It is probably not surprising that your attitude when approaching a challenge strongly affects your results. Sometimes expecting results will actually lead to better results than if you were not expecting any results.
An example of this is a study with a group of athletes were given a placebo pill which they were told was anabolic steroids. The result was that even though the athletes were not actually on steroids they experienced much faster increases in strength as if they were on actual steroids! As soon as the athletes were informed that they had been given a placebo, their rate of progression returned to normal.
Knowing this, it is clear that your expectations affect your results and that, conversely, expecting something to go bad will also worsen your result. An example of this is the nocebo effect, where we, for example, can perceive something as painful merely because we are expecting it to be painful.
In conclusion, a positive mindset will help accelerate your results. Placebo is very real and even though we do not recommend purchasing products with no benefit over placebo, we do recommend “inducing” your own placebo effect with a positive mindset.
The Evidence:
G Ariel. Anabolic steroids: The physiological effects of placebos. E Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 12/1971; 4(2).
