How not to jinx yourself

Are you afraid to share your goals with others? 

Or to let yourself dream big? 

Do you think that achievement means failure is right around the corner? 

Do you fail to acknowledge milestones or celebrate your successes (big or small)? 

If so, you’re not alone. I used to, too, and most of my clients feel this way when they begin working with me. 

But if you said 'yes' to one more of the questions I just asked, I’ve got a little (research-backed) secret to share with you.

It doesn’t work that way.

The other shoe can stay on your foot. 

Going up doesn’t set you up for coming down.

And you’re not going to jinx yourself by admitting what you want.

Really. 

Western culture pushes the idea that sharing your desires—for example, telling people what you wish for when you blow the candles out on your birthday cake—means you won't get them. Many of us have also been raised to believe good is always followed by bad. And research shows that the “waiting for the other shoe to drop” phenomenon is particularly prevalent among ambitious, driven people. 

But these superstitions simply aren’t true. In fact, a recent study in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that sharing your goals with a person whose opinion you value makes you more likely to reach them. Likewise, scientists at the University of California, Riverside, discovered that positive emotions—like the joy and optimism that accompany celebration—don’t predict or create a downfall. Instead, they increase your likelihood of future achievement.

So rather than hijacking your dreams, acknowledging your ambitions and enjoying your victories actually helps you make them a reality.

Allow that to sink in for a minute. What if feeling good could be the secret to your success?

Happy writing.

—Camille