Keep Your Fingers Crossed: How Superstition Improves Performance

ScienceDaily (July 14, 2010) — Don't scoff at those lucky rabbit feet. New research shows that having some kind of lucky token can actually improve your performance -- by increasing your self-confidence.

www.sciencedaily.com...

After reading this article it made me realize something, we can control/bend reality, but we don't believe enough to make it happen all the time. The article talks about how people came in with an item they considered "lucky". Half of them had their "lucky" item taken away, and the other half kept there lucky item for the test. The results showed the half that had their "lucky" item did better than the ones that didn't, and they say its because they had more self-confidence.

I feel that it shows how we can control/bend reality with our mind but we don't believe in ourselves 100 percent. I think we all have road blocks put in our heads from a very young age that keeps us from our potentials.

From a very young age we have been programed to think that we "can't" do certain things. Like moving objects with our minds, seeing the future/ghosts, flying, etc. Some people move out of this box but for the most part people fall in line just like everything else. I think its a problem of trusting what we hear from others as truth and not questioning it is what has gotten us into this mess.

This article shows to me that we can do what others call "impossible" if we can just truly believe in ourselves 100 percent. The people who did better were the ones who had their "lucky" item with them. To them, that "luck" makes them stronger or better some how. Instead of believing in themselves they use a "lucky" item. There is a song by 50 cent, here is a quick snip of part of the lyrics

Listen you can call me what you want, black and ugly
But you can't convince me the Lord don't love me
When my cds drop, they sell the best
You call it luck, why can't it just be I'm blessed

www.azlyrics.com...

So I guess what i'm trying to say is when you do something that is "amazing" and someone says you are "lucky," don't think of it as luck. Think of it as the part of you that is truly believing in yourself 100 percent. If we can learn to believe in ourselves 100 percent we can turn those, "once" in a while "lucky" days into, "everyday."

Its a good principal. and true, power of the mind, is majorly underestimated.
Makes you think, remove your inner road blocks, and the vieuws of media/goverement/people around you, and unleash part of the potential ^^

Oh, the mind is a powerful thing! I have been reading a couple of book, one called The Field, about the Zero Point Field, and the other called The Intension Experiment.

I highly recommend them for a good view of what science is telling us about the implications in our lives of quantum physics.

Indeed, we can do far more than we are told as we learn about our role in the collective conscious that is cocerating Now.

reply to post by Trudge


in DEED!

look at my sig: Thoughts ARE things.

another ideas to ponder:

mind is the builder
your life is the result

fear creates danger
courage dispels it


you've no doubt heard of "The Secret."
i haven't read it but i have friends who have.
the one flaw in it is the idea of saying "I want" instead of "I have."

if you want or need something, don't think of it as a want or a need but think of it as something you've already obtained.

when you say "I want" you are imprinting the want upon the particular aetheric plane where our thoughts manifest into reality, and lock yourself, more or less, into perpetual "want."

if you say you want it, you'll be wanting it a long time, and the more you think like that, the longer you'll wait.

Volunteers who had their lucky charm did better at a memory game on the computer, and other tests showed that this difference was because they felt more confident. They also set higher goals for themselves.

Perhaps this was due to the other people who had their "lucky charm" taken away constantly thinking about whether they were going to get their "lucky charm" back or not, especially if that "lucky charm" had sentimental value to them. They were distracted by this and is most likely the reason why they scored lower on a memory test.

Superstitions are all in the head, a mental mind game with yourself.

Originally posted by Impro
Its a good principal. and true, power of the mind, is majorly underestimated.
Makes you think, remove your inner road blocks, and the vieuws of media/goverement/people around you, and unleash part of the potential ^^

Yes, if we can just get past the "thats not possible" block in our minds I think we can do great things.

Originally posted by Amaterasu
Oh, the mind is a powerful thing! I have been reading a couple of book, one called The Field, about the Zero Point Field, and the other called The Intension Experiment.

I highly recommend them for a good view of what science is telling us about the implications in our lives of quantum physics.

Indeed, we can do far more than we are told as we learn about our role in the collective conscious that is cocerating Now.

Thank you for the info I will look into those books.

Originally posted by queenannie38
in DEED!

look at my sig: Thoughts ARE things.

another ideas to ponder:

mind is the builder
your life is the result

fear creates danger
courage dispels it


you've no doubt heard of "The Secret."
i haven't read it but i have friends who have.
the one flaw in it is the idea of saying "I want" instead of "I have."

if you want or need something, don't think of it as a want or a need but think of it as something you've already obtained.

when you say "I want" you are imprinting the want upon the particular aetheric plane where our thoughts manifest into reality, and lock yourself, more or less, into perpetual "want."

if you say you want it, you'll be wanting it a long time, and the more you think like that, the longer you'll wait.

I like your idea "mind is the builder, your life is the result" I think that is very true. I have watched "the secret" as well and I thought it was a good watch. I did see some issues with it as well I think the idea is correct but not all of the information is there though and more thought needs to be put into it.

Originally posted by InvisibleObserver
Perhaps this was due to the other people who had their "lucky charm" taken away constantly thinking about whether they were going to get their "lucky charm" back or not, especially if that "lucky charm" had sentimental value to them. They were distracted by this and is most likely the reason why they scored lower on a memory test.

