“Mind over matter”.
“If you dream it, you can do it”.
“When you believe you can do something, you are halfway there”.
Whether it be from a mentor, a parent or an encouraging friend, let’s face it: we’ve all heard these phrases before, or at least something along these lines. In fact, I would go so far as to say that these generic quotes are so overused that, despite being well-intentioned, they mean almost nothing to us anymore. Sure, we’ve all heard of those success stories. Those people who did dream it and then magically seem to do it, whose minds seem to be a superpower for them. But, for the vast majority of us, this isn’t always the case. In fact, at the risk of sounding pessimistic, it rarely is. While it is nice to hear, are our minds really a key to success?
These sayings have obviously come from somewhere, backed up by more than just a few stories of success, and that something could be the scientific theory called the placebo effect. Placebo treatments are actually often referred to as “sugar pills”: a name that essentially outlines their uselessness. And yet, the term is most commonly used in association with medicine, when patients actually experience improvements in their conditions when they believe they are getting proper treatments. A study in 2014 even revealed that placebo surgeries (surgeries where doctors make incisions but don’t actually change anything) lead to improvements 75% of the time. The idea is one that sounds crazy in theory but is shocking in terms of its actual effects. In fact, the idea may actually play directly into what these random, encouraging phrases have been telling us all along: our minds are more powerful than we think.
The placebo effect isn’t just limited to laboratories and hospitals either, its implications in our everyday lives are undeniable. The idea shapes our thoughts, choices and actions in ways we cannot imagine. We’ve all heard of positive self-affirmations, and these are a great example of the placebo effect in our everyday lives as they demonstrate how a simple belief in something can help make it come true. In all reality, telling ourselves that “we got this”, doesn’t do anything. It doesn’t magically give us newfound skills that we never had before. And yet, it is widely accepted that these positive affirmations do make us not just feel better, but perform better too. The placebo effect, in this instance, once again deals with our minds. Just like sugar pills are made effective by the belief that they are useful, the same applies to these affirmations. The belief that they are true actually gives us the confidence to push ourselves and perform better.
It is amazing to think that it is this idea of hope that can create an atmosphere which can actually drive a person to be better, even without really doing anything. This greatly mirrors how “sugar pills”, though filled with essentially useless substances, still set off the release of dopamine and endorphins, helping our body heal nonetheless.
However, is this idea really still relevant in our everyday lives when we look at the bigger picture? How much of what we achieve and do can really be associated with the placebo effect? After all, it seems impossible that just belief, hope and ambition can drive you to success. And this is true. A belief can only take one so far and is in no way a replacement for hard work and dedication. Nonetheless, the placebo effect still plays a huge yet underlying role, with belief remaining a powerful force that drives us to act and improve our attitudes.
If you think of it, a dream is nothing more than an idea. Often one that seems far-fetched and a long shot, yet undeniably desirable. And belief is the spark that allows our dreams from far away in the distance to become visible to us. It moves us towards action and keeps us going when we are faced with adversity. It gives us confidence and hope that we can get past everything and reach a better place.
Yet the idea of the placebo effect remains a troubling one too. If you think of it in its most broken-down form, the effect essentially suggests that we can deceive ourselves into getting a desired outcome. And this simply isn’t always true. Reliance on the idea of the placebo effect, whether it be from parents using it on their kids or teachers using it on their students, is dangerous and comes with huge risks. In fact, the idea can actually place an overemphasis on positive thoughts and affirmations, and their effects. While a motivational phrase may be a brilliant way to inspire someone towards action, it is important to remember that these phrases, without action, are limited in what they can do.
At the end of the day, sure, having hope and belief is important. But they are simply a starting step and aren’t by any means what allows you to reach your goals as countless sayings seem to suggest. Rather, it is the inspiration that this hope and belief gives us that pushes us forward. It is the hard work and dedication that ultimately allows us to reach our goals. And this is something we cannot take for granted. Furthermore, positive thoughts and affirmations, like the placebo effect, do not always produce the desired results. And it's important not to overestimate this. While our minds are capable of far more than we might think, they still do not control everything. And they never will be able to.
So, maybe those quotes are just hollow platitudes, or maybe, there is some tiny bit of substance to those cliche sayings after all. But what may be more important than labelling these as right or wrong is reframing and redefining them. Understanding them and their purpose, but not relying on them. Having this feeling of belief, but knowing that belief alone isn’t enough. Acknowledging the amazing possibilities of the placebo effect in our everyday lives, but being aware that the effect isn’t a tool for achieving our goals. Knowing that it is mind over matter, but only if we act on what the mind believes.
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