24. The Danger of the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Have you ever heard of the self-fulfilling prophecy? It’s the phenomenon where an individual’s or a group's expectation for the behavior of another individual or group serves actually to bring the expected behavior. As a dance educator, it means that your expectation of your dancer’s behavior and ability can actually bring about that expected behavior… good or bad. Here’s one example where it plays out as a dance educator… There are so many decisions I wrestle with when I'm preparing a competition routine.  I seem to spend a lot of time deciding which skills to include, and once I've decided, I then struggle to choose who should perform those skills. What should be a team trick? What should we do as a highlight trick? Who can I COUNT ON to perform that trick when the pressure is on? It’s one of the bigger coaching decisions we all have to make.  What I didn’t always realize is that my expectation of who could do the skill (and who couldn’t) would actually influence the end result. That’s the self-fulfilling prophecy and as coaches and teachers, it’s a scary but important reality. Our expectations can become an athlete’s reality. __________ Did you enjoy today’s episode? Please leave a rating and review on Apple podcasts! Be sure to snap a screenshot and tag me on instagram @dr.chelsea.pierotti as you’re listening to the episode.  Check out the full Show Notes, including episode highlights, key takeaways, exclusive resources, and more: https://chelseapierotti.com/24

Om Podcasten

Ever wish you had someone to help you with the mental aspects of dance? That's exactly what you get when you tune in to the Passion for Dance podcast... a sport psychology expert who understands the dance industry. Welcome to a Passion for Dance Podcast where your host Dr. Chelsea will bring the science of sport psychology into the dance studio. Each week you will hear tips and strategies around topics like confidence, growth mindset, resilience, motivation, and happiness… all the tools the help you thrive and become the best version of yourself (on and off the dance floor!) Dance teaches us to push through the pain to reach our goals, and we are used to criticism, tears, bleeding toes, and sore muscles. The show must go on no matter what right? But what if there were another way? Being a dancer teaches us important life skills, but that doesn't mean we have to be broken in order to build ourselves back up. Dance can teach us about self-discipline, teamwork, confidence, grit, and resilience without destroying a dancer’s self-esteem. The path to personal growth is full of joy, self-discovery, and challenging roadblocks, but we don’t have to figure it out alone. So if you are a dance educator, studio teacher, or school coach, what do you say? Are you ready to share your passion for dance with the world?