedly.
- Practice deep breathing by taking three breaths from the diaphragm.
- Play a particular song. You might take advantage of the second performance-improving expectation impact if you choose a soundtrack music that makes you think of a character in a movie with enhanced powers.
Expect mental simulation to enhance your abilities
When a group of cadets in officer training underwent a standard eye test, were asked to use a flight simulator, and were instructed to treat the experience seriously (just as a pilot would), they were able to read serial numbers on approaching aircraft that were much smaller on the standard eye test but were too small for them to read.
Why did the cadets’ improved vision occur after they pretended to be pilots?
The cadets expected pilots to have excellent vision, so their minds and bodies did what they could to improve their eyesight. This discovery can be applied by envisioning challenging conditions that will improve your abilities. Before beginning any activity, see it in its most extreme form, where it will require your very best effort.
- Close your eyes and picture Magnus Carlson sitting across from you as you prepare to play chess with a friend. If you want to stand a chance against him, you’ll need to be incredibly focused and mentally sharp.
- Imagine playing LeBron James one-on-one and needing the speed to stop his drive before a pick-up basketball game with friends. You might play the finest basketball of your life when you and your pals start the game.
Expect your willpower to be limitless
Consider a time when you fought a powerful temptation and felt strengthened, making it easier to fight subsequent temptations.
According to numerous studies, people who adopt a “non-limited” perspective on the mind’s resources recover more quickly from a long workday and are more productive the next day. In fact, following challenging days, those who perceive willpower as “non-limited” are more productive.
Although you may think your willpower is limitless, the mind does have a limit, but that limit is far farther away than you might think, and your capacity to recover occurs much more quickly than you may imagine. This does not give you the go-ahead to work till you pass out.
TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE
It is possible to push the limits of what we can achieve through a simple change of mindset.
David Robson
Author: The Pinoy Engineer
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