DiscoverYear of ProfitExpect More Get More The Power of the Pygmalion Effect
Expect More Get More The Power of the Pygmalion Effect

Expect More Get More The Power of the Pygmalion Effect

Update: 2025-07-21
Share

Description

Please Hit Subscribe and leave a 5-Star review.

 

Click here to go to my Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076311491473

Click here to see and purchase my book.

https://a.co/d/bhKv2vP

Click here to  see Jens book.

https://a.co/d/fUSg7DQ

 

The Pygmalion effect, also known as the Rosenthal effect, describes how a person's expectations can influence another person's behavior and performance. In essence, if someone expects a person to succeed, that person is more likely to achieve success, and conversely, negative expectations can lead to poorer performance. 

The original Rosenthal effect experiment, also known as the Pygmalion effect, was conducted by Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson in an elementary school setting. They manipulated teachers' expectations about their students' potential, leading to a self-fulfilling prophecy where students labeled as "intellectual bloomers" showed significant performance improvements compared to their peers. 

 

So what exactly is the Pygmalion Effect?

At its core, it’s the idea that what you expect—either of yourself or others—can dramatically shape performance and results. When we believe in someone’s potential, they often rise to meet those expectations. And when we expect little or hold limiting beliefs, performance often falls short. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.

This concept comes from a famous psychological experiment. Back in the 1960s, psychologist Robert Rosenthal conducted a study in an elementary school. Teachers were told that certain randomly selected students were “intellectual bloomers” and would likely make great strides during the school year. These students weren’t special—just chosen at random. But by the end of the year, those students did perform significantly better. Why? Because their teachers believed they would.

That belief changed how the teachers treated them—more encouragement, more attention, more patience. And the students responded to that. They internalized those expectations and performed accordingly.

 

Now let’s take this into your world.

Let’s say you’re an entrepreneur, a content creator, or someone working toward a financial or personal goal. When you believe in your success—when you expect growth—you begin to make decisions aligned with that belief. You show up differently. You speak differently. You become more resilient. And that starts to create momentum.

But here’s the catch: the opposite is also true. This is where the Golem Effect comes in—the darker side of the Pygmalion Effect. When you expect little of yourself, or others expect little of you, performance drops. You internalize those low expectations, and you start holding yourself back. You settle. You hesitate. You play small. All because you don’t expect more.

This is why your mindset matters. It’s not just a feel-good idea—it’s a driver of results.

Here’s the good news: You can change it. You can consciously raise your expectations.

Think about how you talk to yourself. What’s your inner dialogue? Is it full of doubt? Fear? Hesitation? Or are you telling yourself: I can do this. I am built for success. I find solutions. I grow from challenges.

How you see your future. Are you visualizing struggle and failure, or are you expecting things to get better, to grow, to thrive?

When you start expecting more, you’ll start doing more. Because your subconscious will begin aligning your actions, habits, and focus with that higher vision.

This also applies to leadership—whether you’re managing a team, raising kids, or coaching others. If you want to bring out the best in people, you have to believe in their potential. Speak it. Show it. Hold that higher vision for them until they can hold it for themselves. The best leaders, the best mentors, the best teachers—they set high expectations, and they make others feel like they can rise to meet them.

Now, let’s talk profit—because this is the Year of Profit, after all.

If you’re looking to grow financially, you need to expect profit. You need to believe that growth is coming. That abundance is within reach. That you’re capable of generating value, income, and opportunities. Your financial breakthrough starts with your mindset.

I’m not just talking about blind optimism here. I’m talking about training your mind to focus on progress, to seek out solutions, to act with confidence—even before the results show up.

Because when you expect progress, you find ways to make it happen. You take more chances. You recover faster. You invest smarter. And slowly but surely, your reality begins to match your expectation.

How it works:

The effect is a self-fulfilling prophecy where expectations, whether positive or negative, can become reality. A manager who believes their team is capable, for example, might offer more support, encouragement, and opportunities, ultimately leading to better performance. Conversely, a teacher who expects little from a student might unintentionally provide less attention or challenge, potentially hindering the student's progress. 

Key aspects of the Pygmalion effect:

The core of the effect is that expectations, whether conscious or unconscious, influence the way we interact with and treat others.

The effect is considered a type of self-fulfilling prophecy because the initial expectations can create a cycle where the expected outcome is more likely to occur. 

The Pygmalion effect can have both positive and negative consequences, depending on the nature of the expectations. 

The effect can be observed in various settings, including classrooms, workplaces, and even personal relationships. 

Examples:

  • <s
Comments 
In Channel
loading
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

Expect More Get More The Power of the Pygmalion Effect

Expect More Get More The Power of the Pygmalion Effect

Joe Shortridge