Or it could be that because they had their "lucky" item taken away, they then thought they couldn't do as well because they didn't have "luck" on their side when all they really needed to do was look at themselves.

Originally posted by Trudge
Yes, if we can just get past the "thats not possible" block in our minds I think we can do great things.

EXACTLY.

for everyone it would be different, according to their heart, but for me, instead of "that's not possible" i consciously (at first, now it's habit) substituted "With GOD, ALL things ARE possible."

it works. even for the seemingly impossible stuff.
if you break down the word impossible to im possible it becomes
I'm Possible!

I like your idea "mind is the builder, your life is the result" I think that is very true.

i'd like to take credit for that but i'm merely repeating something often found in the readings of Edgar Cayce. "Thoughts are things" is also from the readings. Often those ideas are followed with something to the effect of "will you make it a miracle or a crime?"

i don't always advertise the source of those statements because many people, mostly christians, are prejudiced against Edgar Cayce without ever having even read anything about him or from the readings, and i don't want to ruin a good suggestion with someone else's pre-suppositions. if they would read Cayce, they'd realize that he was all about Jesus and love - he had a pure heart. they don't know how to test the spirits, themselves, mostly, so they just go by the popular opinion of their peers.

I have watched "the secret" as well and I thought it was a good watch. I did see some issues with it as well I think the idea is correct but not all of the information is there though and more thought needs to be put into it.

that's the idea i got, as well. too hurriedly put out in print, perhaps in anticipation of revenue. it really isn't a secret but it isn't something most people realize on their own, either. i do what i can to spread the word, having had empirical proof of its efficacy in my own life!

reply to post by Trudge

Or it could be that because they had their "lucky" item taken away, they then thought they couldn't do as well because they didn't have "luck" on their side when all they really needed to do was look at themselves.

That could be, like I said, Superstitions are all in the head, a mental mind game with yourself.

I've seen 2 sides of superstitions in my life. First playing organized sports for over half of my life, I even had a few superstitions myself while playing, when I look back on that now I just laugh at it. The other part of my life that I have seen superstitions is in the gambling world. I see people all the time with lucky charms in casinos, at the card tables. Some people have a ritual before they step foot in a casino, or a ritual while actually playing their game of choice because it worked one time for them. These superstitions, rituals, lucky charms have zero value on whether or not your going to be lucky that night or not. They have no affect on the outcome of a situation. They are just silly mind games with yourself, which could be a weakness if you rely on them to bring you luck.

Originally posted by queenannie38


EXACTLY.

for everyone it would be different, according to their heart, but for me, instead of "that's not possible" i consciously (at first, now it's habit) substituted "With GOD, ALL things ARE possible."

it works. even for the seemingly impossible stuff.
if you break down the word impossible to im possible it becomes
I'm Possible!

I like that very much, I will try and use it in my everyday life.

i'd like to take credit for that but i'm merely repeating something often found in the readings of Edgar Cayce. "Thoughts are things" is also from the readings. Often those ideas are followed with something to the effect of "will you make it a miracle or a crime?"

i don't always advertise the source of those statements because many people, mostly christians, are prejudiced against Edgar Cayce without ever having even read anything about him or from the readings, and i don't want to ruin a good suggestion with someone else's pre-suppositions. if they would read Cayce, they'd realize that he was all about Jesus and love - he had a pure heart. they don't know how to test the spirits, themselves, mostly, so they just go by the popular opinion of their peers.

I have watched a couple of shows about Edgar Cayce and from what I saw on the shows I agree that he seemed to have a very pure heart. He did what he did to help others not to gain money from his gift.

Originally posted by InvisibleObserver
reply to post by Trudge

 

Or it could be that because they had their "lucky" item taken away, they then thought they couldn't do as well because they didn't have "luck" on their side when all they really needed to do was look at themselves.

That could be, like I said, Superstitions are all in the head, a mental mind game with yourself.

I've seen 2 sides of superstitions in my life. First playing organized sports for over half of my life, I even had a few superstitions myself while playing, when I look back on that now I just laugh at it. The other part of my life that I have seen superstitions is in the gambling world. I see people all the time with lucky charms in casinos, at the card tables. Some people have a ritual before they step foot in a casino, or a ritual while actually playing their game of choice because it worked one time for them. These superstitions, rituals, lucky charms have zero value on whether or not your going to be lucky that night or not. They have no affect on the outcome of a situation. They are just silly mind games with yourself, which could be a weakness if you rely on them to bring you luck.

Yes, I always see people at the casino with "lucky" charms that they use to try and win money. If they tried to think about positive cards rather than using a lucky charm for luck maybe they would do better? I will give it a shot next time i'm at the casino.

[edit on 15-7-2010 by Trudge]

LOL.
I thought everybody knew this.
This is hardly a scientific ''discovery''.

I always put my right foot first inside the boundary rope when I play cricket, and many of my team-mates have similar superstitions before we enter the field of play, but I go to the wicket believing I will be the recipient of ''luck'' because of my previous superstitious behaviour.

In my case, it's the willing suspension of disbelief, and I always conduct my sporting activities with an air of spirituality around me, and I do genuinely believe that the superstitions will work when I play.

Would this be like wayne dyer's the power of intention?