What’s fake can be very real.
Wait, huh?
Hear me out. I read a story on WebMD about how placebo drugs in those clinical studies are just as effective as the real thing.
Placebo drugs: Fake medications that make people think they are taking the “real thing” but aren’t.
The reason is that we “expect” the drug to work; therefore, the simple act of taking a pill makes us believe it’s real.
We believe it’s working.
Even when it isn’t.
Here, read this snippet:
“In one study, people were given a placebo and told it was a stimulant. After taking the pill, their pulse rate sped up, their blood pressure increased, and their reaction speeds improved. When people were given the same pill and told it was to help them get to sleep, they experienced the opposite effects,” WebMD wrote.
In other words, the fake stuff worked because people believed they were given the real thing.
Their minds overruled the physical “nothingness” of the pill.
Pretty damn interesting, isn’t it?
How To Placebo Your Life
We think something is supposed to happen, and therefore, it does.
I’m a huge believer in using the placebo effect in our everyday lives, and you might be surprised at the difference it can make.
Our minds are f-ing powerful.
Picture this: You get up on the “wrong side of the bed.” You’re tired. Have a headache. Grumpy. Shit just isn’t starting well, and you immediately assume it will be a crappy day.
“Today’s gonna suck,” you mutter to yourself.
[Hint: Your mind will make sure that happens]
👉 You hit insane traffic on the way to work.
👉 Someone forgot to make the darn coffee in the office.
👉 Your boss just emailed you a huge to-do list, and at least half of that shit can’t be done in a single day.
“I knew this day was going to suck,” you mumble.
Here’s the thing: Your day is crap because you expected it to be crap. From the moment you got out of bed, you sealed your fate.
Your mind was made up. This. Day. Is. Going. To. Suck.
But, guess what? This same phenomenon happens the other way, too.
A positive mindset to start the day is the first step to turning it into one.
When we expect the day to be shit, it will be shit.
When we expect things to go well, then guess what? They probably will.
Here’s the truth (and read this twice if you need to):
Millionaires aren’t positive people because they are millionaires. Positive people are millionaires because they are positive.
Think it’s bullshit? It’s not.
Yes, I get it. Just thinking everything will go right and then taking no action to make it happen won’t work. Putting a smile on your face won’t magically put $1,000,000 in your bank account.
It takes more than just a positive mindset.
Positivity is the first step. It’s like a prerequisite. You start thinking about things differently. Your motivation grows. Your energy increases.
I’ve met hundreds of millionaires throughout my career and life; most were positive people. Bright-side people. Glass half full people.
Positivity works.
Chat next week!
– Steve