A closer look
Higher expectations placed upon individuals lead directly to an increase in their performance, while low expectations result in worse outcomes. Teachers who are told certain students are gifted will subconsciously treat those students better, providing more feedback and encouragement, which miraculously turns those kids into overachievers. This self-fulfilling prophecy proves that we are basically just houseplants with complicated emotions, entirely dependent on the vibes of the authority figures around us to thrive or wither. If your boss treats you like an incompetent liability who cannot be trusted with a stapler, you will eventually start breaking staplers just to meet their expectations. It is deeply unsettling to realize that your entire trajectory in life might just be the result of some exhausted third-grade teacher arbitrarily deciding you looked like a smart kid on the first day of school
